Visitor facilities at dolmen site to be reduced

The capacity of visitor facilities proposed for the 5,000-year-old Poulnabrone tomb in the Burren has been halved in order to preserve "the spiritual quality of the landscape surrounding the tomb".

However, it emerged yesterday that Clare County Council has agreed a deal in principle to purchase just over one acre of land near Poulnabrone with local farmer Tommy Byrnes that will allow the facilities to be in place for the coming summer season.

Last year, Clare County Council lodged plans for visitor facilities in aeffort to eliminate the traffic chaos that occurs at the tourist attraction every summer.

Over 100,000 tourists visit the site each year and currently, visitors seeking to access the dolmen have to park their cars and buses on the narrow road adjacent to the dolmen site.

Archaeologist Dr Ann Lynch, who led the excavation that discovered the remains of 33 people, 17 adult and 16 children, buried at the site has described the current situation as "highly dangerous", expressing surprise that no one has been injured on the road.

The estimated cost of the visitor facilities will be between €150,000 and €200,000 and the deal struck in principle with Mr Byrnes is believed to value the land at around €55,000.

Mr Byrnes formerly owned the land on which the Poulnabrone dolmen is located. He sold 16 acres to the Government in 2001 for €380,000.

The deal struck with Mr Byrnes removes any doubt about the viability of the project.

Last year, councillors were told by Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) that the local authority may be forced to abandon its plan if the cost of the project exceeded €200,000.

The plan lodged by the council last year proposed nine bus parking spaces and 20 car-parking spaces.

However, in its submission on the proposal, the Government's Heritage Service stated that there should not be more than four spaces for coaches in order to "preserve the visual setting and spiritual quality of the landscape surrounding the tomb".

In a report, the council's heritage officer, Congella McGuire, said that the proposal should prove an effective and safe solution to the parking difficulties at Poulnabrone.

Currently, cattle paid for by the Government are grazing at the site in order to improve its natural conservation.