Lough Boora Parklands, County Offaly
Lough Boora Parklands, County Offaly
Irish Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Lough Boora parklands, are one of the most interesting outdoor locations you could visit in Ireland. They cover up to 14 kilometres of scenic views and cycle routes, the parkland has many sculptures and art installations for you to view along with miles of walking routes. The location is also a nature reserve that is home to many rare birds such as lapwings. The first image in the below Gallery is of two Lapwing flying above the park.
Along with the great sculptures which I will cover in full in another post, some archaeology found at the site has completely changed the history of the country. The remains of a village that would have sat on the banks of one of the biggest lakes in Europe at the time. The findings date the people living in this area back some eight and a half thousand years, this is some two and a half thousand years older than previously thought.
It also pre dates the Christian history of Ireland by some seven thousand years.
The village itself was large and well established for its time, indicating that man must have lived here for sometime before reaching this level of culture. This would indicate that Man moved back into Ireland soon after the ending of the last Ice age some ten thousand years ago.
I have taken some images of the information boards on the site, you can find them below the following images.
Image Gallery
Lapwing’s flying above the parklands.
Dog’s are fully welcomed , restrictions when the birds are nesting.
Many Installations and Sculpture’s.
Wooden Teepee Sculpture.
Bog Cotton, growing in the wetlands.
Information boards
Nigel Borrington 
Your photography is stunning. So inspiring. I’m also sorry we didn’t know about this parkland when we were last in Ireland. … Next time, perhaps … Be well, Dorothy 🙂
August 21, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Hello Dorothy, Thank you 🙂 🙂
That’s a shame, but like you say next time. Its very hard to do everything let alone find everything when your travelling.
I could say something about the tourist office’s here, but I best not ;-).
August 21, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Always looking for new places to bring the dogs. We’ll definitely be paying a visit!
August 21, 2013 at 2:12 pm
Hello Rj 🙂
Yep !
It’s a great place for the dogs, you need the leads in the spring but that’s ok 🙂 plenty of water if there into getting themselves wet 🙂 🙂
August 21, 2013 at 2:59 pm
I love the first shot Nigel! 🙂
August 21, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Hello Norma 🙂
Thank you, the old peat train !
The Bog was farmed for peat for many years, but not anymore, I think they have taken out what they can….
August 21, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Good day, Nigel. The lapwings, beautiful sweet Molly and the bog cotton are my favorite shots here, but all wonderful, of course. Very interesting links as well for historical reference. Thank you for sharing!
August 21, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Hello Scott 🙂
Thank you, truly very happy you enjoyed and commented 🙂
August 21, 2013 at 4:48 pm
I’m fascinated by the Bog Cotton.
August 21, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Hello Elen 🙂
A few more pic’s and info here https://nigelborrington.com/2013/07/18/comeragh-mountains-wild-cotton-grass-fields/
August 21, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Thank you!
August 21, 2013 at 6:13 pm
🙂
August 21, 2013 at 6:14 pm
These are just wonderful images, Nigel. Molly’s found herself a somethingorother. 🙂
Eight and a half thousand years – that is OLD. Predating christianity!
I look forward to the next post.
🙂
August 21, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Hello Sharon 🙂
Thank you and very pleased you enjoyed 🙂
Yes, I just stood reading the info boards – I don’t know maybe I am just getting old but I found it truly amazing that people have been in this country so much longer that we were told.
Did you notice on the first image above, of the boards, they have this yellow part of the chart that is to reflect two and a half thousand years more time than was known of before , nearly 45% more time, yet it only takes up about 5% of the time on the chart, Hum! Historian ! Always right even when they are wrong 🙂
August 21, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Beautiful images, but Molly and the bog cotton win the day for me!
September 3, 2013 at 9:48 am
Hello Anne 🙂
Yes Molly – A big hit and Star as always 🙂 🙂 I will go tell her 🙂
September 3, 2013 at 10:18 am