Lough Boora Parklands

Finnamores Lakes consist of Finnamores Upper (nearest to R357) and Lower. They are situated 16 km to the west of Tullamore on the right (south) of the R357 Boora road, which links Cloghan village to the N52 at Blue Ball.  Starting at the wooden bridge that links the shore to a long, narrow island, this short, circular walk skirts the shore of Finnamores Lake Lower passing between the lake and the wetland immediately North of it.

Things to look out for:

The lime-rich surface soil surrounding Finnamores Lake Lower was excavated during its construction. The fact that it consists largely of lake marl makes it a difficult substrate for plants to grow on particularly as it bakes hard during the summer.

Aquatic Plants

Plants such as Common centaury, Rough hawkbit and both Red and White clover flourish. Stands of Reedmace, branched bur-reed and Common club-rush line the water’s edge and the wooden bridge provides a vantage point from which to observe aquatic plants such as the stoneworts that grow in dense beds on the lake floor, various Pondweeds, Water plantain and Arrowhead whose white, three-petalled flowers can be seen in July and August.

A closer look at the boulders near the wooden bridge and the large, flat, limestone rock on the southern side of the lake will reveal large numbers of fossil shells, corals and bryozoans.

While peering into the clear water you may spot the large (upto approximately 6 cm), sharply pointed shells of the Greater pond snail.

Birds and dragonfly visitors to the lakes

During the summer, Swallows, House martins and Sand martins swoop over the lake whilst Wheatear and Common sandpiper may be seen on the shore and in the surrounding grassland. During the winter large numbers of Golden plover and Lapwing gather in the wetlands and both Mute and Bewick ‘s swans visit the lakes.

Look out for the Black-tailed skimmer and Keeled skimmer, two dragonflies considered to have a local distribution in Ireland, and the many damselflies that can be seen near the lakeshore.