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COUNTY OFFALY
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The Undiscovered Treasure |
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Offaly’s position in the heart of Ireland has given it a
special place in Ireland’s history. The cross roads of the east-west route
on the hill tops from Dublin and the north-south route down the River
Shannon are marked by the remains of one of Ireland’s most famous monastic
sites. Clonmacnoise attracts visitors from all over the world, including
Pope John the second on his visit to Ireland.
Further south on the River Shannon is Birr Castle Demesne.
Magnificent gardens surround the Historic Science Centre where the
refurbished Great Telescope is a reminder of its importance in the history
of astronomy. The town itself is worth a stop off as it is famous for its
Georgian architecture.
As well as the River Shannon, the Grand Canal winds
its way through the low-lying peat bogland that covers much of the
country. Mongans Bog at Clara is well worth a visit to understand
the importance of this vital habitat. Corncrakes thrive in these wetlands. Tullamore is the County Town and the Tullamore Dew Heritage centre is a
must for anyone interested in distilleries, or their produce.
Long
distance walkers are in for a treat. The Offaly Way links the Grand Canal
Way and the Slieve Bloom Way to produce superb walking routes through a
variety of fine scenic landscapes.
Worth a look...
Silver River Nature Trail
This is a journey into the remote past and provides an
insight into a landscape formed by seas and rivers over 400 million years
ago. There has been little disturbance to the river valley over the many
intervening years and the Silver River gorge retains much of its ancient
character. It is a special place and one of considerable beauty and
interest.The Blackwater Bog
The Clonmacnoise and West Off aly Railway gives visitors a
unique opportunity to enjoy a guided five-mile circular tour of the
internationally important raised bog – the Blackwater Bog. This particular
bog still provides fuel for the nearby Shannonsbridge power station.
Clonmacnoise
The remains of a medieval monastery alongside the river
Shannon. It was founded around 548 and plundered several times over the
centuries until the English finally wrecked it in 1552.
Tourist Offices:
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Clonmacnoise, tel: 00 353 905 74134
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Birr, tel: 00 353 509 2 0110
Tullamore, tel: 00 353 506 52617
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Did You Know
Offaly is one of the midland counties. In Ireland, that word is spoken differently. It's the mid-lands. the Clara Bog is an example of the type of bogland that covered much of the midlands as recently as 50 years ago. Large scale disappearance of these bogs is largely due to domestic and commercial peat cutting. Clara is one of the few relatively intact examples of raised bog remaining in Ireland and is of international importance for nature conservation. It supports a wide variety of animals. There are also fine examples of local drainage
systems known as soaks which are marked by swampy birch scrub. It's also a natural nature reserve. Much of the moss here is sphagnum moss, noted for its antiseptic
qualities. It was commonly used as a wound dressing in the First World War. |
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Camping & Caravan Parks |
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Clonmacnoise
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Dont Miss |
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| The Blackwater Bog |
| Slieve Bloom Mountains |
| Clonmacnoise |
| The Grand Canal |
| Dun Motor Museum |
| Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre |
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Copyright © 1996 - 2009 Caravan & Camping Ireland |
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Disclaimer
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