Connemara-Nationalpark

The Connemara National Park (English Connemara National Park; Irish Páirc Naisiúnta Chonamara ) is one of six national parks in Ireland. It is located in Connemara in the west of Ireland, in County Galway northwest of the " Twelve Bens ", a mountain chain with twelve peaks.

History

The national park was founded in 1980 and opened to the public. Much of the area of ​​the park was formerly a part of the farm territory of the Kylemore Abbey. There are many relics of early human settlement in the park. There is a cemetery from the 19th century, as well as 4,000 year old megalithic menhirs and.

Flora, fauna and geology

The park has taken on the task to preserve nature and to inform tourists and locals about the geology, flora and fauna of the region.

The park has a variety of bird species. In winter birds come from other parts of Ireland to Connemara, also winter visitors from north-eastern Europe, as the Redwing and Fieldfare. In the park there are also wild Connemara ponies can learn a lot about the history of the visitors.

Moor and heath landscapes characterize the vegetation in the park. Especially common in the National Park the blue moor grass, but also many other bog plants can be found in the park. A characteristic of the vegetation of Connemara is the occurrence of species from colder regions of Europe and the Arctic, such as Rhodiola or mountain sorrel and at the same time the presence of species that are normally native to the Iberian Peninsula, as the fat herb Pinguicula lusitanica or the Irish heather Daboecia cantabrica.

The landscape as it is today, was formed during the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. At that time, deposits of sand and gravel have been created and many boulders were brought by the ice in the region. The peaks of the Twelve bins consist of quartzite, while the slopes of slate and gray marble exist.

Visitor Centre and National Park Authority

The National Park belongs to the state. The National Park Service is part of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, one of the Irish Department of the Environment and Local Government authority thereunder.

The park entrance and visitor center is located in Letterfrack at the N 59 Galway - Clifden - Westport. The National Park Service and Visitor Center are housed in the farm buildings of the former Letterfrack Industrial School. In the visitor center there is information about the National Park and it is explained in an exhibition among others the development of the bog and the use of peat vividly. There is also a wealth of information about the flora and fauna and geology of the park. Are offered regularly lectures and guided tours and there is a cafeteria.

The park is crossed several hiking trails that you can explore the countryside. The longest begins at the visitor center and leads to the summit of the 400-meter high Diamond Hill.