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  • (The) Burren (Irish: Boireann, meaning Great rock, Boirinn is the modern form used by the Ordnance Survey) is a unique karst-landscape region in northwest County Clare, in Ireland and one of the largest Karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres.

    During counter guerilla operations in Burren in 1651-52*, Ludlow stated "It is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him...... and yet their cattle are very fat; for the grass growing in turfs of earth, of two or three foot square, that lie between the rocks, which are of limestone, is very sweet and nourishing".

    The rolling hills of Burren are composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as grikes, leaving isolated rocks called clints. The region supports Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment.

    *After Cromwell had banished the native Irish to hell or to Connaught; refer to my jackboot of British imperialism list.

    January 15, 2009