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The Book of the Burren
This book's first edition, published in 1991, was part of a growing affirmation
of the importance of the Burren, a hymn to its diversity, beauty and singularity.
Ten years later, our contributors describe how the natural heritage of the
Burren depends on traditional farming practices and why the impact of booming
tourism has not been entirely beneficial. This 2nd edition also updates the
natural history and archaeology and includes new chapters on poets and artists
in the Burren.
"The Book of the Burren is a guide, a reference
book, and, in the loving particularity of its illustrations, a hymn to this
corner of Ireland."
"Poets, painters, scientists and map-makers have
all served the Burren region well for more than a hundred years. The Book
of the Burren measures up fully to the standards of the very best of its predecessors.
This is
certainly the most comprehensive study of the region yet made. But, while
the authors describe the Burren very thoroughly, their work seems to make
its mystery even greater.
The most exciting feature of the work is that the authors are all distinguished
specialists in their various fields. Most of the chapters
combine a scholarly survey of their subject in the broader context of the
whole of Ireland with a detailed exploration of the local situation. Under
this treatment the Burren becomes a microcosm of the country and even of western
culture."
"Crammed with maps, photographs, wildlife watercolour
sketches and historical
recreations, the visual examination of the Burren area is faultless. Its textual
presentation is equally satisfying - an array of experts write passionately
and well about their interpretations of this unique region."
"The Book of the Burren is packed with information
and strikingly good to look at. The editors got the experts writing with great
love and enthusiasm."
The stark limestone landscape, the remarkable range and number of wild flowers and the richness of the archaeological and historical remains make the Burren region a source of fascination and wonder. The Book of the Burren is a comprehensive account of the geology, natural history, archaeology, history and culture of the Burren.
Contributors: John Feehan, Paul Gosling, D.L. Swan, Lelia Doolan, Gordon D'Arcy, John Waddell, Charlie Piggott, Patrick F. Sheeran, J.W. O'Connell, Caoilte Breatnach, Anne Korff, Cilian Roden, Richard Broad, Brendan Dunford, Carleton Jones, Jessie Lendennie and Maria Kerin.
2002, 264pp, 205 x 220mm, 106 colour & 176 b&w illustrations
ISBN 1-873821-15-8
Paperback: Euro18.50
For
a few more images from the book please click on the numbers:
1| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
The Book of the Burren grew out of the Burren series of Ramblers Guides and Maps. In the course of compiling the information for the maps we collected much more than we could use.
The archaeologists Professor John Waddell of Galway University and Paul
Gosling of Galway and Mayo Institute of Technology made available to us the
results of their years of research on the Burren.
The botanist Dr. Cilian Roden and the environmental scientist Gordon D'Arcy
also allowed us to use the results of their extensive fieldwork.
We then realised that many other scholars from various disciplines had been
researching the Burren and they all had collected much fascinating material,
just waiting to be published. The idea was born to
compile a multi-disciplinary book on the Burren, designed to be accessible
to the general reader. A book spanning the geology, natural history, archaeology
of both prehistory and the early Christian and medieval times, the folklore,
music and art inspired by the Burren. There was a wealth of
pictures available as we had photographed and illustrated hundreds of sites
and many of the twelve authors had their own extensive collections of pictures.
The Book of the Burren was the first book of its kind. It was written by specialists in each field but is for all types of readers. It is both a practical guide and a reference book that will both inform the mind and delight the eye and has been a continuing bestseller since it was published in 1991, when it was selected by the Irish Times as one of its Books of the Year.
