Past Events

Heritage Week - August 2011 Talk: Geology and the Railways: A Shared Heritage Presenter: Dr. Ronán Hennessy, Geopark geologist Venue: Burren Outdoor Education Centre
European Geopark Network Evaluation Visit - August 2011 Offical visit of the European Geoparks Network evaluators to the Burren.
European Geoparks Week - June 2011 Guided Walk: A Look at Coastal Landforms and the Geology at the Flaggy Shore Presenter: Dr. Ronán Hennessy, Geopark Geologist Location: Flaggy Shore, Co. Clare
NEED Project Geology Resources Launch - May 2011 Event: Launch of new Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark education resources, books, and maps View Education Resources Venue: Lisdoonvarna Pavilion Theatre
Burren Spring Conference - March 2011 Talk: The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark Presenter: Dr. Ronán Hennessy, Geopark geologist Venue: Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan
Irish Geological Research Meeting - 54th Annual Talk: Integrating socio-historical and geological elements of the Connemara and Burren landscapes using KML and COLLADA in Google Earth Presenter: Dr. Ronán Hennessy, Geopark geologist Venue: National University or Ireland Galway
Burren Spring Evening Geology Course - March 2011 Course: Understanding the Burren Landscape Coordinators: Dr. Ronán Hennessy & Colin Bunce Venue: Burren Outdoor Education Centre, Turlough, Co. Clare Geology Course Flyer
European Geoparks Week - May 2010 Talk: A View From the Prom: An Insight into the Burren Hills and Landscapes Visible from the Salthill Promenade Presenter: Dr. Ronán Hennessy Venue: Environmental Change Institute/Earth and Ocean Sciences, Orbsen Building Seminar Room, NUI Galway. Caving: Event: Burren Caving Trip Host: Colin Bunce (Outdoor Education Centre) Location: Meeting at Burren Outdoor Education Centre Sponsored by: Speleological Union of Ireland

Five Week Evening Geology Course - February-March 2010 Course: Understanding the Burren Landscape Coordinators: Dr. Ronán Hennessy & Colin Bunce Venue: Burren Outdoor Education Centre, Turlough, Co. Clare
Art Winners Rock! 2008 We are delighted to announce the winners of the Burren Rocks! children’s art competition, themed "The Burren landscape: what makes it so unique?" The competition received over 160 entries from primary schools in all parts of the Burren. From limestone pavement to farming, dolmens to wildflowers, and glacial erratics to historical monuments, our local children drew their inspiration from a wide variety of natural and cultural features. Perhaps it is the complex interrelationships among all of these features that makes the Burren unique. The extremely high standard of the entries proves the huge artistic talent of Burren schoolchildren and also their fantastic skills in observing and interpreting their local landscape. The winning entries are on display at the Burren Centre, Kilfenora, until Sunday 31st of May. Burren Connect will present winners with their prizes during a visit to their school with a winning entry during the first week of June. Under 8 yrs Category 1st place: Eoin McNamara, Carron N.S. 2nd place: Niall Hegarty, Kilnaboy N.S. 3rd place: Jake Comyn, Scoil Chiarain Naofa, Doorus N.S. Highly recommended: Martin Kavanagh, Doorus N.S. Highly recommended: Cathal Brogan, Doorus N.S. Highly recommended: Tuan O’ Malley, Doorus N.S. 8-12 yrs Category 1st place: Aisha Dobbin Catto, St. Enda’s N.S. Lisdoonvarna. 2nd place: Sia Zizliauskas, Carron N.S. 3rd place: Lia Sambrook, St. Augustine’s N.S. Kilshanny. Highly recommended: Emma Clancy, Kilnaboy N.S. Highly recommended: Simon Keane, Kilfenora N.S. Highly recommended: Ella Barrrett, St. Enda’s N.S. Lisdoonvarna Highly recommended: Tony Malone, Kilshanny N.S. Merit awards also go to the Junior- and Senior Infants classes of Scoil Chiarain Naofa, Doorus N.S who built a mini-Burren model and Laura Daly, Carron N.S. < 8 yrs Category: 3rd place: Jake Comyn, Doorus NS 1st prize in 8-12 yrs category: Aisha Dobbin Catto, Lisdoonvarna NS
May 2009: Burren in Bloom events Ballyvaughan Development Group's month-long festival of the natural history of the Burren, "Burren in Bloom", will be running from May 5th to 31st. The full programme of events will soon be available at www.ballyvaughanireland.com and includes several events with a geological theme. These are: Sunday 10th May Guided walk in the Burren looking at rocks, lichens, flowers, and farming. Led by Dr Stephen Ward, Dr Sharon Parr and Dr Maria McNamara. Meet at Spar village stores, Ballyvaughan. Car sharing. Tuesday 19th May Illustrated talk: "Fabulous fossil flowers", at the Burren College of Art at 8.30 pm by Dr Maria McNamara. Tuesday 26th May Illustrated talk: "The Burren as Geopark", in conjunction with European Geoparks Week, at the Burren College of Art by Dr Maria McNamara. Wednesday 27th May Guided walk in the Burren looking at rocks, lichens, flowers, and farming. Led by Dr Stephen Ward, Emma Glanville, and Dr Maria McNamara. Meet at Spar village stores, Ballyvaughan, at 2 pm. Car sharing. Sunday 31st May Guided walk in the Burren looking at rocks, lichens, flowers, and farming. Led by Dr Stephen Ward, Emma Glanville, and Dr Maria McNamara. Meet at Spar village stores, Ballyvaughan, at 2 pm. Car sharing.
Summer - Autumn 2009: Monthly geology walks Starting in July, we will host a monthly geology walk at a different venue in the Burren each month. Details of forthcoming walks will be posted shortly! Burren Rocks! - May 2009 Guided Walks and Talks Hosted by: Dr. Maria McNamara, Geopark geologist Location: The Burren, Co. Clare April 2009: Burren Geology Guided Walk Walk: The geology of the Burren Host: Dr. Maria McNamara Location: Slieve Carran Nature Reserve March 2009: Burren Geology Talk Talk: The geology of the Burren Presenter: Dr. Maria McNamara Venue: Burrenbeo Centre, Kinvara February 2009: Galway pupil scoops second prize in NEED project logo competition! View Grace Kelly's Logo 19th January 2009: Geopark Leaflet distrubuted to all homes throughout North Clare. We look forward to receiving your feedback regarding the Geopark. You can send us your responses by email or post, alternatively you can place your completed questionnaire in a dedicated box at your local Post Office. To download a copy of the Geopark Leaflet, please click here. January 2009: Geopark information leaflet distributed Following the November 2008 community meetings, we distributed information leaflets on Geopark status to all households in North Clare in early January 2009. 3rd December 2008: Entries for logo competition being judged! Many thanks to all the pupils in 5th and 6th class, and 1st and 2nd year, in the Burren region who submitted entries for the NEED logo competition. We received just over 160 entries from a total of 17 schools! The entries have been sent off to to the judges, who will make their decision on the 12th of December. We have all of our fingers and toes crossed that Irish children will among the winners! To find out more about the NEED project, click here. 3rd December 2008: Outcome of November series of public meetings We have now finished collating the responses from the questionnaires and the issues that were raised during the meetings. For our report summarising these results click here. Community Information Leaflet on the proposed Geopark project Global Geopark status and the Burren - how does it concern me? 30th November 2008 Conclusion of November series of public meetings on Geopark status Our series of nine public meetings concluded on the 18th of November. We wish to thank all those who attended for enduring what were sometimes treacherous driving conditions to make it! Also many thanks to all for your comments and lively discussions. We are currently analysing the results of the questionnaires and will post the results soon. It was suggested at several meetings that a follow-up meeting should take place early in the New Year to discuss the results of the November meetings and to seek a way forward. If you didn't make it to the November public meetings, but would like to see the presentation on Geoparks, you can download the .ppt files here. 3rd November 2008: First Geopark discussion meeting The first in a series of public meetings to discuss Geopark status for the Burren begins tonight at 8 pm at the Community Hall, Tubber. All are welcome to attend. Future meetings will be held throughout the Burren until the 18th of November. See below for details. November 2008 A series of public information meetings, each starting at 8.00 pm, are scheduled for November for the following dates and venues: Monday 3rd November 2008 Community Hall Tubber 8.00 pm Tuesday 4th November 2008 The Burren Centre Kilfenora 8.00 pm Wednesday 5th November 2008 Hotel Doolin Doolin 8.00 pm Thursday 6th November 2008 The Burren Outdoor Education Centre Turlough, Belharbour 8.00 pm Monday 10th November 2008 Clare Genealogical Centre Corofin 8.00 pm Tuesday 11th November 2008 O’Donoghue’s Pub Fanore 8.00 pm Thursday 13th November 2008 Michael Cusack Centre Carran 8.00 pm Monday 17th November 2008 Hyland’s Hotel Ballyvaughan 8.00 pm Tuesday 18th November 2008 XPO Kilnaboy 7.45 pm July 2008: Public meeting on Geopark status A public meeting was held in the Falls Hotel on Thursday, the 24th of July at 8.00 pm to discuss the proposed Geopark designation. Dr. Patrick McKeever presented information on the UNESCO designation and the experience of the European Geoparks Network so far (A copy of his presentation will be made available shortly) and Dr. Pat O’Connor outlined the Geological Survey of Ireland’s involvement in, and support for, such a designation for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher. This event provided an opportunity for information sharing, discussion and debate on this issue. The response on the night was generally positive.