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A Week In Central West Ireland (5/7)

 

These pictures come from our visit to the Irish Midlands and County Clare coast in April 2011.

  

 

 

 

After our visit to Caherconnell stone fort, we drove a short distance in our hire car, a Ford Ka, to Poulnabrone dolmen and parked up there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the dolmen (portal tomb) at Poulnabrone, or 'hole of the quern stones' in Irish, dating back to the Neolithic period probably between 4200 and 2900 BC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then drove to Aillwee cave in County Clare, first visiting the adjoining birds of prey centre where we met this chap. He was the star of the centre's 'vulture show'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other birds there included this little owl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This owlet chick was kept in the reception, so that staff could keep a close eye on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm having a bit of an Edvard Munch 'The Scream' moment here. Frankly, my acting is far more convincing than my rather wooden companion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tokens for entry to Aillwee cave, Mouse over for my imitation of of an owl.

 

 

 

 

 

Aillwee cave is believed to have been the last bear den in Ireland. Rediscovered in 1944, the section open to the public stretches for 300 metres - about one-third of the cave - and includes an underground river plus lots of stalactites and stalagmites. Mouse over the photo to see the ancient brown bear bones found in the cave.

 

 

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