Lough Boora Parklands

For an exciting fun day out why not take a cycle around Lough Boora Parklands.  A new Rent-a-Bike service is now available at the parklands.

You can enjoy the cycle tracks on offer or visit the various lakes & wetlands in the parklands.  Two cycle paths in the parklands offer up to 14 Kilometres of scenic cycle routes. 

There is a car free cycle path with a tarred surface that offers approximately 9km of track for everyone including children to enjoy.    It is a very peaceful route that allows cyclists to discover the flora& fauna, the sculptures, the Mesolithic site, forestry, farmland and open areas of cut-away bog alongside the Boora Canal.  A second circular route goes along the Boora Road and the Farm Road and is approximately five kilometres long.

 There is a selection of bikes, helmets, child seats and trailers available. Adult, children and family rates are available. Bikes can be rented by the hour or on a daily basis dependent on what is suitable for you, from Monday – Sunday between 10 am to 8 pm.

For more information or to guarantee availability please contact:
Pat on 086 8895194 or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A group of 13 students and lecturers from Brown University's John Nicolas Brown Cente (USA) will vist the parklands during their nine day stay in Offaly. 

The students will focus on the industrial heritage of the peatlands and their after use.  West Offaly hertitage such as Belmont Mills and the monastic sites in the area will also be included in their vist.  Lough Boora Parklands Group are facilitating the project which it is hoped will identify new ways of comminicating aspects of Offaly Heritage. 

The annual All Ireland Trout Angling Match for anglers with special needs run by the friends of Loch An Dochais takes place at Loch An Dochais, on Sunday 30th May 2010.

This is the 14th year of this competition and the lake now has the capacity of 43 angling spaces with ample car parking available.  Great credit is due to all involved who have brought the lake to the state it is today and running this competition.

2010 is International Year of Biodiversity and it is an opportunity for the entire world to recognise the importance of biodiversity for all life on Earth. Biodiversity Week (May 16th - 23rd) gives us the perfect opportunity to get out there and explore some of the great biodiversity around us.

Put simply, Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, clean water, fuel, health, wealth, and other services we take for granted in our everyday life.

Events taking place to coincide with Biodiversity Week include:

Saturday May 22nd - Moth Night. Anyone interested is to meet at 9pm at Teach Lea, Boora for tapping until late. The Moth Night is to be led by Alex Copeland.

 Sculpture in the Parklands is hosting a 5-day summer school programme for 7 – 12 year olds from Monday July 19^th to Friday July 23^rd 2010.  The Heritage Council and Offaly County Council are supporting the programme, which is celebrating International Year of Biodiversity.

International environmental artist, Brandon Ballengee, will deliver an interactive workshop for 7 to 12 year olds that will explore, discuss and celebrate local biodiversity as well as look at insect and amphibian diversity from around the world.

Participants will enjoy a range of activities  including creating bog journals, making and using butterfly nets, exploring aquatic micro –fauna of the bogs, creating insect portraits at a human scale, painting insect murals, creating bug sculptures from natural materials, creating a dance for the Insect Festival on the final day and participating in an insect kite making workshop.

Lough Boora not only hosts some of the most innovative environmental sculptures in Ireland, it is also the site of Ireland’s inaugural Save The Frogs Day event.

Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders are one of the oldest groups of air breathing animals on our planet.

 Unfortunately of the 5,000 known species, about one third of them are in decline or already extinct. Loss and modifications of habitats, emerging diseases, climate change is all considered among the many causes for mass amphibian declines.