Tucked into a hidden valley in the heart of the Burren, Caherconnell Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations invites you on a journey where ancient stones and living tradition combine. The site is family-run: the Davoren family have farmed here for five generations, preserving not only the land but the stories and practices that make Caherconnell uniquely alive.

Your visit begins with the stone ring-fort, one of the Burren’s most evocative archaeological treasures. Though parts of its origins date back well before the Middle Ages, the fort as seen today reflects centuries of habitation up to the 16th century and beyond. Inside the visitor centre, audiovisual displays and interpretive panels set the stage, weaving together Burren geology, settlement, and the human stories embedded in stone.  From there, a guided tour brings the fort’s structures, ramparts, and archaeological finds into sharp relief.

But Caherconnell is not a monument frozen in time. Its beating heart is the sheepdog demonstration — Clare’s only such public display — where border collies, guided by skilled shepherds, show their agility, intelligence and synchrony in real Burren fields. These demonstrations run daily (at 11:10 a.m. and 14:10 from March through early November) in a sheltered viewing area, ensuring the show goes on whatever the Irish weather may bring.  After the display, visitors often linger to greet the dogs and lambs, ask questions, and gain insight into herding traditions still alive on Burren farms.

Take a few hours to explore Caherconnell — the fort, the dogs, the cairns of memory — and linger in the on-site Mountain Haven Café or craft shop, absorbing Burren views and local flavour. Whether your passion lies in archaeology, rural life, or simply witnessing dogs in action against a dramatic landscape, Caherconnell offers a rare chance to bridge past and present, stone and living being, in one unforgettable experience.