A conversation in a Galway city bar in the 1970s has led to claims that the geographic inspiration for 'The Lord of the Rings' is the Burren in Co Clare, writes BRIAN O'CONNELL

A CHANCE MEETING in a Galway bar led Lisdoonvarna native Peter Curtin on a 30-year literary odyssey to prove his local area was the inspiration for one of the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the 20th century.

The story in question is The Lord of the Rings, and Curtin believes the inspiration for Middle Earth came from author JRR Tolkien's time spent in the Burren, Co Clare. Last month, Curtin founded the Burren Tolkien Society, and presented new evidence which, he says, supports his claim that the rugged Clare landscape influenced the author.

Curtin's interest was first sparked by a conversation he had in the 1970s. "I was in Mrs Cullen's Bar in Galway, sitting down on a Saturday afternoon having a pint. On my left hand side was an elegant lady called Mrs Crowe, drinking a glass of Guinness. She turned to me and said: 'Where are you from?' I said 'Lisdoonvarna'. 'Oh,' she said, 'I'm Mrs Crowe and I was the housekeeper for Dr Martyn, who lived at Gregan's Castle, in Ballyvaughan. Did you know that the imagery and imagination for the book The Lord of the Ringscame from the Burren?' That was the end of the conversation but it stayed with me afterwards. A few years ago it came back into my head and I decided to investigate what this Mrs Crowe had told me."

Curtin discovered that Tolkien had spent time in the Burren while he was external examiner for University College Galway during the 1950s. He also learned that Dr Martyn, an expert on the Burren landscape, had hosted Tolkien on several of his visits to Gregan’s Castle. Therefore, it’s possible that Mrs Crowe could have met Tolkien.

Further enquiries led him to Corofin resident Rose MacNamara, whose father, Prof Diarmuid Murphy, was head of the English department at UCG during the 1950s. “She told me that it was basically the norm in the 1950s, when her father was professor, that he would entertain visiting external examiners. She spoke about how her family and the Tolkiens became very close, and how on many occasions they would visit Dr Martyn who was a great expert on the Burren.”

Curtin says there is no doubt that Tolkien was heavily influenced by the landscape of the Burren, despite the majority of Tolkien scholars failing to make this link. Instead, it is believed that Tolkien drew his geographic inspiration from areas such as Birmingham and Yorkshire.

Curtin is firm in his belief that Co Clare is the true home of Middle Earth. “I’m convinced that he was inspired by the Burren. When I think about what Mrs Crowe said, about the imagery and imagination, it struck a chord with me. She had no reason to spoof about this. She was in the kitchen with Tolkien, the professor and his wife. Dr Martyn would have talked to them about the Burren and we know that he came here on many occasions.”

Yet, Curtin is not alone in laying geographic claim to Tolkien’s imagination. In 2002, Scottish historian Rod Gibson claimed Tolkien’s landscape inspiration was based on the north-west of Scotland. “I am convinced Tolkien came here and drew inspiration for his epic. This is Tolkien country in miniature,” said Gibson. Scholars disagreed, and the debate on where or what inspired Tolkien’s imagination continues.

Curtin hopes his website may promote more investigation and that, in time, the Burren might benefit from links to Tolkien and his visits over half a century ago.

"There is a real otherworldy feel to parts of the Burren, so it all fits," he says. "I mean, they shot the recent movies based on The Lord of the Ringsin New Zealand – I don't think he was ever there in his life."

For more information see burrentolkiensociety.ie