Making Connections:
Our ongoing project to create a direct link between Cloncrow Bog and Tyrrellspass Village has finally come to fruition with the introduction of QR Codes marking the main Architectural and Cultural village landmarks. We pinpointed the key Heritage sites which stretch from the Castle in the West to the Village Green in the East. Audio Recordings of local people exploring these key sites highlight the unique and fascinating stories that are part of the village fabric. The influence of the Countess Jane of Belvedere is evident in the built environment, while the fascinating story of James Daly links us to the sacrifices, made by many in Ireland’s struggle for Independence. Our Tyrrell Castle is the key fortification around which our village evolved, and links us directly with the 12th Century Norman colonisation. The castle overlooks the fascinating wonderland of Cloncrow Raised Bog.
Within a short walking distance from the village we find ourselves in the heartland of a post glacial landscape where thousands of years of peat soils have accumulated to form an intact raised bog with all its rich and wondrous flora and fauna. An otherwise inaccessible landscape is made accessible with the recent construction of a boardwalk which skirts the fringe of this 234 hectare wilderness. Major restoration works were completed on Cloncrow in recent years; the international Care-Peat project successfully restored the hydrology of Cloncrow at Cloneyheigue while more recently NPWS and Bord na Mona blocked historic drains on the village side locking in thousands of years of sequestered Carbon. Our bog has become a learning zone for students at all levels and adds greatly to the attractiveness of our lovely village.
 To celebrate Heritage Week this year we launched the Village Trail element of our ongoing project linking our ancient peatlands with our unique village. We can report how hugely successful the QR codes are being received from the statistics which they generate. Withinfive days of the launch on Sat 17th Aug there have been 71 scans of the QR codes with 150 Audio Tracks accessed. 90% of the visitors were from Ireland with UK, Italy, USA and Germany making up the rest.
Friday –Â Launch of The Village Trail –Â QR Code guided walk.
This event was held in the 19th Century Village School House. The school house was in use up to the 1980’s and is one of the Architectural Treasures on The Green.
56 people attended the launch after which they enjoyed a walking tour around the village accompanied by locals including those whose audio recordings are now available using the QR Codes. We made the connection with Cloncrow Bog and walked the Boardwalk with a guided walk emphasising the uniqueness of this vanishing habitat. Cathal Flood  from LAWPRO showed the results of his research in the nearby Molly Smullen River to the particular delight of the children present.
Saturday night we continued celebrations with a concert in The Barn, Tyrrellspass.
Internationally acclaimed traditional Irish musicians Jackie Daly and Eileen O Brien played to a capacity audience in the Orangery.
Sunday 18th Aug.Â
Sunday morning brought out a gathering of 42 to explore Moths, Butterflies and Birds on and around Cloncrow Bog. The exercise highlighted the difficult weather pattern this Spring and Summer. Where we would normally find up to 50 moths in our moth trap, only 5 visited on this particular occasion. Equally scarce were Butterflies on the Wing. We spotted three Speckled Wood and a couple of Large Whites. This too was very unusual as mid Aug. should have nine to ten different species on the wing. The discerning ears of Gordon Wycherley from Birdwatch Ireland picked out eight or nine species of birds. A Buzzard being mobbed by a Rook held our attention before we looked more carefully at the wonderful flora in late summer bloom.
All this was made possible with the financial support of the Heritage Council, Westmeath County Council, Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure scheme and National Parks and Wildlife Service. Special word of thanks to Melanie McQuaid, Westmeath Heritage Officer for all her help and encouragement.
Tyrrellspass Community, and especially the landowners of Cloncrow and our hardworking ETHOS committee must also take a bow.
