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SCENES from IRELAND
35. A Co. Clare Burren car drive from Kilfenora to the coast near Ballyvaughan - part 1 Lemenagh Castle, Carron Church, Poulawack Cairn
Leaving Kilfenora and St. Fachtnan's Cathedral, drive R476 eastwards to Lemenagh Castle.
Lemenagh Castle, has a chequered history, once boasted an imposing 5-storey tower house, part of which was rebuilt as a handsome 4-storey mansion in 1640 and was one of the stronghold of the O'Brien's (e.g. Conor ~1550's).
On the right hand-side of Lemeneagh Castle is the part of an older tower of the castle in 1480.
At Lemenagh Castle, turn left onto the R480 Ballyvaughan road and a few miles up the road, on the right, are the ruins of Carran/Carron Church and 'stones and bumps' of a lost medieval village.
Carran/Carron Church was built around AD 1200.
The fine 15th century medieval south doorway of Carran/Carron Church.
Carrying on up the R480 road you will see a sign to the left for Poulawack Cairn.
Poulawack Cairn is a late Neolithic-early Bronze Age cairn dating from 3400 BC, four burials of this date and nine others from a thousand years later ~ 2400 BC. The multiple cist (stone line grave) cairn is 70 feet in diameter and 8 feet high.
The cairn, covering several cist graves, stands on a hill top on the limestone outcrops of the Burren.
Near Poulawack cairn some fine zig-zag dry stone walling of small limestone slabs and some mini-portal dolmen tombs by 20th-21st century admirers of the local archaeology!
Examples of the plant-life on the limestone pavement, noted in particular for its diverse flora existing in the cracks in the limestone rock with its many wild flowers and ferns and orchids. Continuing up the R480 brings you to one of the many stone ring forts of the Burren ...
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