AT a time when there is widespread concern about the disappearance of bogland, one local woman has rallied community support to rescue a piece of bogland on the Clare/Limerick border.
This coming week, Catherine Ni Ciardha, who is living in Parteen, and others involved in the restoration of the bog habitat at Shanakyle, are inviting the people of Limerick to join them on a stroll on the bog and see what has been done.
The event will begin with a presentation in Larkin’s Pub, Larkin’s Cross, on the evening of September 9.
The bog is on land partly owned by Catherine who is one of the first landowners in Ireland to restore a raised bog to its original state to halt biodiversity loss and combat climate change.
She told the Limerick Post, “I wanted to do something with it and after getting expert advice, myself and some other local people got a grant under the European Innovation Partnership to re-wet the bogland.”
The renovation works included hiring the services of a hydrologist to ensure there would be no local flooding as a result. Catherine also got the support of other landowners whose land encompasses part of the bog.
“This bog hasn’t been cut in 40 years and what people did when they were cutting turf was they cut drains so that it would be dry enough to cut.
“We blocked the drains and now the bog is returning to its natural state. There is sphagnum moss growing on the bog again and that is a natural carbon sink, which makes it very important for the environment.”
The short presentation and the bog stroll is free of charge for all interested.
