An A-Z of Things to See in Ireland: Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark and Music Summer Schools

 

Coursing towards the middle of the alphabet we now have two prospects in store for the letter M.  For in my A-Z of Things to See in Ireland Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark encompasses so many aspects of my essential list of things to see in Ireland.  For visitors who crave the cultural heritage of Irish music then the Music Summer Schools are definitely needing to be on the itinerary if you can visit Ireland during the summer months.

 

 

Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark has the distinction of being the first international, cross border Geopark to ever win the UNESCO designation.  Geoparks are treasure troves of natural heritage.  While the designation implies national importance there is also an international distinction.

 

Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark grew out of the interest of the 19th century lord of Florencecourt in County Fermanagh.  Geology was his interest and he was surrounded by fossil remains, limestone landscape, and underground caverns.  While the family seat at Florencecourt is now a National Trust Property Marble Arch Caves became a visitor attraction under the aegis of Fermanagh County Council.   Marble Arch earned the UNESCO Geopark status but with so much natural heritage of scientific interest lying cross border Cavan County joined in the venture and the first cross border Geopark was born!

 

 

 

Cuilcagh National Park hosts some of the best example of blanket bog conservation in Ireland.  Without proper management the underground caverns fill up and are impassable.  But now visitors are able to go underground and see some of the caves themselves without fancy spelunking equipment.  It’s caving for the health and safety minded!   The nearby Cladagh Glen is a lovely wet ash woodland walk that takes you right up the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark Visitor Centre.

 

 

But you don’t get this UNESCO status just because you have fantastic geological landscapes!  This area has a rich cultural heritage.  You can visit holy wells, the megaliths and neolithic Ireland relict landscape of the Cavan Burren,  the  Shannon Erne Waterway,  and early Christian sites in both County Fermanagh and County Cavan.  There are walks in forestry, along canals and around the built landscape of towns.   You can see a moat and bailey in Belturbet and the remnants of Castle Oughter that withstood a barrage from Cromwell.   The Kingfisher Cycle Trail blazes its way through much of the park with several loop routes including the main attractions.

 

 

Altogether this area is a rich resource in seeing how the habitation since the Bronze Age has unfolded in this amazing landscape.

 

 

But what about the heritage that is alive and well in Ireland today?  Well that is where the music summer schools come in.  On the fringes of the Geopark are some very impressive fleadhs and summer music schools. The premier event is, of course, the All Ireland Fleadh, which will be held in Cavan Town in 2012 for the third year running.   There will be plenty of ‘scoil’ for musician tuition but there will also be plenty of pub sessions and fringe events.

 

Drumshambo in Co. Leitrim holds two annual traditional music events.  The An Tostal weekend will be held over the June Bank Holiday weekend, first weekend in June 2012.    The annual Joe Mooney Summer School will be held the final week of July as per usual, the 21st -28th July 2012.  There will be plenty of music events as well as the opportunity to polish up your tin whistle.