Ireland Ruins

There are lots of reasons for the ruins in Ireland. Many times the stones of an abandoned structure were reused for other buildings. Some buildings (particularly cottages) were abandoned during the famine, or abandoned because no one else wanted them. Rock of Cashel is a good example. It was originally a fortress for an ancient king. When he no longer wanted it, it was given to the church and was used as a church and monastery. Eventually, not even the church wanted it. Of course, the reason for any particular ruin may be different than another (one near the Burren whose name escapes me now was due to a fire that destroyed everything but the stone outsides). By law, landowners are not allowed to remove any ruins on their land, so you see a lot of them out in the middle of nowhere. The heritage centers in various areas exist to give the historical background for the particular area, and are wealths of information. That's why I always recommend visiting the heritage centers and seeing the films they provide for background.

You touched on all the answers in your question. I'll add one more thing. You probably noticed there are not large tracts of wooded areas, that has been true in Ireland for the past thousand years (maybe more). The wealthy built with stone (the poor with mud, turf, straw, etc...) and it has lasted the test of time. The deforestation of Ireland is a controversial topic (what isn't in Ireland). Early farming techniques cleared much of the land (the Burren Nancy refers to is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, but the result of poor farming practices). Irish trees also helped build many of the ships in the British navy. Ireland was rarely ruled by a single king. There were hundreds of small "kingdoms," and you can see their ruins today. Then there was the ruling protestant class (the Ascendancy) who saw a quick decline after the famine. You will see remains of some of these homes too (although some were restored by a catholic ascendency) as many were burned down by Irish nationalists. Finally, there were old churches which were simply replaced by newer versions, but left (partially) intact and decayed over time.

Thank you, Michael and Nancy. Appreciate your response.

In addition to wars etc; i am sure I read that at one time the tax on houses was higher if they were capable of being lived in, therefore roofs were pulled off of superfluos houses. NInteresting story- possibly is true

You could be correct, Brian. In San Miguel (Mexico), some of the homes are behind high walls, and you can see up on the roof where it appears that there is construction still ongoing. Apparently the homeowner does not have to pay property taxes as long as the home is still under construction, so homes are often left in this state for a long time -- forever.

Many of the abbeys in Ireland are in ruins for the same reason as their counterparts in Great Britain- Henry VIII's dissolution of the monastic system.