Aillwee Cave is the only commercially run Cave in The Burren and its award winning building blends perfectly with the cliff behind.The cave was discovered in 1944 by a local herdsman called Jack McGann when his dog followed a rabbit down a hole in the side of the mountain.The remains of bears have been found there and the "beds" they hibernated on are still to be seen. They are a source of constant wonder for children. When my nephew, Brian, was very young, he asked me what the emergency phones in along the cave were for. I told him they were for waking the bears after their winter nap. And he believed me, for awhile. This is a good place to have a cup of coffee and buy some of their locally made cheese and honey. The nearest village to the caves is Ballyvaughan, and it is a great place. The locals have tried very hard to keep it as unspoiled as possible, and believe it or not they have succeeded. The village is small, just a couple of streets, but it has some great pubs, restaurants and shops and one of the first and best Rent an Irish Cottage schemes overlooking the harbour. Don't miss the crab and mussles at Monk's and then go next door to The Rose Cottage for tea and cake and horticultural advice. The owner, Catherine O'Donoghue also runs a landscaping business. Visit The Whitethorn to see the amazing renovation of a fish factory which is now a very upmarket shop and restaurant.There are so many places to eat in Ballyvaughan that you are just going to have to spend a few days.
