Boots & Clover: A Trip through the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher

Hello all! While trying to look inconspicuous and waiting for my “Ancient Celtic Mythology” lecture to begin here at NUI Galway, I thought I’d write you all a post about my recent weekend trip with Galway Tour Co. to the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. Much to my delight, a member of our study abroad group up and decided Friday night to join a €25 tour for Saturday morning. What a great spur-of-the-moment decision that turned out to be! Bright and early on the blustery morning, a bus came to pick our bleary-eyed student group up, and we began our tour narrated by the most chipper man, American or Irish, that I have ever encountered. Starting from Galway, we made our way through the Burren towards the Cliffs and stopped numerous times along the way through County Clare, a southern neighbor to County Galway.

Our first stop was the famed Dunguaire Castle near the town of Kinvarra. Stunning against the blue of the sea and sky, it sits snugly on the shoreline and looked even a bit cheerful to have the sunlight shining on it.

Dunguaire Castle

Kinvarra

After bumping up and down small hills in our little bus, we stopped next at the Corcomroe Abbey. The stone remains of the monastery, which was founded in the remote, fertile valley in the late 12^th century, consisted of most of the monastery building and a small graveyard. Each were equisitely beautiful in a very quiet, tranquil, isolated manner.

When discussing the introduction of Christianity to the island nation, our tour guide delved into a delightful tangent about the prevalence of superstitious and magical beliefs of the people of Ireland, especially in the more rural and traditional areas of the west. We stopped in what was called a ring fort, in which indigenous people of pre-Christian Ireland lived in a small cluster of buildings surrounded by a earthen wall of sorts. If attacked by people of a different region, inhabitants could escape through underground tunnels that led out of the ring fort. It is these small pits and tunnels which fairies are said to live in, and to avoid the bad luck of fairy mischief, one should never cross a ring fort. (We did though, for the sake of seeing it! Whoops!)

Fairies and wee people be here

The last stop on the way to the Cliffs was the Poulnabrone Dolmen. Called a “portal tomb” due to its shape, this tomb was erected by early peoples that lived in the Burren. The Burren itself, by the way, is a collection of tall hills that are completely rocky with rare flora (the word Burren derives from an Irish word which means “a rocky place”).

And finally, we arrived at the much-anticipated Cliffs of Moher. They definitely did not disappoint!! Towering over the Atlantic sea and breaking its white-capped waves, the rocky Cliffs are a perfect example of the raw beauty of Ireland. The harsh, rugged cliffs were softened only by a slight mist and long flowing grass. After trekking to various points (and along perilous edges) we were able to see a rare Irish sunset over the Cliffs to the west.