Travel. Ireland. Western Europe.
Ireland’s Lunar Kingdom
Following the trails and legends of the Burren National Park.
Nearly in the middle of Ireland’s West coast lays a region of alien beauty called the Burren. It’s a place where scientifically accurate and historically proven facts are inextricably linked to local legends, blurring the boundary between reality and fantasy. It’s a place where to embrace the inexplicable and allow the old tales to lead the way.
Ireland’s lunar landscape
The name ‘Burren’ comes from an Irish word meaning ‘a rocky place’, aptly describing the region which is often compared to the gray and lonely plains of the Moon. It’s one of the most phenomenal landscapes of the country and a sharp contrast to the traditional lush green rolling pastures. Its captivating glaciokarst scenery is characterized by unique open fields of exposed and fissured limestone, known as limestone pavement, interspersed with terraced hills. The same limestone landscape can be seen further off the coast in the Aran Islands.
The Burren National Park occupies only a small portion of the transcendental rocky area, but it’s home to the most striking hiking trail that leads up to Mullaghmore hill. The magnetic pull of the hill with its tilted layers of limestone is so strong that we are forced to stop in the middle of the road long before the parking lot since it’s impossible to control the excitement when the sloping bands of Mullaghmore appear amid rocky fields, prickly bushes, and shimmering lakes for the first time.
The trail initially leads along the lake whose clear water appears turquoise due to its limestone bottom, whipping up the undertone of a tropical idyll. In Ireland, they are known as turloughs or disappearing lakes. Due to the uncommon geology, turloughs flood during the cold season and can disappear completely when it gets warmer. As the groundwater level falls, the water simply drains away through the cracked limestone.
The serene terrain of wrinkled limestone fields is punctuated by clusters of hazel and occasional boulders left by retreating glaciers during the last Ice age. However, to declare that the Burren is a lifeless void would be wrong. Many plants grow between the gray limestone slabs, and even the deepest fissures are crammed with stubborn stalks and miniature bushes. Miraculously, this lunar landscape is home to more than 70% of Ireland’s plant species, including some of the rarest.
In April, the floral splendor is slowly gaining its speed, and there is no shortage of clumps of pale yellow primroses intermingled with fragile violets, fuzzy dandelions, and bright blue spring gentians — the unofficial symbol of the Burren. Early purple orchids stand along the path like devout soldiers, and the shade of hazel scrub shelters a myriad of wood anemones.
Climbing higher up the hill, the scenery gets more surreal — a silvery expanse of limestone dotted with brownish skeletons of shrubs and shallow turloughs ends abruptly in the distance, giving way to green pastures.
As if the incredible Burren geology on a larger scale wouldn’t be impressive enough, we are surprised by smaller geological wonders under our feet — coral fossils. Since the Burren limestone was formed approximately 350 million years ago from the remains of countless marine inhabitants when a tropical sea covered this region, it’s not surprising to find some fossils of ancient sea creatures. However, in some spots, the number of fossilized corals is incredible and trampling over them seems somewhat improper.
Climbing Mullaghmore turns out to be entertainment in its own right. I feel like a Lilliputian at a giant’s dinner party. The terraced hill is reminiscent of a large pile of dishes, and you have to climb over the edge of each plate, panting and sweating, to access the prepared meal. Although the ascend is dazzling, standing at the top of Mullaghmore makes you realize that the last plate is where the most delicious dessert is hidden.
There are several stunning limestone hills on the other side of Mullaghmore, and one of them looks like an elegantly curved seashell. The flowing, rounded lines are almost hypnotizing against the bright blue sky, and if it wasn’t for the strong wind, I could easily imagine myself swimming in a tropical underwater world among the long-extinct marine giants.
Following a legend
In Ireland, there is no shortage of legends wherever you go, and one of them — the Road of the dishes — takes us to the very edge of the Burren National Park.
After a short walk along the limestone pavement, we enter a mythical, moss-covered hazel scrub. The shrubs look somewhat prehistoric with their unusually curled branches folding over our heads like gnarled hands. The new leaves have barely poked their green heads out of the brown buds, and the mood is made even more mysterious by the gloomy sky and aroma of wild garlic wafting in the air.
A little higher up the hill, lies a nondescript cave where around 600 AD lived St. Colman Mac Duagh with his servant. The cave looks narrow and uncomfortable, but for a religious person such as Colman it was enough. He chose to be a hermit and found his solitude in the Burren.
Together, they spent here many years and even built a small wooden church where to pray. Now, all that remains are the ruins of a more recent stone church and a nearby Holy Well dedicated to Colman. Locals believe that the natural spring water possesses healing properties for the faithful and still come with bags full of empty containers.
Legend has it that on Easter Sunday after Lenten fast, Colman’s servant was on the verge of death from prolonged hunger, and a meager meal of their usual plants and a few tubers wouldn’t save him. In his Easter prayer, Colman added a plea to the Almighty for the opportunity to feed his friend.
At the same time, King Guaire was about to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus with a rich feast at the nearby Dunguaire Castle. He was a righteous and generous ruler and always said grace before a meal, finishing it with a statement that if anyone in his kingdom lacks the food, they should be rewarded. The Easter banquet was no exception. Thus, the two prayers met somewhere above the lonely expanse of the Burren, and the miracles began.
The wind rose in the castle, blowing the windows open, lifting the plates full of food, and guiding them out of the banquet hall. Guaire and his soldiers mounted their horses and galloped after the dishes. The flying plates stopped and descended at the small wooden church surrounded by hazels at the very heart of the Burren where Colman and his servant were deeply in prayer.
Initially, the king took the filthy hermits for sorcerers and ordered to capture them. The soldiers were happy to oblige but no one was able to move or dismount. The animals were also stuck fast in the gray limestone.
After a moment, Guaire recognized Colman as his cousin who had been raised in a monastery and was amazed by the incredible reunion. The spell was broken, and they all joined the bountiful Easter feast followed by songs, stories, and laughter deep into the night. Rumor has it that unfortunately Colman’s servant ate too much and his weakened body gave up. His grave can be found not far from the cave.
Honoring the miraculous event, the road from Dunguaire Castle to St. Colman’s cave is still called the Road of the dishes. Due to the unforgiving forces of time and nature, no actual road can be found, but the indents of hooves left in the limestone by the king’s horses can still be seen. The otherworldly field of rock near the cave is indeed dotted with circular hollows resembling the imprints of hooves, which are created when standing water slowly dissolves the limestone. Everyone can choose what to believe — legends or science — but looking at the unusual landscape, I can’t shake the feeling that this place is infinitely special.
The Irish Tower of Pisa
The memorable Easter festivities at St. Colman’s cave were not spent simply eating and singing, serious plans for the future were also made. The king was deeply moved by Colman’s indestructible faith and granted his cousin any piece of the land of his choosing for the establishment of a monastery. Thus, at the spot where Colman accidentally dropped his belt during one of his walks, believing it to be a sign from God, the construction began.
Kilmacduagh monastic complex is located near the border of the Burren region. It is sometimes called ‘the Seven Churches’ but not all the structures were actual churches. There is nothing left from the original buildings of the 7th century when St. Colman founded the monastery, but the ruins of the 13th-century cathedral and other ruined buildings are truly impressive.
The most notable structure of the complex is a round tower, which is the first thing that comes into view as we slowly roll along the narrow Irish country roads in the direction of Kilmacduagh monastery. It’s the tallest surviving round tower in the country and is jokingly referred to as Ireland’s Tower of Pisa since it’s tilted approximately 60 centimeters (24 inches) from the vertical axis.
The tower served as a refuge for monks in the event of an attack, and interestingly, the entrance is almost eight meters (26 feet) above the ground. Although it successfully protected from intruders, it made it difficult for the monks to swiftly climb up since they probably used a rope ladder.
Now, the ruined monastic complex is surrounded by the sea of rippling grass but it still radiates the feeling of reverence. This sensation is undeniably augmented by the cemetery next to the remains of the cathedral where old, lichen-covered Celtic cross headstones stand among more recent graves. However, it’s possible that Colman did choose a very special place for his monastery or a shred of his everlasting faith and contentment still resonates in the ancient ruins. St. Colman, who was ordained a bishop and served in Kilmacduagh monastery until the last day of his life, has found his final resting place under the cover of evergreen bushes near the leaning tower.
#naturalwonders
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