•  Burren, County Clare

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In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Burren like this:

BURREN, or BURRIN, a village and post-town, in the parish of ABBEY, barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 18 miles (N. by W.) from Ennis, and 115 ¾ miles (W. by S.) from Dublin: containing 23 houses and 147 inhabitants. This place is situated on the road from Ballyvaughan to Curranroe Bridge, and about a quarter of a mile from the small harbour of Burren, now called New Quay, from the construction of a quay within the last few years, a little to the east of the former, of which there are still some remains: it is a constabulary police station. ...

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A court is held every six weeks by the seneschal of the manor, in which small debts are recoverable. The harbour is frequented by 30 hookers of "about 12 tons' and 150 yawls of 3 tons' burden each, engaged in the fishery, which affords employment to about 500 men. Large quantities of corn, butter, sheep, and pigs, are shipped here; and such is the convenience of the harbour, that in hard weather 100 sail of small craft have taken refuge in it at a time. The coast is noted for its oysters, which are in high repute for their superior flavour and quality; the great oyster bed, called the Burren Red bank, and the harbour, are more particularly described in the account of the parish of Abbey, which see.

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