Active Retirement’s Lark in the Park

The members of the Active Retirement Associations (ARA) in the counties of Offaly, Laois, Westmeath and Cavan attended a walk organised by Midland Regional Committee ARI in Lough Boora in May.

All wished to participate in the annual Bealtaine Festival which celebrates the creativity and energy of the more mature in years! Some participants strolled around the Sculpture Park while others chose to do the 5km or 10km walk.

The glorious sunshine added to the enjoyment and all had a hearty appetite for the picnic afterwards. Everybody was struck by the tranquillity of the park, a hidden gem on our doorstep.

The ARA thanked Bord na Móna’s team at Lough Boora who pulled out all the stops to ensure the success of the day and imparted their local knowledge during guided tours.

Special thanks also goes to Olivia Murphy, Offaly Sport’s Partnership, for her talk on the benefits of walking. While taking a rest and enjoying the surroundings, Nancy Spain, from local ARA, Kilcormac, sang a wonderful rendition of the very appropriate Down the Old Bog Road. There wasn’t a dry eye in the wigwam! It is hoped this will be an annual event.

To register your next group event or organise a guided tour of Lough Boora Discovery Park, please complete the online enquiry form.

Culture Night Offaly

Lough Boora Discovery Park’s Visitor Centre will host a free Landscape Photography Talk by Veronica Nicholson as part of Culture Night on Friday 19 September 2014 at 7pm.

Inspiring and informative, Veronica Nicholson is a renowned photographer who, against the backdrop of an exhibition by Athlone Photography Group will guide you through the techniques needed to perfect your landscapes.

Booking is essential as there are limited spaces. Call 05793 57400 to reserve your spot!

Culture Night is brought to you by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in partnership with Offaly County Council. Follow the conversation via our Twitter Account @loughboorapark and Facebook Page.

For more information about Culture Night events across the country, visit the culturenight.ie website, Facebook Pages for Cuture Night Offaly and Culture Night and follow @CultureNight on Twitter.

 

 

We’ve been nominated for the 2014 Web Awards!

The Lough Boora Discovery Park website has been nominated for three awards in two categories at this year’s Web Awards.

The new website has been nominated for the following awards:

The new Lough Boora Discovery Park website was launched in early August 2014 in the lead up to the Battle of Giants Family Day event and as part of the celebrations marking the new on-site Lough Boora Visitor Centre.

The website showcases this free amenity in the heart of Ireland, highlighting the activities that are available for all ages and abilities. Information about the park’s nature and biodiversity, history and the story of Bord na Móna encourages users to discover and explore all Lough Boora Discovery Park has to offer.

Finalists will be announced in the coming weeks, with the 2014 Web Awards taking place on Wednesday 22 October in Dublin.

For more information, visit testing.loughboora.com and connect with Lough Boora Discovery Park via Twitter @loughbooraparkFacebook and YouTube.

Lough Boora receives a visit from a rare waterbird

The Long-billed Dowitcher was spotted at Lough Boora Lake on 20 August 2014 and recorded on the Irish Birding website.

This rare, vagrant waterbird from North America occasionally arrives in Ireland when blown off-course or getting lost. This bird typically forages in shallow water or wet mud and is often seen near fresh water.

For more information on bird watching activities at Lough Boora Discovery Park and the available bird hides, visit our Things to do section of the website. Bird sightings can be shared via our social media channels on Twitter @loughboorapark and Facebook using the #loughboora hashtag.

Photograph courtesy of Irish Birding © Séamus Feeney.