In December 2024, UNESCO inscribed Irish Dry Stone Walling on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition highlights the cultural, historical, and practical importance of dry stone walls across Ireland—especially in the Burren, where they are an iconic and defining feature of the landscape.
The Dry Stone Walls of the Burren Summit is a one-day event from Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark Ireland and Common Knowledge in collaboration with the North Clare Communities group, Instone, and BurrenBeo trust. The event is dedicated to promoting and preserving the dry stone walls of the Burren It brings together those who live with, work on, study, and care for these walls - from farmers and archaeologists, craftspeople to artists, educators and policymakers.
Taking place at the Common Knowledge Centre in north Clare, the day will explore three key questions:
🔹 What do we know about the Burren’s stone walls and their cultural, historical and ecological importance?
🔹 What are we doing now to maintain and support them - on farms, in communities, through conservation and education?
🔹 What can we do in future to protect and promote this heritage - through collaboration, training, craft, and policy?
What’s Happening on the Day
The programme includes a mix of panel discussions, presentations, practical demonstrations, and breakout sessions designed to explore the past, present and future of dry stone walls in the Burren. Topics range from traditional knowledge and biodiversity to creative responses, tourism, and rural development.
The day is chaired by Dom Keogh, master stonemason of Memento Mori Stone, and features contributions from:
Eamon Doyle, Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark
Michael Davoren, Burren farmer and heritage advocate
Michael Lynch, archaeologist
Phoebe LArkin, Burren Nation Park NPWS
Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Clare County Council
Jamie Forde, InStone
Gordon D’Arcy, naturalist, artist and writer
Karen van Dorp, Burrenbeo trust
Rory O’Shaughnessy, archaeologist and educator
Christine Hand, archealogist National Monuments Service
Patrick McGurn, Acres Aran Burren
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Burrenbeo Trust conservations Volunteers
Department of Agriculture
Lunch is provided by Common Knowledge, and the day includes a live wall-building demonstration and a fossil identification workshop with geologist Dr. Eamon Doyle—feel free to bring along your own find.
In the afternoon, participants will join facilitated breakout groups exploring themes like arts and education, tourism, training, international collaboration, and passing on skills through meitheal-based learning.
Optional Field Walk – Sunday 20th July at 12 - 2pm
On Sunday morning, participants are invited to join a guided walk led by Karen van Dorp and Rory O’Shaughnessy exploring local stone wall landscapes in context. The walk offers an informal space to continue conversations from the summit and deepen our understanding of this living heritage.
Saturday is a free event, but registration is required. Lunch is included.
Sunday’s walk is €20, has limited capacity and early booking is recommended.
Dry Stone Walls of the Burren – Programme
09:30 – 10:00: Arrival & Coffee
10:00 – 10:20: Welcome & Introduction from Dom Keogh (Memento Mori Stone)
10:20 – 11:20: Panel 1 - What do we know about the Burren’s stone walls and their cultural, historical and ecological importance? With Eamon Doyle, Rory O’Shaughnessy, Michael Lynch and Christine Grant
11:20 – 11:30: Coffee Break
Session 2
11:30 – 13:00: Panel 2 - What are we doing now to maintain and support them – on farms, in communities, through conservation and education? With Speakers: Michael Davoren, Congella McGuire, Patrick McGurn, Jamie Forde
13:00 – 14:15: Lunch (catered by Common Knowledge)
Dry Stone Wall Demonstration with Dom Keogh(Optional)
Fossil Identification Workshop with Dr. Eamon Doyle (Bring your fossil - Optional)
14:15 – 15:05: Panel 3 - What can we do in future to protect and promote this biodiversity and heritage – through collaboration, training, craft, and policy?
Presentations & Discussion with Phoebe Larkin, Frank McCormack and Gordon D’Arcy
15:15 – 16:30
Breakout Sessions: Building Together facilitated by Common Knowledge
Group workshops discussions exploring:
Arts & education opportunities
Sustainable tourism
Farmer training & funding
Climate resilience & practical stewardship
Passing on knowledge: meitheals and local training
16:30: End
More about our speakers
Dom Keogh
A master dry stone waller and founder of Memento Mori Stone, Dom specialises in traditional techniques and artistic stonework. With a deep respect for heritage craft, he works across Ireland on restorations, commissions, and training. Dom will chair the summit and lead a live demonstration on site.
Eamon Doyle
Geologist with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. Eamon plays a leading role in interpreting the geological and fossil history of the Burren and promoting sustainable development through education and community partnerships.
Michael Davoren
A Burren farmer and long-time advocate for sustainable agriculture and landscape stewardship. Michael is a key voice in connecting traditional farming practices with conservation and heritage preservation in the region.
Phoebe Larkin
As a head guide Burren National Park with deep local roots and an infectious passion for the Burren’s unique landscape, she brings to life its rare flora, limestone formations, and centuries-old farming traditions.
Michael Lynch is a Field Monument Advisor in Clare. With over 15 years of archaeological experience in the Burren, Michael has surveyed and documented numerous previously unrecorded prehistoric sites, including Mesolithic shell middens and Bronze‑Age enclosures.
Gordon D’Arcy
Naturalist, writer, and illustrator with decades of experience studying the flora and fauna of the Burren. Gordon has written 'Stone walls of the Burren" and brings ecological and artistic perspectives to the cultural value of stone walls and the habitats they support.
Congella McGuire
Heritage Officer at Clare County Council, Congella has extensive experience supporting built and natural heritage initiatives across the county, and is instrumental in coordinating policy, funding, and local engagement for conservation work.
Jamie Forde
Co-founder of InStone, a stonework collective focused on traditional craft, training and public engagement. Jamie brings both creative and technical approaches to working with stone in rural and urban contexts.
Karen van Dorp
Volunteer coordinator and field leader with Burren Conservation Volunteers. Karen facilitates hands-on conservation work and educational walks, with deep local knowledge and a commitment to community-led stewardship.
Rory O’Shaughnessy
Archaeologist and heritage educator, Rory is known for making the Burren’s archaeological landscape accessible and engaging to a wide range of audiences. He specialises in the built heritage and early settlement patterns of the region.
Burrenbeo Trust
Burrenbeo is a landscape charity promoting place-based learning, active stewardship, and community awareness of the Burren’s unique ecology, culture and heritage.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)
Representatives will contribute insights into biodiversity protection, habitat management, and national efforts to support built heritage through environmental schemes and partnerships.
This is funded by Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, Common Knowledge and The Heritage Council in Collaboration with The North Clare Communities Group, Burren Beo Trust, Instone and Clare county council.
LOCATION
The Common Knowledge Centre, V95DK38
Staying with us at The Common Knowledge Centre
At The Common Knowledge Centre we now have a range of accommodation options on site to suit all budgets and needs. When you stay with us, you’ll be supporting our newly established guesthouse and be close to the action. We recommend arriving the evening before your course. You can view available accommodation on our booking page.
