Secret history of the Burren revealed

PEOPLE lived in the Burren thousands of years before the time of Christ and there are dozens of sites of archaeological interest dotted throughout the North Clare landscape.

Many of these are not really accessible to the public and few would know where to look anyway. The Clare Farm Heritage Tours Co-op is seeking to change that, to show visitors how people lived in centuries past and to expose them to some of the landscape’s lesser-seen sights and features.
Frank O’Grady is secretary of the co-op and says visitors will need to speak to farmers to get a proper understanding of the Burren.
“It’s a group of nine like-minded farmers, who have got together with the intention of offering guided tours on their own land. There’s a lot of talk about the ecology of the area and the importance of the Burren as a place. The Burren looks as it does because of the way it was farmed down through the years. We believe that in order to fully appreciate and get a full experience of the Burren, it’s necessary to make contact with farmers like ourselves, walk the Burren and hear the stories and the history, to get a holistic view of what it’s all about.”
The nine members of the group are Pat McCormack (Kilnaboy), Harry Jeuken (Kilnaboy), Michael Vaughan (Lahinch), Michael Killeen (Corofin), Patrick Nagle (Corofin), Frank O’Grady (Kilnaboy), Robert Cassidy (Carron), Michael Curtis (Kilnaboy) and Michael Davoren (Kilcorney).
Michael Killeen said there is a lot of information available on the guided tours. “There are about 100 archaeological sites between the nine farms so that was the concept we started with. It has evolved a small bit onto geology and botany. There’s fulcadh fiadhs, ring forts, wedge tombs and ancient church sites.”
Last Thursday, Harry Jeuken brought a group of people across his land showing them features such as a fulcadh fiadh and a so-called ‘holy well’ that he says has healing powers.
“Anything that healed was called holy water and the water can only heal when it’s taken at the source where it comes out of the rock. That water is loaded with oxygen and it can heal diabetes but only if you drink it right there.”
The farmers are on “a steep learning curve”, according to Frank with little knowledge or experience of the tourism industry. However, he says that the initiative could help make local farming more sustainable. “With the demise of the Celtic Tiger, we’re hoping this idea will work. You have a considerable income crisis in farming and if you were to take a long-term ecological view of the Burren, the Burren can function quite nobly without most sectors but not without farming. The only way farmers can continue is if they make a living from it and we see this as kind of an income supplement.”
Brigid Barry of Burrenbeo said that the co-op was offering a chance for people to get a deeper insight into the Burren.
“Clare Farm Heritage Tours is a great off-the-beaten-track opportunity for people to get an insight into the Burren’s rich heritage and culture, both past and present with those that know it best, the landowners. Each piece of farmland has its own story, its own archaeological, historical and geographical features. And each of these Clare Farm Heritage individuals are experts of their patch with information on the land, the folklore and the environment that has been passed down through the generations that adds to the vast story that is the Burren. Having access to this information is a great privilege for visitors to the area,” Ms Barry said.
Tours run daily at 2pm from the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron. To book, call 065 7089944 or email heritagetours.co.op@gmail.com.