A rocky stray, an erratic transported and then deposited by melting ice near Doolin. A John Hinde postcard of Lisdoonvarna in the 1950s.
Tom Kennedy reports on how visitors can continue to enjoy a fragile environment
O
nce the harvest was saved, bachelor farmers would take a break and head off in droves to Lisdoonvarna where there was a good chance that they might find a suitable wife. That old custom undoubtedly began because of the shale that lies beneath the grey Burren limestone. The springs that emerge from
the shales are rich in phosphate, iron sulphide, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and other minerals, so with 18th century rise in popularity of ‘taking the waters’, Lisdoonvarna became a big attraction. By the 19th century there were baths, pump houses, and big hotels where many of the bathing beauties met
their match. In 1895 20,000 visitors were recorded, and while that is a high enough figure, it is just a fraction of the numbers that come into the area now. While the fashion of taking the waters has gone into decline, interest in the flora, fauna, history, music and rocky landscape of the Burren has continued to rise. The iconic Cliffs of Moher, attracting close to a million people a year, is possibly the biggest draw for visitors in Ireland. The Burren has a lot to offer, but as the geologist, Ronán Hennessy, observed, bringing in more people only makes sense if the area is properly managed. The Burren is special mainly because it is an exceptionally fragile environment, where rare Alpine and Mediterranean flowers can grow together as close neighbours in the karst landscape. It would be all too easy to overwhelm the Burren, but as Ronán explained, good management does not mean that visitors should be excluded, and in fact one of his primary aims is to attract these people by providing them with a more rewarding experience. Ronán is one of an all embracing group that brings together all those with a common interest in maintaining the Burren, not as a museum, but as a
SCIENCE SPIN Issue 48 Page xx