The Burren Part 1

  The Burren, Co. Clare, Ireland
Thursday, July 5, 2007

Imagine the worst possible Oklahoma wind and multiply it by thirty!  That is what the wind felt like out on the Burrnen.  A rocky mountain area that is filled with prehistoric sites, the Burren is located about an hour south of Galway in County Clare. 

The Burren

It also has mutlitudes of valleys that run through it, splitting the mountains.  I had the time of my life here! 

Me

I went with my archeology class and it was quite an experience to have been shown these sites by the man who excavated them (he is my professor and also an American).  Getting to the Burren was an adventure in itself.  I tried, but the pictures I took do not do the are justice.  We had to travel the so-called "two-lane paved" road that was anything but! Traveling in a huge bus down a road that is big enough for a small car was quite the adventure!  We got to see two different megalithic sites.  The first one was right of the road.  Classified as a wedge tomb, Parknabinnia, it has not actually been excavated. 

Parknabinnia

What is interesting to note, is that it is considered rather small.  Still, talk about massive stones!  I would have hated to be part of the crew who had to build it!  To get to the second site, we had to undertake quite a hike.  During the winter, cattle grazes here in the Burren.  They hadn't been there in awhile, so the grass was extremely overgrown which hid the holes that seemed to be everywhere.  I really had to watch where I was going and still, I fell several times.  But, I wasn't the only one!   On the way to the second site, our professor showed us some ancient stone ground walls he had excavated.  The second and last site we saw, is classified as a court tomb. 

Entrance to court tomb

It actually has chambers that you could walk into;  kind of gave me the goosebumps! 

Inside the chamber

After all, people were buried here!  All in all, I had an amazing time and I has some great hands on learning!  I loved it! (Oh, and Dad, your rain jacket has been a blessing!!)