September 2014, Lecarrow
At the September Cruise in Company in conjunction with the annual Puddin ‘n Porter festival, we arranged a tour of Padraig Corcoran’s Biodiversity Farm on Mount Plunkett Nature Reserve. The reserve, for those of you don’t know it, is only a five minute walk from Lecarrow Harbour, in behind the Yew Tree Restaurant. It is a treasure in the area. Mount Plunkett Nature Reserve is a farm of land containing 40.5 acres of which 37 acres is an SAC (special area of conservation), with a 600 metres of canal frontage. The Nature reserve provides a perfect habitat to numerous species of animals such as barn owls, kestrel, lapwing, kingfisher, pheasants, ducks, frogs, badgers and many more.
! If you want to organise a visit for yourself you can contact Padraig through loughreeboathire.ie. About 20 of us had a very informative afternoon, guided expertly by Padraigs daughter Rachel who was an oracle of information on the Flora,Fauna and Wildlife in the area, although she did struggle with the creature in the Bio-Bath.