Protected area governance concerns the interactions among structures, processes and traditions that determine how power is exercised, how decisions are taken and how citizens or stakeholders have their say (Graham et al., 2003). Over the last few decades, protected area governance has moved away from being a predominantly state-based ‘top-down’ model to a multi-level system under which powers and responsibilities are difused among a diversity of national and local government actors, civil society organisations and local communities management (Lockwood, 2010). Although the 1990s saw the emergence and increasing emphasis on the role of partnerships and collaboration as important elements in resolving environmental problems and achieving sustainable tourism development, many of Ireland’s protected areas became embroiled in belligerent planning and governance conficts (Healy & McDonagh, 2009). Drawing on a case study of the Burren region in the West of Ireland this paper frstly identifes socio-cultural, historical and political factors which contribute to, complement and accelerate the contentious and confictual nature of Irish protected area governance. Secondly, it presents the key factors which enabled BurrenLIFE (an EU Life-Nature Funded project) become one of the frst successful projects to mend poor relations in a land-use confict. Finally, drawing on the good governance practices of BurrenLIFE this paper proposes a new governance model which could be developed for future and existing attempts at sustainable tourism in the Burren and elsewhere.