Lough Boora Parklands

As part of National Heritage week, Bord na Móna will host a special ‘Lore and Laughter in the Parklands’ event in Lough Boora Parklands in Co Offaly, on Saturday 20th August 2011.

‘Lore and Laughter in the Parklands’ is one of a series of activities and events taking place across Ireland for National Heritage Week.  The theme of this year's National Heritage Week is ‘Tell a Tale’ which focuses on the great Irish tradition of story telling.  ‘Lore and Laughter in the Parklands’ will feature a wide variety of activities for all ages and is the perfect way for families to mark the end of the Summer holidays before the kids head back to school.

This free, fun-filled event takes place from 12 noon to 5pm.  Activities on the day will include fishing (the lake will be stocked with fish for the event), face painting, zorbing, bike hire and interactive nature trails led by Bord na Móna’s ecologists.

One of the key attractions on the day will be storytelling. Sitting on a ‘magic carpet’, visitors can listen to - and join in with - tales from Story Bear and children will be invited to draw or write a story after the tales are told.

Speaking on behalf of Bord na Móna, Gerry O’Hagan, Group Director of Marketing and Communications said “We are delighted to support National Heritage week promiting Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage which compliments our company vision ‘A New Contract with Nature’. This year’s event is set in our beautiful Lough Boora Parklands in Co Offaly.  We are looking forward to hearing the stories as part of the ‘Tell a Tale’ theme for this year's National Heritage Week.  It is a great opportunity for people from the local region as well as new visitors, to experience this great outdoor facility”.

Just off the N52 Tullamore to Birr Road, Bord na Móna’s Lough Boora Parklands demonstrate the company’s commitment to biodiversity and rehabilitation of some of its peatlands.  The parklands include natural wetlands and lakes, walkways, cycle tracks, a magnificent outdoor sculpture park.  It is also home to a diverse range of flora and wildlife including the once almost extinct grey partridge.

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