Galway – Day 7 

The Burren, Cliffs and Mohr

We spent the day exploring the scenic areas near Galway and the night exploring the town of Galway.  Some of us woke up the next morning a little green and with a pounding headache – no names.  What happens in Galway stays in Galway.

First stop: The Burren, which spans 175 square miles of ancient limestone pavement. It’s been poetically described as:

“A country where there is not water enough to drown a man,
wood enough to hang one,
nor earth enough to bury him…
yet their cattle are very fat.”

Once at the Burren our first stop on a very narrow road was at Poulnabrone Dolmen, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic portal tomb standing dramatically in a landscape which looked like a lunar surface. Two upright stones support a slanted capstone, which once covered a burial chamber where archaeologists unearthed 33 sets of ancient human remains. It is in a desolate area of County Clare.  Stone fences around the area are created by fitting stones together vertically, and absent only material sealing the area between the stones.

Poulnabrone Dolmen

We had a tour with Tony Kirby to teach about the geology and diverse habitat in the Burren, which contains over 70% of Ireland’s native flowers, including 23 species of orchids and 28 species of butterflies.   Mediterranean, Alpine, and Arctic plants coexist.  Hearty cows graze the hazel shrub which grows out of the limestone cracks.  He is passionate about the geology and preservation of the landscape.  Alas, there were no butterflies when we were there, but buckets and buckets rain, until the water dripped from my eyelashes, signaling in Morse Code, “get out of this rain.”  

The Burren

Second Stop: With wet rain jackets, pants and shoes we went onward to the Cliffs of Mohr in County Clare, the one place which on my bucket list when we planned our trip.  It is composed of layers of siltstones and sandstones which are slightly younger than those in the Burren.  It was formed from sand and silt washed into the Atlantic Ocean by rivers which have disappeared. The Cliffs are 702 feet at their highest point and 5 miles of drama and mist.  Admission to visit is free, as is the rain, but you pay for parking.  From the lot, we passed through the Visitor’s Center, built into a hill like a modern Hobbit hole with Wi-Fi. 

We walked up the paved path and stairs to O’Brien’s Tower, built in 1835. Because of the mist and fog from the drizzling rain, we could not see the view to Hags Head in the south or Doolin in the north.  

…

There were puffins flying, but it was nesting time, so getting any close ups was impossible.  

…

Lunch was at Monks in Ballyvaughan, where the seafood was fresh and plentiful, like a gift from the sea. My hat and I highly recommend it.

Monks in Ballyvaughan

By mid afternoon, we returned to Galway, and it was time for retail therapy. We bought Aran sweaters, ignoring the itchy wool, and the youngest grand kid added a flat cap — making him even more Irish.

Dinner at The Hardiman Hotel provided a good base for what came next: an evening tour of Galway’s real treasures — the pubs. Live music, local banter, and Guinness.  Singing may have been involved.  Some of us got to bed earlier than others.  ‘Nuf said.