Burren in Bloom

Pre-booking is essential for all events unless stated otherwise. Add a Burrenbeo Membership when booking your Burren in Bloom tickets and get a FREE set of Burren Field Guides (worth €15) by post!

WEEKEND 1: Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd May

Herdsman’s Walk with Patrick McCormack, Sat 2nd May, 11am – 1pm, Killinaboy

A guided walk through the heritage of this landscape with landowner Patrick McCormack. Be introduced to the wondrous inspiration that our landscape holds for stories, poetry and philosophy. This is a fundraiser for Burrenbeo Trust and we are truly grateful to Patrick and his family in donating their time. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €25

The Hare’s Corner Pond Visit with Féidhlim Harty, Sat 2nd May, 3pm – 5pm, Ennistymon

Environmental consulatant Féidhlim Harty showcases and discusses pond design & construction for biodiversity. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Wild Words: Stories in Bloom with Eddie Lenihan, Sat 2nd May, 6pm – 7pm, Ballyvaughan

Step into a world of nature, myth, and magic where renowned storyteller Eddie Lenihan weaves enchanting tales for listeners of all ages. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: Free but booking essential

Atlantic Rainforest Walk with Jeremy Turkington, Sun 3rd May, 11am – 1pm, near Lisdoonvarna

Join Jeremy Turkington, Hometree’s Seed Collector and Seed Bank Coordinator, for a walk in a pocket of Atlantic Rainforest on the edge of the Burren. Please note: Attendees will be asked to take a short carpool or shared lift from meeting point to the event site. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

The Cuckoo Weaver’s Workshop with Sabine Springer (Ages 10+), Sun 3rd May, 3pm – 5pm, Kinvara

We’ll be weaving cuckoos from natural materials, and learning a bit about the cuckoo itself: its habits, its mystery, its cheek. Please bring: clothes pegs and string. Suitable for adults and children aged 10+. Location: Kinvara Community Centre. Adm: Free but booking essential

 

WEEKEND 2: Sat 9th & Sun 10th May

Outdoor Adventure for Young Explorers (6 – 10 year olds) with Karen van Dorp, Sat 9th May, 10am – 12 noon, Carron

Join us for a Burren Safari at Templecronan in the heart of the Burren! This fun-filled outdoor adventure invites young explorers to discover the amazing layers of limestone, wildlife, and ancient ruins that make this landscape so special. Through games and guided exploration, children will investigate rocks and roots, and uncover the stories of this place. Guardian must accompany child for duration of the event. Location: Templecronan. Adm: Free but booking essential

Nature Zine Workshop with Maeve Stone, Sat 9th May, 2pm – 4pm, Ennistymon

Nature Print and Writing Workshop with multidisciplinary artist Maeve Stone of Cracking Light Productions. Immersive workshop in Ennistymon, channelling nature inspiration into writing, printmaking and line through movement and drawing. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: Free but booking essential

Dusk Chorus with Gordon D’Arcy, Sat 9th May, 8pm, Carron

Join ornithologist and wildlife artist Gordon D’Arcy for an evening bird walk. A 90-minute walk at a gentle pace during which you may hear a dozen or more songbirds and learn how to identify them through song. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Dawn Chorus with Gordon D’Arcy, Sun 10th May, 6am, Carron

Join ornithologist and wildlife artist Gordon D’Arcy on an early morning bird walk. A 90-minute walk at a gentle pace during which you may hear a dozen or more songbirds and learn how to identify them through song. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

The Ups and Downs, Ins and Outs of a Burren River: Tracking the Gowlaun from Slieve Elva to Lisdoonvarna with Dr Tiernan Henry, Sun 10th May, 10am – 2pm, Ballyvaughan

A four-hour guided geology and hydrology mini-bus tour with multiple short stops around the Burren. The trip will explore springs, disappearing rivers, and key geological sites including Slieve Elva, Owentoberlea bridge, and St Brendan’s Well. Along the way we’ll stop to observe how water moves through the limestone landscape and discuss the geology that shapes the Burren. Please bring a packed lunch. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Burren Slow Food Festival, Sun 10th May, Lisdoonvarna

Cookery demos with tastings, talks and farmers & craft market on the theme of ‘Taste the Atlantic’. Check www.slowfoodclare.com

 

WEEKEND 3: Thurs 14th, Sat 16th, & Sun 17th May

‘Amphibians in Ireland – and the Burren’ with Collie Ennis, Thurs 14th May, 7pm – 8pm, online

Register Here

Collie is Trinity College Dublin Biodiversity Officer and a Zoology research associate specialising in invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. In this talk, Collie dives into the hidden lives of Ireland’s amphibians quietly getting on with their lives in ponds, ditches, and forgotten corners of our countryside and towns. From strange breeding habits and unexpected migrations, to how they survive the Irish weather, this is a look at animals most people think they know… but really don’t. Expect some myth-busting, fun field stories from the margins, and a renewed sense of wonder for some of the island’s most overlooked creatures. Location: Online. Adm: Free, booking through above link

Butterfly Walk with Jesmond Harding, Sat 16th May, 11am – 1pm, Fahee North

Discover one of Ireland’s premier butterfly sites and some of Ireland’s rarest butterflies. The walk will explore a beautiful area of the Burren, home to many butterfly species, including the Marsh Fritillary. This lovely butterfly has a remarkable variety of colouring, patterning, and size, with no two ever alike. It is the only legally protected species in Ireland and the butterfly’s habitat must be maintained if it is to continue. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Butterfly Walk with Jesmond Harding, Sat 16th May, 2pm – 4pm, Burren National Park

The walk will take us through mature ash/hazel woodland, dry grassland and past a turlough. Target Species: Dingy Skipper, Wood White, Peacock, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Speckled Wood, etc. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Burren Hilltop Yoga with Oliver & Colette Nagle, Sun 17th May, 9am – 11am, Slieve Carron

Beginning with a welcome and short meditation before setting off on a spectacular mountain walk in the Burren, followed by an outdoor mountain yoga session, with tea and homemade scones to finish. Hosted by local farmers Oliver and Colette Nagle of Limestone Yoga Studio, this relaxed gathering blends nature, movement, and community in the heart of The Burren. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Butterfly Walk with Jesmond Harding, Sun 17th May, 12pm – 2pm, Clooncoose Valley

A walk down the ‘Burren Butterfly Road’ to see a remarkable number and range of butterflies and moths with Jesmond Harding of Butterfly Conservation Ireland.
Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

 

WEEKEND 4: Thurs 21st, Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd, & Sun 24th May

Dusk Chorus Walk with Tom and Nuala Lynch, Thurs 21st May, 7pm, Dromore

Tune into the sounds and songs of our birdlife with experts from the Clare branch of Birdwatch Ireland. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Burren in Bloom Talk with Matthijs Schouten, Thurs 21st May, 8.30pm, Doolin

‘The Oikos Collective – For the Love of Life’
Discover how the Burren can inspire us to restore our relationship with the natural world in this talk with renowned natural philosopher Matthijs Schouten. Doors open and kettle will be on from 8pm for a cuppa and talk will begin at 8.30pm. Location: The Attic, Hotel Doolin. Adm: Free but booking essential

Burren Farm Walk with Dr Brendan Dunford, Fri 22nd May, 2pm – 4pm, Tubber

Join Burrenbeo Trust Co-Founder and Voluntary Director of Farming for Nature, Brendan Dunford, for an inspiring walk across one of the Burren’s working farms. As you explore this remarkable landscape, Brendan will share stories of the Burren’s unique heritage, from its rare flora and rich wildlife to its history and traditions of winterage farming. This walk offers a unique opportunity to see how Burren farms are managed today in ways that protect biodiversity while sustaining local livelihoods. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Bee Walk with Dr Michelle Larkin, Sat 23rd May, 11am – 1pm, Carron

Join Dr Michelle Larkin of the National Biodiversity Data Centre for a guided walk exploring the fascinating world of bees and butterflies in the Burren. With the chance to gently observe bees up close, gain insight into these important pollinators and the work being done to record and understand them. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Wildflowers and Living Landscapes with Dr Janice Fuller, Sat 23rd May, 2pm – 4pm, Carron

Join ecologist Dr. Janice Fuller to explore the rich wildflower habitats of the Burren. Learn about the unique plants that thrive here and how this extraordinary landscape supports such diversity. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

The Landscape at Black Head with Prof John Walsh, Sun 24th May, 10am – 12.30pm, Black Head

Take in the geology of the Burren, from the ancient tropical and glacial origins of the limestones and terraces, through to the Variscan and Alpine mountain building events controlling the widespread formation of fractures transecting the region. We’ll also investigate how these geological features, together with the operation of more recent glacial, karst and coastal erosion processes have had a profound impact on the landscape. Please note: Attendees will be asked to take a short carpool or shared lift from meeting point to the event site. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Caher Bridge Garden Visit with Carl Wright, Sun 24th May, 2pm – 4pm, Fanore

A guided walk through the stunning Caher Bridge Garden in the company of its creator Carl Wright. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

 

WEEKEND 5: Fri 29th, Sat 30th, & Sun 31st May

Return to Winterage Walk with Dr Amanda Browne, Fri 29th May, 2pm – 4pm, Boston

Revisit the winterage farm of the last Cattle Drive to explore the flowers and ecology of the Burren in the company of Dr Amanda Browne, ecologist with ACRES Burren Aran. This walk includes rough, uneven terrain and steep gradients. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Inside The Hare’s Corner with Dr Sharon Parr and The Hare’s Corner Team, Sat 30th May, 11am – 1pm, Inagh

Explore an exemplary Hare’s Corner site with Dr. Sharon Parr and the Hare’s Corner team, showcasing a bespoke ‘Plan for Nature’, native woodlands, and a wildlife pond. Learn about tree planting, grassland and hedgerow management, pond creation, and how to plan actions with respect for existing habitats and wildlife. Also hear from the Hare’s Corner team about the programme’s growth and the positive impact it’s having on farms and communities across Ireland. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Burren Wildflowers and Woodlands with Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, Sun 31st May, 11am – 1pm, Carron

Join botanist Dr. Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, former President of the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, to explore the rich tapestry of wildflowers and woodland plants in one of Ireland’s most botanically diverse landscapes. Discover the variety of species and habitats that make the Burren so special. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15

Plants of Our Great Irish Grasslands with Dr Maria Long, Sun 31st May, 2pm – 4pm, Burren National Park

Join Maria for a deep dive into the plants that make up the wonderful Burren grasslands and other habitats, and hear how management shapes the habitats and plant communities we find there. Learn about the sad plight of many of our #GreatIrishGrasslands across Ireland, and what you may be able to do to help. Dr Maria Long is an ecologist in the scientific section of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). She specialises in grassland ecology, and both her PhD and part of her MSc were based in the Burren. Location: Sent on booking. Adm: €15