County Kildare News

Celebrating 30 Years of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council on International Bog Day
 
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council are marking 30 years since they were established in 1982 by inviting you to a special birthday open day at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre in Lullymore, Co. Kildare from 2-5pm on Sunday the 29th July.  IPCC is delighted that Mayor of Kildare Michael ‘Spike’ Nolan will officially start our celebrations at 2.30pm.
 
We have special wildlife guests joining us for the party. The Dublin Falconry and Hawking Club will be displaying a selection of beautiful birds of prey including Barn Owls, European Eagle Owl, Bengal Eagle Owl, Peregrine/Saker Falcon, Saker Falcon and Harris Hawks. This is your chance to experience these beautiful birds of uplands and bogs up close and create life long memories.  Don’t miss an information talk on these birds of prey at 3pm.
 
There will be activities for children including pond dipping and butterfly identification in the gardens of the centre at 3.30pm.  IPCC staff will update you on this year’s activities including education, conservation and research projects at 4pm.  The peatland museum will be open all afternoon for visitors to explore the wonder of Ireland’s peatlands with guided tours at 2.15pm and 3.30pm.  The gardens will be open for visitors to discover the largest public display of insect eating plants in Ireland and the UK.  International Bog Day and IPCC’s 30th birthday celebrations could not pass without a walk to Lodge Bog at 4.30pm for you to experience the wetland habitat for yourself.   If you are lucky you might see and hear the Curlew one of Ireland’s peatland birds that is in rapid decline and which is found on Lodge Bog each summer.
 
The Lonely Planet Guide lists the Bog of Allen Nature Centre as one of the top 5 visitor attractions in 2012 for Kildare and Wicklow and the 29th of July gives you the perfect opportunity to find out for yourself the reasons why.  All welcome to attend this free event. For further details contact IPCC on 045-860133 or email bogs@ipcc.ie. Bring a picnic.