Chapter 1: What makes the Burren a unique archaeological landscape?
I have to say, I've been lucky enough to spend time in the Burren on many occasions over the course of my life for work. And it never, ever disappoints. It's an extraordinary place, almost otherworldly at times. Just think of the vast limestone landscape, wildflowers pushing up through the cracks, ancient tombs and traces of people stretching back thousands of years.
And it's exactly that sense of connection between landscape... people and the deep past that's at the heart of the Burren Archaeology Festival, which is coming up on the 20th and 21st of June in Ballyvaughan. It's a weekend where you can go beyond just looking and actually engage through talks, walks, demonstrations and plenty of hands-on experience.
So to tell us more about what's in store, archaeologist Mary Dillon. Thanks for joining us, Mary.
You're very welcome, Derek.
Now tell us about the Burren Archaeology Festival.
The festival is taking place on the 20th and 21st of June and it's all about the wonderful archaeology of the Burren.
And this is our second year of running the festival and it came about really because you know the Burren obviously is very famous for its wonderful landscapes and its wonderful flowers and of course its fauna but you don't really hear so much about the archaeology of the Burren so we decided it was time to change that.
And we're very lucky that we are sponsored by the National Monument Service and Acres Burren Arran.
Now, can anybody and everybody just kind of rock up, if you excuse the pun, and take part, or do you have to get tickets?
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Chapter 2: What activities are planned for the Burren Archaeology Festival?
It's a great opportunity.
Absolutely. And just to say, we actually have archaeology from the Mesolithic in the Burren as well. So from, you know, the hunter gatherers we have from the end of the Mesolithic period, 6,000 years ago, we have evidence of hunter gatherers in the Burren along the coast. So it indeed is a very, very rich archaeology wise.
And I think the way that it's been farmed over the years is kind of the landscape that has allowed an awful lot of archaeology to be preserved where in other counties it mightn't have been.
Well, of course, we owed it to the farmers long ago that we have the burn because after the ice melted, then the whole thing would have been covered in hazel and scrub and grass. But because the farmers brought in hardy cattle, cattle that lived through the winter because it's lovely and warm, the ground is warm from the sun, they saved that.
It's due to them that we have the wonderful landscape we have there today. Is that still true or is this just a story that was told to me long ago?
No, Richard, you're very much right. Absolutely. So when the first people arrived in the Burren, and we have evidence from County Clare from actually 12,500 years ago, just south of the Burren in Ennis. But in the Burren itself, the evidence we have is from about 6,000 years ago. We know from pollen diagrams that the Burren was absolutely covered in pine trees and hazel trees and other woodland.
And it was really when the first farmers arrived, just after 6,000 years ago, they would be been the builders of the Púil na Bróin, which is dated to 5,800 years ago, they would have started to clear the land slowly. It would have taken thousands of years, but they would have started to clear the land slowly.
And the soil was so thin that when they cut down the trees, it just blew away, giving us the landscape that we have today.
I have to ask you a question you may not welcome, and it's about Púl na Brón dolmen. It is the symbolic dolmen of Ireland. In fact, it seems to be the symbol of dolmens everywhere. But to look at it, it is a bit incredible that this thing could have stood forever. for 4,000 years and not be knocked over by wind and rain and changes and the odd earthquake even.
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Chapter 3: Who are the featured archaeologists at the festival?
Don't forget, you can visit the website anytime you like, rte.ie forward slash Mooney. My thanks to Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan and Jim Wilson and Aileen E. Lana. We'll do it all again next week at the same time. Until then, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Mooney Goes Wild. Listen back on the RTE Radio Player app.