COVER IMAGE PHILOMENA BRADY | INSIDE IMAGE TINA CLAFFEY | DESIGN & PRINT BROSNA PRESS CREATIVE DESIGN & PRINT 090 6454327 if you would like would if you or email 057 9346839 Offaly County Council County Offaly Comhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí Comhairle events or if you would like to be notified to like would or if you events www.offaly.ie/heritage [email protected] is an initiative of the Offaly Heritage Forum. Heritage Forum. the Offaly of is an initiative The Offaly Naturalists’ Field Club Programme Field Club Programme Naturalists’ The Offaly www.biodiversityireland.ie/record-biodiversity/ information but also keeps your records for you! for records your but also keeps information or download the Biodiversity Data Centre Free App. Free Centre Data the Biodiversity or download Data Site. This centre collates and monitors national and monitors collates This centre Site. Data Please submit your records to the National Biodiversity the National to records submit your Please about other Offaly heritage events. Offaly about other Individuals and families are welcome. No experience welcome. are Individuals and families outdoor for appropriately dress Please required. refreshments. own activities and bring your please. events No dogs at in Offaly the Heritage Office contact further details For on Council County [email protected] email Please about reminders INFORMATION LOUGH REE Brideswell WESTMEATH LOUGH ENNELL Old N6 Kinnegad Rochfortridge Bealnamulla Mount Temple N52 MEATH Athlone R400 Horseleap Tyrrellspass ROSCOMMON N6 N6 Moate Grange N62 R444 N80 Rhode Castle Kilbeggan R441 Ballinasloe RIVER SHANNON N6 Ballinahown Clara N52 Croghan GRAND CANAL Edenderry R444 Doon GRAND CANAL WAY Clonmacnoise Ballycumber Daingean R402 Monastic Site RIVER BROSNA R401 Shannonbridge R436 Mount Charleville Wood GRAND CANAL R400 Ferbane Pollagh R402 Lucas Ballycon River Suck Gallen C Belmont Rahan Tullamore Clonbullogue R357 TuTurraun r r a u n Ballinagar OFFALY R355 Clonfert R420 Brackagh R401 Cloghan Mucklagh Walsh Island R442 Rathangan Cloghan WetlandWetland R357 N52 N80 Finnamores Pallas Lake Geashill GALWAY Shannon Bracknagh Harbour R437 R356 Mountbolus Banagher R356 Killeigh R420 Eyrecourt Lough Boora R414 Cloneygowan R419 GRAND R438 N62 CANAL Kilcormac R421 Derryounce Ballyboy Little Brosna N52 Shannon CallowsCallows R423 R439 R422 Rosenallis Portarlington Callows Clonbeale Rath Clonaslee Cadamstown R419 Monasterevin Portumna Killyon CAMCOR R421 Mountmellick N7 R489 Emo Birr Castle Demesne C Birr Slieve Bloom Mt. Kinnitty N80 R438 Killaun Glendine Gap Car ParkPark R440 Clareen Ballyfin Belfast LOUGH Portlaoise DERG R429 N2 Sligo GRAND R492 R426 N62 Stradbally R428 CANAL Borrisokane Golden Mountrath R425 Athlone R421 Dublin Grove LAOIS N8 Galway Shinrone R427 R490 R491 R430 Timahoe R491 Roscrea OFFALY Athy TIPPERARY Kilcommin Borris-in- N7 Ossory Ballyroan Shannon CloughjordanCloughjordan Rosslare Dunkerrin Abbeyleix R434 R490 R435 N7 Cork N62 Nenagh Moneygall R433 Rathdowney Durrow ToToomevara o m e v a r a TUESDAY 8 MAY SATURDAY 30 JUNE Dusk Chorus Mossfield Farm – Fen & Juniper Wood 8pm: Meet at the Old School House, Geashill 11am–2pm: Meet at Tesco, Birr Leader: Ricky Whelan, BirdWatch Ireland (Please note no early departures due to location). Bring refreshments, sturdy boots and suitable clothing SATURDAY 12 MAY for the weather. SATURDAY 14 APRIL Foraging in Clara, ‘Nibbling On Nature’ Leader: Fiona Devery Bumble Bee Workshop 11am: Meet at Clara Bog Visitor Centre Car Park, 3–4 hour 11am–4pm: Scoil Mhuire, Kilcruttin, Tullamore forage. Bring lunch. FRIDAY 17 AUGUST / SATURDAY 18 AUGUST Booking: Mary Droogan, [email protected] Leader: Alison Delaney, Forager Mushroom Stones of the Clonmacnoise Area Leader: Dr Tomás Murray, National Biodiversity Data Centre Friday 8pm: Lecture in Ferbane, Mary Ward Community Centre. WEDNESDAY 16 MAY Saturday 11am: Meet in Shannonbridge. Bring refreshments. SATURDAY 21 APRIL Pollinator Walk & Talk with Tidy Towns Committee Book with [email protected] Leader: John Feehan Herons on the Lake at Birr Demesne 7.30pm: Meet at Old School House 11am–1pm: Telescope on the lawn to view heronry during € Geashill Winner of All-Ireland Pollinator Award in 2017 Tidy the nesting season. Entrance fee applies (group rate 7 adult). Towns’ competition MONDAY 10 TO FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER Bring binoculars if to hand. Leader: Pat Foley, Geashill Tidy Towns Where have all the flowers gone? Leader: Tim O’Rourke BOOKED The world of seeds, fruits and cones OUT! THURSDAY 26 APRIL SATURDAY 19 MAY Leader: John Feehan Ravens of Connemara Cavemount Wetlands 8pm: Teach Lea, Boora 10.30am–12.30pm: Meet at Rhode National School SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER Speaker: Dermot Breen, Conservation Ranger with Focusing on the developing cutaway habitats and wildlife of Foxes and Badgers – Talk & Walk Connemara National Park Cavemount Bog, a former Bord na Móna industrial peat 7–9.30pm Meet at Kinnitty Community Centre production site, and plans for cutaway rehabilitation. Leader: Noel Bugler, NPWS Ranger SUNDAY 6 MAY – rough ground that could be wet in places. International Dawn Chorus Leader: Mark McCorry, Bord na Móna SATURDAY 13 OCTOBER 4.30am: Meet at Birr Demesne Courtyard Mongan Bog Mosses Entry fee kindly waived. Café will be open afterwards. TUESDAY 22 MAY Mongan Bog is one of the most important raised bogs in the Leader: Alex Copland, BirdWatch Ireland Dining with Dippers country and is part of The Living Bog Restoration Project. as part of National Biodiversity Week and to celebrate 10.30am: Meet at Clonmacnoise Visitor Centre car park. International Biodiversity Day Bring lunch, wellies and hand lenses if you have them. 6pm: Meet at the Camcor Park adjacent to the weir. Leader: George Smith, Bryophyte recorder for Offaly Bring picnic (optional) Leader: Alex Copland, BirdWatch Ireland SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER Wintering Birds TUESDAY 19 JUNE 11am: Meet at Bird Hide at Boora Swifts and Birds of the Shannon Callows Leader: Alex Copland, BirdWatch Ireland & Launch of Stephen Heery’s 6th Mid-Shannon Bird Report 2012–2016 8pm: Clonmacnoise Visitor Centre (courtesy OPW) Launch, talk and walk (bring binoculars) Leader: Brian Caffrey, BirdWatch Ireland.