Burren Landscape Caves

The caves of the Burren can be divided into two main groups: fossil and active. Fossil caves are those which no longer contain the streams of water which would have shaped them, and are thus no longer actively evolving. Many of the caves of the Burren uplands would be fossil: in recent years some of these caves have been the subject of archaeological excavation and have revealed a fascinating legacy of prehistoric use. Examples of fossil caves would include Kilcorney (the cave of the wild horses) and Glencurran and Poulcarran, both of which are located close to Carran village.

Active caves in the Burren tend to be concentrated along the shale-limestone interface, particularly in the south-west Burren in the vicinity of Slieve Elva and Poulacapple. Here, rainwater streaming down from the acid surface of the shale hills burns swallow holes into the limestone and these streams then work their way underground through the limestone, sculpting and shaping cave systems as they go. Some of these caves run for several miles, and it is thought that the vast majority of them remain unmapped. The dimensions of these caves are wildly variable, some very tall and narrow, others rounded.

Some sections are water filled (‘sumps’), others host spectacular stalagmites and stalactites (Poll an Ionain is said to contain the longest (7m) free standing stalactite in the world), while other caves are important visitor sites (Ailwee Caves).

The extensive network of caves that exists in the Burren represents a wonderful resource, one that, because of its often inaccessible nature, has not received the attention it deserves. However, from the casual visitor to the experienced potholer, these wonderful, mysterious cave systems have an enormous amount to offer.