The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Poulnabrone

Portal Tomb

Fieldnotes

Visited today Sunday 20/5/18 - am in County Clare exploring the Burren, this trip mainly focusing on the flora and geology. This being the west coast of Ireland, however, while the rest of the British Isles has clear skies and sunshine, it was overcast and windy this morning on the Burren. The weather cannot detract from this amazing landscape though - wild flowers out in profusion. Orchids, violets, primroses are everywhere, also gentian and large patches of mountain avens. Two delicate quite rare alpine flowers I've personally never seen before.

At the car parking area there is a man selling trinkets and another one playing Danny Boy on a tin whistle whilst sitting in a plastic tent. A film crew seem to be there with cameras and a drone. There are lots of people wandering over the the limestone slabs, including a botany group from Germany who managed to find the tiny gentian flowers.

The information board tells me Poulnabrone is a portal tomb situated in a karst limestone plateau 150 metres above sea level. The tomb was constructed from great slabs of lime stone over 5,000 years ago. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 30 people at this ancient site.

The Burren is an amazing landscape - have only just scratched the surface of what it has to offer but here for the rest of the week. At the moment of writing this the rain is coming down in stair rods ...
tjj Posted by tjj
20th May 2018ce
Edited 20th May 2018ce

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