Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 3 Peatland Habitats & Wildlife

Peatland Heritage Sites to Visit in Ireland Welcome - Fáilte your journey of discovery starts here...

No trip to Ireland is complete without a visit to a bog. Our peatlands are spread throughout the country and a visit to one or more will provide you with a unique experience of Irish biodiversity, history, conservation and culture. Each site chosen in this passport has its own character and is part of the fabric of the landscape and the life of the local communities in which it is located. A visit to any site will take you off the beaten track to help you discover for yourself the true heart of Ireland - our beautiful bogs and fens.

There are many different types of peatland in Ireland for you to enjoy, depending on geographic region, terrain and vegetation. Two major types are bogs (which are mainly rain fed and nutrient poor) and fens (which are mainly fed by surface or ground water and tend to be more nutrient rich). Bogs in upland and western parts of the country are blanket bogs while those in the 1. Abbeyleix Bog, Laois; 2. Ballinamuck (Edenmore) Bog, Longford; 3. central plains are raised bogs. Irish Bog of Allen, Kildare; 4. Céide Fields, Mayo; peatlands are located on the western fringe 5. Clogher Bog, Mayo; 6. Corlea Bog, Longford; of Europe and tend to be naturally open in 7. Cuilcagh Mountain Park, Fermanagh; 8. Doonbeg Bog, Clare; 9. Fenor Bog, Waterford; 10. Girley Bog, Meath; character and vegetated with mosses, 11. Griston Bog, Limerick; 12. Kerry Bog Village; 13. Lough Boora sedges and dwarf shrubs. Trees are Parklands, Offaly; 14. Mountallen Bog, Roscommon; relatively rare unlike the peatlands in 15. Peatlands Park, Armagh; 16. Roundstone Bog, Galway; continental Europe or further afield in the 17. Sliabh Beagh, Monaghan/Tyrone/Fermanagh. 18. Coad Bog, Kerry tropical regions of the world.

2 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 3 Peatland Habitats & Wildlife

Peat develops in landscapes receiving lots of rain year round, in places with poor natural drainage and shallow slopes. Something different about peatlands is that plants that die there don’t decompose because their waterlogged environment lacks air: they stay just as they are and with time form peat. The peat in a bog can be as much as 10m thick. As peat and vegetation grow upward, they eventually lose contact with the groundwater beneath; and receive their water only from rain which is a very poor source of the nutrients needed for plant growth.

Irish bogs present a difficult environment for living things. The plants that survive in bogs are very specialised and have found ways to adapt to their hostile environment. Grasses and sedges are abundant in damp places while small shrubs in the heather family grow in drier areas. But soft, springy bog mosses (Sphagnum species) dominate the vegetation. They form a living layer over the top of the bog between 10 and 50cm deep. This upper layer of moss is called the acrotelm: it protects the peat in the lower layer or catotelm and regulates the functioning of the bog. Bog mosses are important contributors to peat formation in Ireland and on a day to day basis they help to maintain high water levels on the bog.

Layers of dead, undecomposed plants below the protective, living acrotelm form brown peat. The catotelm can grow to 10m deep in Irish bogs. Successive increments of dead vegetation build up, and, as the years pass, those at the bottom turn black. Active peat grows upwards just 1mm a year. Peat comprises more than 90% water and so peatlands have a unique ability to store large amounts of water. Not only do peatlands store water but the thick layer of peat that defines their character is also an important store of carbon.

In peatlands, water, peat and vegetation are strongly interconnected. If any one of these components is removed, the peatland is fundamentally changed.

4 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 5 Why Peatlands are Important to Us?

Pealtands are beautiful landscapes with a unique biodiversity. Not only are they important for their biodiversity but they have key values for climate regulation and for human welfare.

Peatlands cover one fifth of the land area of Ireland, an area of 1.466 million hectares. Currently they are degrading as a result of turf cutting, land clearance, drainage, fire, dumping, nutrient pollution, invasive species, overgrazing and climate change. This degradation not only causes a reduction in biodiversity but it affects the direct benefits peatlands provide for Irish people. The protection and wise use of peatlands should be a national priority.

As one of Ireland’s largest carbon stores, peatlands play a significant role in the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and global climate. Additionally peatlands have many other important functions and values including water regulation - especially flood control, extraordinary biodiversity, and the provision of a livelihood for communities. Peatlands are also used for forestry, agriculture as a source of peat for energy and horticulture and they provide turf for household heating. Unfortunately despite the benefits, Irish peatlands have been heavily over-utilised and degraded.

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Abbeyleix Bog p Ballinamuck Bog O - 1 Laois o Longford 2 C k

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Abbeyleix Bog is a raised bog Location Abbeyleix Bog is Location 1km outside Ballinamuck (Edenmore) Bog bisected by an old railway line. located off the N77 on the south- Ballinamuck village on the contains a wealth of bog, scrub The bog is being actively ern periphery of Abbeyleix town L50581 woodland, conifer plantation managed for conservation and GPS N52.90605 W-7.35332 GPS N53.85556 W-7.68442 and cutover bog habitats and is all of its drains have been Contact Abbeyleix Bog Project: Contact Ballinamuck Enterprise a marvelous place to see blocked. Sphagnum or bog [email protected] Co-Operative: [email protected] wildlife and unwind as you walk mosses are regenerating the bog road that tracks though slowly. Extensive walk ways this wild place. Flat areas of the (Killamuck Loop and Collin’s bog are wet and support up to Bog Loop) through the different 10 different species of bog habitats present in this site moss. The effects of turf cutting including raised bog, lagg, are evident with tear pools on cutaway bog, wet carr the bog dome formed by woodland and meadows cracking of the peat with provide a great opportunity to increased slopes due to see wildlife. drainage at the margins of the www.abbeyleixbog.ie high bog. www.discoverireland.ie

8 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 9 3 Bog of Allen Céide Fields 4 Kildare C Mayo C P I s

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Lodge Bog is a raised bog and Location 6km from Location 8 kilometres northwest Céide Fields is a system of is part of the Bog of Allen Allenwood or 10km from of Ballycastle on the R314 fields that are 5000 years old Complex. The site contains Rathangan on the R414 GPS N54.30833 W-9.45619 and which are buried by blanket hummocks and hollows of GPS N53.28238 W-6.93078 Contact Céide Fields Visitor bog. Remains of stone field Sphagnum mosses and is Contact Bog of Allen Nature Centre: [email protected] and walls, houses and tombs are made up of almost 98% water. Centre: [email protected] [email protected] preserved beneath the bog Heathers, Lichens, Mosses and over an extensive area. The Sedges are found in archaeologist - Seamus abundance including insect Caulfield has interpreted this eating sundews. Curlew can be site. It story of the everyday heard calling on the bog in lives of a prehistoric farming Spring. The rare large heath people, their society, spiritual butterfly breeds on Lodge Bog. beliefs and their struggle Swampy birch woodlands rich against a changing in blueberries are also found on environment. www.museumsof- the site. www.ipcc.ie mayo.com/ceide.htm and www.heritageireland.ie

10 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 11 Clogher Bog Corlea Bog 5 Mayo Longford 6 m o c . e d g n a t a i l r e e r i r H

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Clogher Bog contains a Location Carrowmore South, Location 3km west of Kenagh Corlea Bog is a remnant raised wonderful variety of birdlife, (12km south of Castlebar and village off the R397 bog which encloses a famous plant and animal life. The bog is east of Ballintubber Abbey). GPS N53.61232 W-7.84462 Iron Age (148B.C.) bog togher just part of a varying landscape GPS N53.76312 W-9.24645 Contact Corlea Trackway Visitor or trackway. A boardwalk of hedgerows, woodland and Contact Clogher Heritage: Centre Centre: ctrackwayvisitor- across the bog follows the fen which can be explored from [email protected] [email protected] original route of this quiet country lanes and bog archaeological feature which tracks. This living, breathing, was excavated by the late unspoilt bogland is teeming Proferssor Barry Raftery. with wildlife. The views of the Heathers, Lichens, Mosses and Party Mountains to the south Sedges are found on the and the unmistakable cone of bogland. Inside the visitor Croagh Patrick to the west are centre, an 18-metre stretch of amazing. the original oak road is on www.clogherheritage.com permanent display. www.heritageireland.ie

12 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 13 7 Cuilcagh MP Doonbeg Bog 8 Fermanagh C Clare C g P r I

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Cuilcagh Mountain Park is Location Marble Arch Road, Location Doonbeg is on N67 Doonbeg Bog is an extensive 265ha in extent and contains west of the A509/N3 between Kilkee and Milltown area of raised bog habitat. internationally important areas GPS N53.61232 W-7.84462 Malbay. Park at church. There are some intact domes of of pristine blanket bog. It is a Contact Marble Arch Caves GPS N52.73010 W-9.53098 raised bog but a large refuge for rare or endangered Visitor Centre: info@mar- Contact [email protected] proportion of the bog is plants and birds. Golden plover blearchcavesgeopark.com cutaway. Both machine and breed in this area and hand cutting of turf is carried on Greenland white-fronted geese in this region and there are occasionally roost here. Other plenty of opportunities to enjoy birds in the area are the merlin, the cultural traditions as well as ring ouzel and dunlin. Some of the flora and fauna that has the more common plants are regenerated in areas where Sphagnum mosses, heathers cutting is finished. Such areas and sundew. Rare plants can be dominated by bog include starry saxifrage, stiff cotton. www.doonbeginfo.com sedge, alpine clubmoss, and dwarf willow. www.marblearch- cavesgeopark.com/

14 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 15 m o c . r

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An alkaline fen located beside Location 5km west of Tramore Location 7.5km south west of Girley Bog is a raised bog the Church in Fenor village. just off the Dungarvan Road Kells off the N52 surrounded by birch woods. The bog lies in a depression R675 in Fenor Village GPS N53.68483 W-6.94971 The bog is rich in Sphagnum or overlooked by Ballyscanlon Hill GPS N52.16181 W-7.22456 Contact Matt Murtagh Causey bog mosses which form which rises to an elevation of Contact Rita Byrne: Farm: [email protected] or IPCC: hummocks and hollows. There 148m. The bog is a storehouse thomas.brendan.byrne [email protected] are fine views from the dome of of natural variety with wet @gmail.com the bog to the Slieve na woodland dominated by willow Cailliagh hills, where the and alder, undulating greater Loughcrew passage tombs are tussock sedge vegetation and located. Lizards, newts and flat wet wild flower areas. Over frogs can be found in the bog. 200 species of plant, bird, Orchids are common on insect and animal have been grassland paths along the loop recorded on the site. The fen is walk and bog plants such as owned and managed by IPCC sundew, bog asphodel, bog and MFDA. www.ipcc.ie rosemary and bog cotton are abundant. www.causey.ie and www.ipcc.ie

16 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 17 m o c . m o

Griston Bog o Kerry Bog Village r

s 12 11 Limerick s Kerry a l c r e o i . o e d g t a u l l o i a v r g u o o b h y y r l r l e a k b . . w w w w w w

e e g g a a m m I I Griston Bog contains raised Location 1 km south Ballylanders Location On the N70 Ring of The Kerry Bog Village, located bog and fen habitats. The bog on the road to Glenroe. Turn off Kerry between Killorglin and on the beautiful Ring of Kerry comes alive with plants and R513 at McDermott’s Pub. Glenbeigh gives you a fascinating insight insects in summer. The Blue GPS N52.36091 W-8.35294 GPS N52.07349 W-9.88177 into how people lived and Emperor Dragonfly, numerous Contact Ballyhoura Heritage & Contact Kerry Bog Village worked in Ireland in the 18th butterflies and 75 bird species Environment: booking@bally- Museum: [email protected] Century. See the bog ponies survive here, including Hen houraoutdoorclassroom.com and experience a walk on a Harrier, Barn Owl and Kerry bog with all its interesting Kingfisher. Long Eared Owls wildlife. nest nearby and hunt the bog in www.kerrybogvillage.ie the evenings. Plants include Ling Heather and Hare`s Tail Cotton Grass. Frogs, Lizards and Newts are common. www.ballyhouraoutdoorclass- room.com

18 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 19 13 Lough Boora Parklands Mountallen Bog 14

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Lough Boora Parklands are a Location 7km from Blueball on Location On the R280 from Lough Allen Bog is uniquely set beautiful landscape at the R357 to Cloghan/Shannonbridge. Manorhamilton to Drumshambo on the shores of Lough Allen. centre of Ireland - a paradise GPS N53.220527 W-7.727165 close to the junction with the There are a variety of habitats for outdoor enthusiasts. Contact Lough Boora Parklands: R285 to Keadue. to see here including raised Through a creative combination [email protected] GPS N54.071124 W-8.073148 bog, grassland and lake shore. of nature and the human hand Contact Tommy Earley Species of note at this site new habitats are emerging on Tel: 086-2536672 include the rare Irish Ladies the cutaway bogs of Co. Offaly. Tresses Orchid and the Lands cloaked with great raised endangered Marsh Fritillary bogs for 10,000 years are at butterfly. The site is in private the dawn of a new era. Bogs ownership and it is essential harvested by Bord na Móna for that intending visitors contact energy since the 1940s are the owner by telephone prior to establishing as unique and their visit (Tommy Earley on welcoming habitats for a wide Tel: 086-2536672). range of flora and fauna. www.loughbooraparklands.ie

20 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 21 15 Peatlands Park Roundstone Bog 16 Armagh C Galway C k P u I .

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Peatlands Park raises awareness Location Exit 13 off the Location Between Clifden and Roundstone bog is a complex of peatland habitat issues. The M1(Northern Ireland) south of Roundstone off the R341 of Atlantic blanket bog and peat here has been forming for Lough Neagh onto Derryhubbert GPS N53.45297 W-9.94940 lakes. This great wilderness is 10,000 years. The park is rich in Road Contact info@connemara- of international, ecological and insects - butterflies, moths, GPS N54.48390 W-6.61516 tourism.ie historical importance. It's edged dragonflies and damselflies and Contact [email protected] by the Atlantic at the south and many woodland and wetland west and to the north, it is birds nest here. Badgers and overlooked by the Twelve Bens hares are also present, while mountain range. At its lizards and newts live in open southeast corner the bog gives bog areas. The Bog Garden way to the craggy slopes of contains much of the flora and Errisbeg mountain. It's fauna of peatland habitat. important for its nesting Grouse www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/biodiver- population and is home to a sity/habitats2/peatlands.htm wide range of important bog www.discovernorthernireland.co flora such as St Dabeoc's m/Peatlands-Park-Dungannon- Heath. P2847 www.connemara.ie

22 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 23 Sliabh Beagh/Braggan Coad Bog 17 Monaghan/Tyrone/Fermanagh Kerry 18 C C P m I

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Sliabh Beagh/Braggan is a Location Off the L1000 north Location On the N70 The moss-rich, blanket bog mountainous area straddling west of Monaghan Town (Wild Atlantic Way/ Ring of Kerry) habitat that is present on Coad the borders of Monaghan, GPS N54.32373 W-7.10128 Between sneem and Caherdaniel Bog is what makes it special. Fermanagh and Tyrone. The Contact Sliabh Beagh Hotel & GPS N51.774890 W-10.056970 Coad Bog typically has a point where the three counties Tourism Centre: Contact IPCC [email protected] grassy appearance as it is meet, is known as "Three [email protected] covered over with Moor Grass. County Hollow" and offers The wet centre of the bog is panoramic views. Slieve Beagh quaking under foot and has an has many low, smooth summits. abundance of Sphagnum The highest is at 380m. The mosses, insect eating Sundews area is mainly blanket bog, with and Bog Cotton. Frogs and many small lakes and streams Snipe are seen in the wet throughout. In Northern Ireland, areas. Coad Bog is full of much of Slieve Beagh has been wildlife with over 200 species of designated as a Special Area of plants and animals recorded on Conservation. the bog. The Kerry Way passes www.knockatallon.com north of the bog. www.ipcc.ie 24 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 25 Key to Symbols Used in Passport Guidelines for Safe Bog Visits

Although people can walk on peatlands, it Toilets Open Year Round is better to think of peatlands as water bodies with a high organic content. So please stick to the marked routes during Self-guiding Trail Seasonal Opening your visit and help preserve and protect each site and its wildlife so that future Bike Touring Route Vending Machine generations can enjoy them too. We ask you to follow these guidelines: Boardwalk Restaurant * It is dangerous to walk on a bog surface National Loop Walk Cafe owing to hidden ditches, soft wet ground, tree stumps and brambles. Please use Hiking Trail Disabled Access paths and boardwalks provided. * Dumping of rubbish and personal items Rubber Stamp Driving Tour or Route is prohibited as they damage a bog and spoil the environment. * Walking pets without a lead, camping, Tourist Information Gardens fires and the use of motorised vehicles on bogs are prohibited as they disturb Bird Watching Hide Education Programmes wildlife. * It is an offense to feed or molest wildlife Parking Gift Shop or remove or otherwise disturb any natural feature or plant on a bog. Shelter Playground * “Pursuant to the provisions of the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1995, the Viewing Point Visitor Centre occupiers of these premises puts all visitors to his premises on notice that his Dogs on a Lead Bog Train sole duties to them are: (a) not to injure the visitor or damage the property of the visitor intentionally, and (b) not to act with WiFi Available Picnic Tables reckless disregard for the visitor or the property of the visitor.” * You can educate yourself further on how to lessen your impact on the environment by visiting www.leavenotraceireland.org.

26 Peatland Passport: Ireland Peatland Passport: Ireland 27 Thank You to our Sponsors IPCC wish to thank and acknowledge the support of our Friends of the Bog in the realisation of this Peatland Passport for Ireland. We wish to acknowledge and thank all of the peatland sites for joining the Peatland Network of Ireland. Fur ther Infor mation Accommodation: www.discoverireland.ie Peatlands: www.ipcc.ie Photograph Acknowledgements Unless stated otherwise all photographs © Catherine O’Connell, Irish Peatland Conservation Council

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28 Peatland Passport: Ireland