Marble Arch Caves

First explored by E.A. Martel in 1895, the Marble Arch Cave complex at Florencecourt Co. Fermanagh are situated in a National Nature Reserve, and are considered to be among the best visitor-friendly caves in Europe.

Visitors can explore a fascinating, natural underworld of rivers, waterfalls, stalagmites and stalactites, winding passages and lofty chambers.

The “wet entrance” to the cave, taken by those on guided tours, is via the subterranean Claddagh River, into the Grand Gallery, where the cave is explored on foot. While this narrow part of the cave was inaccessible to Martel, an artificial tunnel now connects it to the New Chamber, and to the rest of the cave complex, which leads out onto the Owenbrean river, via which the visitor exits.

The water in this karst limestone area is regulated by the vegetation, and permeated the rock over time to create its various fissures, streams and caves. The Cuilcagh Mountain above the caves was originally covered with blanket peatland bogs, but in the last century commercial peat cutting, sheep over-grazing, and uncontrolled burning of vegetation have destroyed huge areas of this natural water reservoir.

To counteract this environmental damage, and to keep excessive water out of the caves, the Fermanagh District Council created the Cuilagh Moutain Park, were peat cutting was banned and 1200 small dams were created to build up the water levels in the bog.

The Cuilcagh Mountain Park was set up by the Fermanagh District Council in 1998. Peat cutting was stopped and more than 1200 small dams were put into the drains to build up the water levels in the bog, while a weir upstream of the Marble Arch caves also holds water back.