Offaly Walking Festival

As part of the Offaly Walking Festival 2014, a dusk to dark walk will take place at Lough Boora Discovery Park on Friday 10 October 2014 from 6.30pm.

Walkers are invited to join us for an amazing nature experience full of sights and sounds as night falls. Bring a torch and your walking shoes and meet at the new Visitor Centre car park to explore the soft bog land underfoot during this hour long moderate walk.

For further information, download the Offaly Walking Festival 2014 [PDF] contact the Kilcormac Development Association on 057 9135445 or email kdaoffice@eircom.net.

Walking at Lough Boora Discovery Park

Lough Boora Discovery Park offers trails ranging from a short stroll to longer treks to take you through our diverse amenities. All routes start and end at the new Visitor Centre, with a level walking landscape that can be enjoyed by all age groups.

The park’s walks are rated as easy, so mildly challenged walkers can estimate distances using the scales listed. This is advisable so as to ensure walkers can pace themselves comfortably.

The park is in a continuous state of flux depending on the season. Birds depart or arrive, breed and rear their young. Plants flower and fungi appear and disappear, while the resident animals go about their lives. The varying sights, sounds and smells ensure a walk through Lough Boora always has something new, exciting and interesting to offer.

Discover Lough Boora’s walking trails in your own time, year round.

Sculpture Park tribute for artist Jean Conroy

A Sculpture Park tribute for artist Jean Conroy was held by the Art Hedge School at Lough Boora Discovery Park on Sunday 28 September 2014.

The event was organised by Sinead O’Reilly, Arts Officer with Offaly County Council and was hosted by fellow Sculptor, Tom Mescall, who worked with Jean over the years prior to her passing.

Approximately 30 adults and children joined in crafted temporary art pieces made from the natural materials found around The Boora Pyramid sculpture. This was the fourth year the Art Hedge School gathered at Lough Boora.

An image of one of the works of art made from natural materials at Lough Boora Discovery Park as part of a tribute to Jean Conroy on Sunday 28 September 2014.
An image of one of the works of art made from natural materials at Lough Boora Discovery Park as part of a tribute to Jean Conroy on Sunday 28 September 2014.
An image of one of the works of art made from natural materials at Lough Boora Discovery Park as part of a tribute to Jean Conroy on Sunday 28 September 2014.

Additional photos from the tribute can be found on the Lough Boora Discovery Park Facebook Page.

Culture Night Landscape Photography Talk

Lough Boora Discovery Park’s Visitor Centre hosted a free Culture Night Landscape Photography Talk by Veronica Nicholson on Friday 19 September 2014.

Inspiring and informative, Veronica Nicholson is a renowned photographer who, against the backdrop of an exhibition by Athlone Photography Group guided guests through the techniques needed to perfect their landscape photographs.

This Culture Night event was brought to you by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in partnership with Offaly County Council.

To enquire about hosting your next event at Lough Boora’s Visitor Centre, please register your event online.

About Culture Night

This event was brought to visitors at Lough Boora Discovery Park by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in partnership with Offaly County Council.

Culture Night is an annual all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. On Culture Night, arts and cultural organisations and venues of all shapes and sizes, including the National Cultural Institutions, extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge.

Culture Night has grown from a relatively small scale cultural event staged only in Dublin in 2006 to the significant national cultural event it now is, with some 350,000 people visiting museums, galleries, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres across the country. The initiative has captured both the public imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations. For more information, visit the Culture Night website.

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.