FAQs

What is The Bog Walk?

The Bog Walk is a fundraising event where participants walk a 25km route through

the local boglands from Pullough to Lough Boora Discovery Park, and back, raising

funds in support of St. Mary’s NS.

What is the fundraiser for?

All proceeds from the fundraiser go directly to St. Mary’s NS., to help with

improvements to the school - fund resources, improve outdoor facilities and support

student well-being initiatives.

What is the route for the walk?

The start and end point is St. Mary’s NS, R35 K521

The walk starts at St. Mary’s NS, along The Grand Canal Greenway, into Turraun

Wetlands, along path to Leabeg Wind Farm into Lough Boora Discovery Park and

back via Boora Church, into Turraun Wetlands and back along The Grand Canal

Greenway.

There will be signage and stewards along the route.

How long is the route?

The distance is 25km. There are three stages:

Stage 1: St. Mary’s NS to Leabeg Wind Farm 8.7km approx

Stage 2: Leabeg Wind Farm to Lough Boora Café 7.5km approx

Stage 3: Lough Boora Café to St. Mary’s NS 8.8km approx

Families with younger children can participate by doing a short route of 3km,

starting at the Turraun Car Park along Grand Canal Greenway and finishing at the

school.

Who can take part?

Everyone is welcome to take part! Past pupils, families of current and future pupils,

groups of friends, members from wider community.

Children must be supervised by an adult.

Register here: Support The Bog Walk on iDonate.ie

Can I take part as an individual?

Yes, individuals can take on the full 25km route, register on idonate.

Can I put in a team?

Yes, teams are welcome, gather a few friends or family members and take on The

Bog Walk between you. Only one person needs to register the team on idonate.

Do I have to fundraise?

Yes, we are asking all individuals/teams who register on idonate to raise a minimum

of €200.

Can I donate to my own page/team?

Yes, we are asking all individuals/teams who register on idonate to raise a minimum

of €200. All funds raised will go directly to St. Mary’s NS.

I have received a cash donation, how do I put it on my page?

The donation can be put up as an offline donation, and you can give the cash to a

committee member. Sinéad is looking after this.

Can I get a sponsorship card?

Yes, sponsorship cards are available, please contact a committee member.

I’m not from the area but I would like to take part. Can I sign up?

Due to interest from people we are opening up the event - Register

here: https://forms.office.com/r/PX2rAFiQPY

You can register as an individual (€30) or register a team (€25 per team member).

Can I sign up on the day?

No unfortunately you will not be able to sign up on the day. Everyone must be pre-

registered in advance of the day.

Are dogs allowed?

No, unfortunately dogs are not allowed, and we ask that you don’t bring your dog.

Can children cycle it?

No, unfortunately this event is solely a walk/run event.

What time does the event start?

9.00am – for all those taking on the full 25km, and individuals taking on Stage 1

Please note you must sign in at St. Mary’s NS, before setting off on the route. The

school will be open from 8.00am.

Participants starting the route at different stages must sign in at the water station

before starting their section of the walk.

12.30pm – for families and children taking on the 3km. The 3km walk starts from

Turraun Car Park along the Grand Canal.

What training do I need to do?

If you plan on doing the full route and you’re not used to long distances, start

increasing your walking distance in the weeks leading up to the event. To complete

the full route, you should be able to comfortably complete 10 - 15km.

How long will it take to complete?

If you plan on doing the full route you should allow up to 5-6 hours, including stops.

Start at a steady, comfortable pace and enjoy the scenic walk.

What do I need on the day?

Whether you are walking/running some or all the route we recommend the following:

Comfortable runners/walking shoes (avoid wearing brand-new footwear on

the day)

Wear good socks (avoid cotton if possible) and consider blister plasters just in

case

Weather-appropriate clothing 

Suncream if the sun is shining

Water 

Snacks

Will there be refreshments?

Yes. Light refreshments will be available at our water stations at the end of Stage 1

and Stage 2, with refreshments also available at the end of the walk in St. Mary’s

NS.

Will there be toilet facilities?

Walkers should use the toilets at St. Marys National School before departing.

There will be toilets facilities at stage 2 of the walk at the coffee shop in Lough

Boora. While there will be toilet facilities available, walkers should prepare for

toileting outdoors by bringing tissues / baby wipes and nappy bags to “leave no

trace”.

Is parking available?

Yes, parking is available at all stages of the route. We will have stewards on hand to

direct traffic.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Whilst we are hoping for good weather, we live in Ireland so be prepared. However,

in the case of severe weather, updates will be communicated in advance.

Safety Issues

Participants’ safety is our primary concern in this event. We are very lucky that most

of the route is off-road. However, there will be some road crossings, these will be

stewarded but participants should exercise great caution in crossing these busy

roads.

Keep away from open water at lakes and canal en-route. An edge of a bank can give

way, and none of our stewards are lifeguards

I won’t take part in The Bog Walk, but I’d like to help, is this possible?

Absolutely, you can support the event by:

• Donating to a participant/team

• Volunteering on the day 

• Sharing information with friends/family

• Asking a business to sponsor a km or donate

• Follow our pages on social media: Facebook | Instagram

Who can I contact for more information?

Please contact the following directly:

• Sponsorship:

• Registering/Help with idonate page: Sinéad Lynam | 087 7718248

• Volunteering on the day: