The unique karst landscape of the Burren Region is home to Aillwee Cave and the Burren Birds of Prey, located in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. This stunning creation of nature was formed by the melt waters of a prehistoric ice age. The cave, carved out of limestone, cuts one third of a mile into the heart of the mountains. The story of Aillwee Cave began millions of years ago when streams sinking underground on Aillwee Mountain started dissolving channels through the lines of weakness in the limestone. About one million years ago the ice age began and from then until fifteen thousand years ago Ireland’s climate alternated between arctic coldness and warmer periods, freezing and melting, freezing and melting over the centuries. This melting water roared and crashed its way through the Aillwee Cave greatly enlarging the passage and bringing with it large quantities of sand and silts which are still present in the inner cave. The earliest history of the cave is preserved in its roof. Aillwee is one of the most ancient caves in the Burren and perhaps in Ireland.