The Natural History of the Burren by Gordon D'Arcy, Immel Publishing, pp 168, £16.95
I was first introduced to the heritage of Ireland and especially the Burren by reading the books of Robert Lloyd Praeger, botanist, archaeologist, historian and educator. They are still cherished possessions that have pride of place in my library, each one a compulsive read, again and again. I now have another book to place beside them, The Natural History of the Burren.
Crafted in the 1990s, it is a worthy companion for, like Lloyd Praeger, Gordon D'Arcy links scholarship and wonder, science and the excitement of knowledge. The facts and the fantasy of the Burren, which makes up 1 per cent of the surface of the Emerald Isle, are presented in 148 enchant-ing pages. The pictures are excellent and facts meticulously researched.
The book tells the story of limestone laid down 300 million years ago beneath ...
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