Stone Walls of the Burren with Rory O'Shaughnessy

Rory O'Shaughnessy, Heritage Specialist, Tour Guide and Stonemason gives a talk on the heritage of stonewalling in the Burren, giving a brief overview of its history, looking at the different styles and features of the walls, their construction and the future of this integral yet sometimes overlooked part of our local heritage. This talk was organised by Burrenbeo Trust - an independent landscape charity with no core funding. We work hard to sustain out 25 plus programmes throughout the year. Please do consider supporting us through donations or membership at www.burrenbeo.com

[@seanfagan6727]

Outstanding presentation. Thanks Rory.

[@OShaughnessyC]

Fascinating subject. Thanks, Rory!

[@workinglivingtravellingini999]

Thanks so much. So glad I could watch after the actual talk, really interesting talk! I have always wondered about the various types, now I understand it a lot better. Great to have reference of the Burren Lowlands too! Thanks again! Katleen

[@Zum1980]

Brilliant talk. I got to know plenty of interesting things about stone walls. Thank you.

[@John.M.Gannon]

Do you ever think that the walls were put there originally for a different purpose and they are not really any use to farmers .Why would a farmer go to all that trouble ,when the walls are on and within his land. All he needed was a boundary wall ,some of these go up the mountain where there is no vegetation ,well I have studied the walls and forts and I have found other porposes for them and keeping animals does not figure and the people that put those walls there would not be happy with people living in the forts but I dont think they ever did and all of those round forts there made of soil they were not for cattle either ,the aran islands must have a couple of thousand miles of walls for cows and horses ,think how much would it cost to build those walls if they were not there today?

[@roryoshaughnessy1943]

Hi John ask any Burren upland farmer and he or she will tell you that those hill tops are rich with grass and offer valuable winterage for livestock. When looking up at those hills they look barren but this is not the case, to quote the Cromwellian officer Ludlow in full "After two days march, without anything remarkable but bad quarters, we entered into the barony of Burren, of which it is said, that it is a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him; which last is so scarce, that the inhabitants steal it from one another, 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". Take a hike up to the top of one of the Burren hills one day you would be surprised. Thanks John

[@John.M.Gannon]

@@roryoshaughnessy1943 What i was getting at is that the amount of effort to building thousands of miles of walls,for the amout of livestock that they contain ,i would suggest that the walls had another purpose and the farmers put the animals there thousands of years later .If you got the contract to build them from scratch ,think of how many manhours to complete and the cost to feed workers to do the job ,you would not grow enough calories after the walls were built to justify ever starting such a project ,not in a million years ,they make no sence and the grass would grow without the walls so why build them?