The popular Burren winterage cattle drive will take place this year on both Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October, during the upcoming bank holiday weekend.

The cattle drive is part of the Burren Winterage Weekend taking place from 24 to 26 October, which celebrates the farming practice of moving cattle to Burren uplands for winter grazing, a centuries-old tradition that has played a vital role in protecting one of Ireland’s most biodiverse landscapes.

Organised by the Burrenbeo Trust and supported this year by ACRES Burren Aran and FBD Trust, the festival has a packed programmed including walks, workshops, local food, storytelling, music and the iconic Burren winterage cattle drive.

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The flagship event, the cattle drive sees attendees join a local farming family in herding their cattle to their winterage.

This year, due to popular demand, the cattle drive will take place on Saturday 25 as well as Sunday 26 October.

Hosts

The two cattle drives, as well as the majority of the events, are being hosted this year on a farm managed by Frank, Mary and Frank McCormack jnr in Bouleevin, Boston, Tubber, Co Clare. The McCormacks are also founders of Irish Natural Stone – a stone conservation and heritage centre.

The Burren Food Fayre, organised by the Burren Eco-tourism Network, on Sunday 26 October will also offer a chance to all attendees to ‘taste the Burren’ through food samplings from some of the best of local food producers.

In the runup to the winterage weekend, a series of Farming for Nature webinars are being organised from Monday 20 to Thursday 23 October that will host online discussions with farmers in Ireland and the UK on nature-friendly farming.

Highlights of the weekend programme include:

Friday 24 October

  • Guided Burren farm walk.
  • Burren farmer information evening, Kilfenora Mart.
  • Winterage stories with Burren farmers followed by a community céilí.

    Saturday 25 October

  • Guided Burren farm walks – various locations.
  • Pine woodland planting – a hands-on conservation event.
  • Transhumance photography exhibition – images of global and local seasonal herders.
  • Farming for Nature panel - three Ideas for your farm that could change everything.
  • Experimental workshop on ‘Grieving the loss of ash in the Burren and exploring how to respond’.
  • The Hare’s Corner book launch – a new book inspired by people’s actions for nature.
  • The Burren winterage cattle drive – join host farmer in herding their cattle to upland pastures.
  • Farming for Nature ambassador awards – meet exemplary Irish farmers working for nature.

    • Sunday 26 October

  • Transhumance photography exhibition - images of global and local seasonal herders.

  • From the horse's mouth -Farming for Nature advice clinic.
  • The Burren winterage cattle drive and Burren Food Fayre - join host farmer in herding their cattle to upland pastures.

    • Places are limited for all events and will require pre-booking unless otherwise mentioned. U18s go free and don’t need booking.

    For programme and tickets, please visit www.burrenwinterage.com.