I have been meaning to visit The Burren in Ireland for a few years now, but each time other commitments and then the pandemic thwarted my plans. 2022 comes and it is all on at last.
We stay in Galway which in retrospect meant a few more miles driving to get to the orchid sites, but the roads are light on traffic and we do get see more Irish countryside. Actually I am surprised to see that much of The Burren is farmed; I was expecting more open countryside. In fact even a lot of the limestone pavement is fenced off. Just a single wire fence, easy to duck under, but it does indicate private land. Besides there not a lot of places whether you could park up in order to explore for an hour or two. I hope I have chosen the best dates to visit.

Our first stop is the Burren Centre in Corofin. I am hoping to ask a couple of questions and get a detailed map. Some hope! It is mainly a tourist gift shop where coach tours pull over for 15 minutes and discharge their load. Only bother going here if you need a WC. Even then .... while there a coachload of French tourists descend on the facilities with and treat both male and female as unisex. Ever tried to go with a half dozen French female septagenarians are rabbiting way behind you while they primp their hair?

Near Killnaboy 19th May 2022 (R 28683 92578)

After a scenic drive around the inlets of the southern coast of Galway Bay on the Wild Atlantic Way we headed inland from Lisdoonvarna and headed up from Killnaboy to the first bit of limestone pavement. Here were a nice assortment of Early Purple Orchids, but nothing else.

Gorlecka Crossroads 19th May 2022 (R 30424 94479)

This is just a short distance up the road, and what a difference. It must be that every Burren walking tour either starts here or passes by. Luckily we find a parking space and there, just by the wall, a first orchid. Clearly an Epipactis species. With a flower spike forming now, early in the season, it is tempting to say Dark-red Helleborine, but with a green stem and based on probability it is most likely to be a Broad-leaved Helleborine. If anybody visits here and sees these in flower I would like to know which species it it. There are three more examples close by. Spotting specks of purple in the grass we go through a gate to a meadow with Early Purple Orchids and Common Twayblades. Recalling the chapter on Leif Bersweden’s (The Orchid Hunter) visit to Ireland we made our way past the hazel thicket and came out into a flat, rock-strewn area. Here we found, perhaps, the self same Fly Orchids that he saw. Sadly several looked as if they had been trampled by walkers (or orchid enthusiasts) as they are not easy to spot. There were well over 25 with some just in bud, so more to come. Continuing, we came to the limestone pavement, but here only Early Purples flowered, and no sign of the Dense-flowered Orchids despite a half hour search. We finish here with the meadow at the corner of the crossroads which boasted a fine display of Early Purples, with colour variation - all shades from purple to palest pink; and a Var alba.

Lough Brealin 19th May 2022 (R 31187 94445) 

This is just down the road from the crossroads and cannot be missed. We park at the GR above. First off we wander around on the Lough side of the road heading towards where I was informed that D. incarnata cruenta (the Flecked Early Marsh Orchid) grew. After covering the entire area there is but one marsh orchid in flower. But what is it? There are no leaf markings, but this is not a 100% requirement for cruenta. The lip is folded back to an extent but the margins are wavy as described for Irish Marsh Orchids. However the leaves are slimmer than expected for that species, and I do not suspect Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid. It is a Dactyloriza doing what they do best - confuse. after another search and wandering closer to the lough, betting sticky muddy boots in the process it is time to find the other target in the vicinity.

The Dense-flowered Orchid, I am told can be found on a bluff to the right of the road where it rises and bends. I see a low mound and we head for that expecting a long haul job. Both Leif Bersweden in The Orchid Hunter and Jon Dunn in Orchid Summer seem to have spent ages searching for this species. Miraculously I spot one within a minute, followed by more. I can see why they had problems though. It is small, growing in grass as tall as it, and it rivals the Small White Orchid for being undramatic in a small and white manner. No way does it leap out at you saying here I am. Across the road (above the bit where the Marsh orchid was found) there are more, and we see well over 25 in total, though some are going over now, This species likes the high points, for working down the slopes they peter out. The irony is that this is a Must See species of The Burren, but few will be remotely impressed by it. You cannot even see the flowers properly! It is one of the Mediterranean species said to have been trapped here after the last Ice Age and it has been on my list in a couple of Mediterranean localities. I now see while I have failed in those warmer climes.

The final stop of the day was on the shores of Lough Bunny where I had been informed to scour the eastern end, which we did to no avail.

Next day is rainy, at least in the morning, so we sample the delights of Galway City itself. Quaint in parts, but I end up more foot sore than a day hunting orchids on the Burren.

Lough Inchiquin 21st May 2022 (R 27568 89464) 

Having run out of information about specific orchid haunts it was up to us to find unlisted ones. One possibility was the shores of Lough Inchiquin near Corofin, where a shore line walk was planned. That was very short due to the way being blocked by the water treatment works, but it made no difference. A nice patch of grass in the parking area was home to around 30 Irish Marsh Orchids, just by the info board.

Burren Nature Reserve 22nd May 2022 (M 37950 09237)

This is just outside Kinvara, a small private enterprise that is more suited to kids really, but it is said to have some limestone pavement and an orchid meadow. Unfortunately the meadow and the path around it is closed, but probably only features Pyramidal and Common-spotted Orchids - and it is rather early for them. The limestone pavement was largely overgrown by scrub, demonstrating what much of the Burren would be like if left to nature. However there were some Early Purple Orchids there, as well as more in the Fairy Woodland - did I mention kids?

Now for a bit of a mystery. The is a small biodome housing a collection of Burren plants including Fly Orchids, Bee Orchids, Pyramidal Orchids and O1kellys Common Spotted Orchid. None of these are in flower (or in leaf for some). Then there are two pots of robust many stemmed Dactylorhiza, with another cluster outside in a border. Clearly the variety Latin name on the label is incorrect, but is it actually an Early Marsh Orchid? Possibly, just, and therefore Var cruenta if representing the Burren species. However, these look like similar plants sold in garden centres as Dactylorhiza majalis, the European broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, or a hybrid that shares some of the same sap. They look vigourous enough, and will let you judge.

Just outside the dome is a couple of naturalised Irish Marsh Orchids, neither impressive, but there is one more highlight. Flitting about were numerous Wood White butterflies, a species I have never seen before, and never expected to see. As this is the Burren they must be the regular British species Leptidia sinapsis. Elsewhere in Ireland this is replaced by the Cryptic Wood White, a morphologically identical species. Shame they keep their wings closed while at rest.

Paulnabrone Dolmen 22nd May 2022 (M 23606 00621)

After a visit to the Ailwee Caves (nice but expensive considering you do not get a string quartet in a boat on a lake at the end like in Majorca) heading inland the roadside is spotted purple, and at the megalithic tomb plenty of Early Purple Orchids are to be seen.

Spiddall 23rd May 2022 (M 12390 21916)

Today we abandon the Burren and travel west and north of Galway, looking for parking places near likely orchid sites. The first spot is the coastal village of Spiddall. A short walk takes us to the pier and the land behind that is damp grassland - perfect, except nothing obvious to be seen until there is a splash of deep purple. Moving on a bit quite a few more are found. There are nice examples of Irish Marsh Orchids, some with heavy leaf markings and many without any. All have noticeably broad leaves which is why, presumably, they were classed within Dactylorhiza majalis originally.

Lough Corrib 23rd May 2022 (M 11786 45386)

Next up are the shores of Lough Corrib, just north of Oughterard on the lower road, and just below the viewpoint on the panoramic route, is a car park for those with small fishing boats. Amongst the birch in the damp ground are more Marsh Orchids. This spot must be flooded on a regular basis. There are some obvious Irish Marsh Orchids and others that fill all the requirement for Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids - narrow leaves (obviously), more spindly looking plant, lax spike, few flowers centered on one side of the stem, and with a central lip lobe prominent. One of these is very pale coloured, while one is quite deeply coloured and robust. Naturally, these being Dacts, there are some with intermediate features - an unnamed hybrid of the two species, Dactylorhiza occidentalis x traunsteineroides. Some are intermediate colour between the Irish Marsh and the very pale Narrow-leaved Orchids.

 
The Irish Marsh Orchids
 
Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids
 
The presumed hybrids

Interesting to look back at Wild Orchids in Britain, written by Summerhayes in 1951. He describes these Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids as the Wicklow Marsh Orchid almost as an afterthought within the piece about the Irish marsh Orchids. In the 1968 edition, in the introduction, it is revealed that similar plants have been found in East Anglia, Yorkshire, North Wales, and possibly Scotland. This rather belated recognition as a species perhaps demonstrates both the difficulty in identifying it, and also it`s rather wide ranging morphology.

Oughterand Pier 23rd May 2022 (M 13365 43897) 

After refreshment in this small town we drive down to the pier, and lo and behold, more Irish Marsh Orchids are growing under the bushes, within the grass, down near the water`s edge. I had been expecting to have to drive far and wide for this species, but it seems that once off the Burren one can expect to find it in some of the damper meadows and shorelines.

Anderton Country Park 27th May 2022 (SJ 64878 75348) 

Back home and off to this former industrial area by Northwich, renaturalised, chasing up some tip-offs concerning Southern Marsh Orchids (thanks Terry). I have seen them here before but only when they were well, well past their best. Other visits have been later in the year. Starting from the Boat Lift car park we find plenty close to, and in the same spot, where we had seen them before. Then it is off to the northern fringes of the park where another well established colony is flouring in a a buttercup strewn meadow. There must be more places here where these grow. There are some nice robust examples coming through, with quite dark flowers. However I am sure that as they fully develop the colours will tone down a little. A few are noticeably quite lighter in colour.