81- 



HARDWICKE'S SCIE?; CE-GOSSI P. 



Fig. 5S. Terraced Hills of the Burren, as seen from the lorth of Galv. ay Bay. 



The rocks in tliis part of Clare are piincipally 

 of upper carboniferous limestone age ; there are, 

 however, in places, outlying patches of the lower 

 coal-measure shales, while to the south and south- 

 west the limestone disappears under these newer 

 rocks. These latter, hereafter, will be more fully 

 described, and a few words may now be said about 

 the limestone,— the rock par excellence^ of " the 

 Burren"* {cui/jUcc, a stony or rocky district). Here 

 the carboniferous limestone, contrary to its general 

 Irish character, forms hills and mountain groups, 

 both strange and unique in outline and aspect, 

 as the sides of the hills, valleys, glens, and passes 

 consist of huge nearly horizontal steps, continuous 

 for miles (fig. 59) round the hills, up and down the 

 valley, in and out of the cooms, and in fact every- 

 where forming a imiversal character of the country. 

 These everlasting rocks give the hills a most 

 barren and poverty-stricken aspect ; yet the country 

 is far from deserving such a character. A stranger, 

 looking over a vast tract, sees nothing but grey, 

 cold rock, with loose stone walls interscctiDg it 

 here and there ; but what.will astonish him most 

 will be a herd of large heavy cattle enjoying them- 

 selves, apparently on a diet of limestone. If, 

 however, the crags are traversed, he will find that 

 all the cracks and crannies are full of most luxuriant 

 herbage, on which the cattle browse, the great draw- 

 back to the pasture being a scarcity of water. On 

 account of the nature of the rock, all water that 

 falls, percolates the mass, and would entirely dis- 

 appear but for a fev/ shale partings and chert layers 

 between the nearly horizontal beds, that stop its 

 descent ; thereby bringing it out as springs in dif- 

 ferent places. This water is so valuable, that from 



time immemorial rectangLih.r troughs have been 

 excavated in the thick beds of limestone as storage- 

 cisterns for the surplus. 



* This rock in England is commonly knovin as " mountain 

 limestone." In Ireland, however, except in Queen's county, 

 Clare, and county Sligo, it generally forms a low undulating 

 country, occupying the great central plain. 



F;g. ;9. Terraced Hills, Glen Colombkin. 



The country, however, is used more for winter 

 than summer pasturage, not only on account of the 

 small water-supply, but also as the climate is so 

 mild, that cattle do not require houses during the 

 winter months, while they increase rather than 

 diminish in flesh : even in the old annals we read of 

 the fat cattle from the Burren.* This country, 

 therefore, is a favourite winterage for the cattle 

 belonging to the extensive stock-owners of South 

 Galway and other places. 



The Burren may be approached from the north, 

 south, or east ; the latter, however, in these railway 

 limes, seems to be the best route, besides having the 

 advantage of prominently and abruptly bringing the 

 traveller into contact with its wild and picturesque 



* Ten hundred oxen from Burren was part of the tribute 

 of Cashcl to the kings of Erin. 



