In the right place at the right time at end of conference to be offered a lift with some colleagues on a sightseeing afternoon. We drove to Allwee Cave where the thousands of year old remains and hibernation pits of the last bears in Ireland where found and with underground waterfalls. This was in the Burren National Park which is a beautiful amazing rocky limestone area that is both naturally beautiful and interesting but also historically. The rockiness add minerals to the soil and the warm rocks absorbing heat would mean the patches of grass in between would grow further into winter than elsewhere that helped sustain farmers in the past. It also has an interesting ancient history with tombs and stone structures found dating back to Neolithic times. We saw the famous Poulnabrone Dolmen – a portal tomb believed to be dated to around 3000 BC where the remains of around 33 humans were found buried – it’s believed it may have been used as a ritual site right up until the Celtic medieval era. The abundance of rocks also mean that dry stone walls are a major feature in this area being used everywhere. The countryside either side of the Burren is beautiful with rolling green hills, quaint cottages with slate and thatch rooves and stone fences and beautiful seaside villages. We stopped in Ballyvaughan for some dinner (with the sun shining bright in our eyes as the sun sets at 10.50 pm this time of year!). We had a delicious seafood chowder and Irish soda bread overlooking Galway Bay. I was even able to enjoy a Guinness as we discovered they make a 0% alcohol Guinness ( I can’t have alcohol for health reasons) . A truly Irish experience looking over the Galway Bay.
Then off to the famous Cliffs of Moher. There’s a fairly hefty fee to use the carpark and then you walk to the visitor centre and then on to the cliffs. The scenery is amazing, the wind fierce and the sound of the thousands of seabirds nesting in the cliffs impressive. Then a drive back to Limerick on the tiny roads that barely have enough room for two cars and with stone walls either side there really isn’t the option to pull over much either. I am glad I wasn’t driving.
