Young photographers get ready for Culture Night event at Lough Boora Discovery Park

Offaly’s future generation of visual artists and photographers have been out in force preparing for Culture Night at Lough Boora Discovery Park. Children from three national schools took part in the ‘Eyes on Boora’ photography blitz at Bord na Móna’s parklands and wildlife haven. The budding photographers captured animals, plants, landscapes and some of the unique sculptures at the nature and beauty spot. The photos will be displayed at a Culture Night exhibition in Lough Boora on 22nd September.

Lough Boora Parkland’s Manager Tom Egan said “The Eyes on Boora event is a terrific way to capture the beauty of Lough Boora through the eyes of its most devoted fans and admirers. Lough Boora is a unique place and children react to it with a very special enthusiasm and wonder. I am really looking forward to seeing their perspective on this place when the exhibition is launched here on September 22nd. Bord na Móna is delighted to host and support such a wonderful event’.

The Eyes on Boora event seeks to explore Lough Boora through the eyes of the community’s children. Commissioned by Offaly County Council for Culture Night 2017 and facilitated by visual artist Aisling O’ Rourke Eyes on Boora sees children from Broughall, Coolanarney and Lumcloon National Schools, display photographic studies of Lough Boora Parklands.

This exhibition is part of an overall documentary project on the Bord na Móna owned and managed parklands.

The exhibition will be launched on September 22nd 2017 at 15.30 in the Lough Boora Discovery Park Visitor Centre. For further details see www.eyesonboora.com

Enjoy two free Bord na Móna Heritage Week 2017 events this weekend

This weekend you can go pond dipping and see dragonflies, curlews, hares and all the other life that fills our bogs and waterways as Bord na Móna’s Ecology team lead two free Heritage Week events.

On Saturday the Ecology team will be bringing people pond dipping, where you can dip the waterways for beetles, pond skaters, dragonflies, damson flies, larvae and much more. The guided eco-cycle will involve spotting wildlife such as the Hares that live in Lough Boora. This Heritage Week event is focused on exploring the wonders of Irish bogs that are teeming with life.

People are asked to meet at the Lough Boora Discovery Park Visitor Centre Co. Offaly and the Bord na Mona Ecology team will take people Pond dipping this Saturday 19th,2017,  at 12 pm sharp and will follow with an eco-cycle through the Sculpture Park at approximately 1.30pm. The team have a limited amount of pond dipping equipment so you need to book ahead at 057 9340010 or email info@loughboora.com.

On Sunday 20th The Bord na Móna Ecology will host the second Heritage Week outdoors event exploring the wonders of a newly restored bog. Bord na Móna is in the process of restoring thousands of hectares of bog across Ireland that result in a significant increase in the biodiversity of the rehabilitated lands.

On Sunday Ecologist David Fallon will be leading a Bog Restoration Walk at Killeglan Bog Co Roscommon to see the way life has returned to a restored Bord na Móna bog. On the walk you may get to see the Curlew, Red Grouse and all the flora and fauna that have returned to the area. You will also be able to enjoy the bog at a time when the heather is in full bloom, a sight everyone should take time to experience.

Pond Dipping and Eco-Cycle

Bord na Móna Lough Boora Discovery Park Visitor Centre, Co. OffalySaturday 19 August, 12pm – 3pm

Saturday 19 August, 12pm – 3pmAdmission is free, booking is required at 057 9340010

Admission is free, booking is required at 057 9340010

http://www.heritageweek.ie/whats-on/event/lough-boora-ecology-event

Bog Restoration Walk (Killeglan Bog, Roscommon)

Meet David Fallon Bord na Móna at Taughmaconnell Community Centre, Co. RoscommonSunday 20 August 2017, 2 pm – 5 pm

Sunday 20 August, 2 pm – 5 pm Admission is free, no booking required

Admission is free, no booking required

http://www.heritageweek.ie/whats-on/event/bog-restoration-walk

‘The Beauty of the Bog’ Painting Exhibition in Lough Boora

‘You can take the wo/man out of the bog, but you can’t take the bog out of the wo/man!’ – Old Irish Proverb

Marian Murphy’s art exhibition opens on August 4th at Lough Boora Discovery Park Visitor Centre. It is the ideal place for this collection of paintings as all of the paintings are inspired by the bogs of Laois, Offaly, Galway, Mayo and West Cork. Originally from Mountrath, Co Laois, Marian (nee Flanagan) depicts the wild beauty of the untouched peatland and of the areas where turf is cut and saved.

Happily, the artist also depicts the visible effects of preservation, conservation and rehabilitation of bogs, and the hope this poses for their future and the important part they play in our national tradition and culture.

Marian includes some paintings of the more delicate aspects of bog life too- its flora particularly, including the wonderful bog cotton that blows in the wind and the sphagnum mosses which are known as ‘the bog builders’.

Marian now lives in County Cork. She is a member of Uilinn, the West Cork Art Centre, and has recently exhibited there along with many other Cork venues. She is also an active member of Bandon Art Group. For this, her first solo exhibition, she has come back to her roots!

The exhibition opening is at 7pm on Friday August 4th at Lough Boora Visitor Centre and everyone is welcome to come along to view this interesting exhibition and to have the opportunity to meet the artist. The exhibition continues until August 18th and the Lough Boora Visitor Centre is open 10-6 daily.

 

Bord na Móna To Attempt World Record as Fairies Descend on Lough Boora Discovery Park in July 2017

Fairy Festival, in association with The Irish Fairy Door Company, Returns this July, 2017

Bord na Móna, along with The Irish Fairy Door Company, have announced the return of the spectacular Fairy Festival in Lough Boora Discovery Park, Co. Offaly on Saturday 22nd July 2017. This year’s event promises to be even more exciting with a World Record Attempt for the largest gathering of Fairies in one stunning location.

Fairy Wings and Wands at the ready!

Kicking off from 12.30 – 3.30pm on 22nd July 2017, event-goers of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their best Fairy costumes and play their part in the first Irish World Record Attempt to have the largest group of fairies.

Bord na Móna’s Fairy Festival promises to be a truly magical day out for the entire family with activities to entertain kids of all ages across three stages, not to mention the stunning Lough Boora Fairy Door Trail which is ready to be explored. Stage One will see The Irish Fairy Door Company’s resident fairies entertaining the masses with enchanting fairy tales, parachute games, giant bubbles and magnificent puppet shows with the famous Fairy Clodagh. There will be a magical fairy note workshop where every child can write a special note and hide it inside their own balloon and release it at home.

Stage Two features a stunning arts and crafts area where kids can make everything fairy-related from Fairy Pencil Toppers, Fairy Wands, Fairy Pencil Toppers, Finger Fairies and Stick Fairies – an interactive hub destined to be a success with craft lovers of all ages.

The third stage will feature a kids disco with special dance lessons from our expert fairy dancers.

Dee Ahearn, CEO of Barretstown said: We’re absolutely thrilled to be Bord na Móna’s chosen charity partner again this year. Family events at Lough Boora are always a fantastic family day out with children and adults alike speaking very highly of them. At Barretstown we must raise over €5 million each year to provide our life-changing programmes free of charge to children and families affected by serious illness. Having successful partnerships, like the one we have enjoyed for a number of years with Bord na Móna, means we can continue to provide our programmes to children and families, and for that we are so thankful.

Speaking at the launch, Sara Byrne of Bord na Móna said: ‘We’re always really excited about our events in Lough Boora Discovery with The Irish Fairy Door Company. This year is a little bit different as we’re attempting to set a World Record. We encourage everyone to come dressed in Fairy Wings and a Fairy Wand so we can really smash this World Record attempt. We’re absolutely delighted to be working with Barretstown again for the fifth year – being able to support the amazing work they do is something we’re incredibly proud of’.

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Re-live Last Year’s Fairy Fun!

Rare European Butterfly Discovered in West Offaly Bog

Bord na Móna appeals to the public to help find more examples

One of the rarest butterflies in Europe has returned to the bogs of West Offaly after an absence of over twenty years.

The Marsh Fritillary Butterfly was last seen on Turraun Bog in 1995 but has been recorded back on the bog within the past week. Bord na Móna ecologists confirm the butterfly has returned to the area.

The Head of Bord na Móna’s Energy Department, Joe Lane, said “This is a discovery of big European significance, the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly is a rare and beautiful creature that we thought had disappeared but now we now know to have returned.

We believe it has returned because of the extensive bog rehabilitation work that has taken place in Turraun and at the nearby Lough Boora Discovery Park but we need way more data on this project. That is why we are making a big appeal to people to go out there and find more examples of this and other butterflies. We are asking people to photograph butterflies if they can and send the picture and details regarding the location to us at ecology@bnm.ie. We know they are out there, so we are asking people to take their children, family, friends, grannies, whoever they can get to come to Lough Boora Discovery Park or go out to bogs and wetlands and help us find them. Above all when you do go out looking for the Marsh Fritillary remember to have fun and stay safe.”

The Marsh Fritillary is the only Irish butterfly that is protected at a European level. It is a species that will live in wetlands and bog margins.