The Bog Walk

The Bog Walk is a fundraising event organised by St. Mary’s NS, Pullough and our Parents Association, as the school celebrates its 90th academic year since its foundation in 1935.

Families, friends and individuals will take on a 25km route starting at the school in Pullough, following the scenic Grand Canal Greenway to the Turraun Wetlands and on to Lough Boora, before returning via the Boora Path to Turraun Wetlands and back to the school. The route is very flat and largely off-road. Participants can choose to walk, run, or complete the route as part of a relay team, making it an accessible and enjoyable challenge for everyone involved.

The aim of The Bog Walk is to bring together pupils, parents, past pupils, and the wider community while raising vital funds for the continued development of the school. Our goal is to raise €20,000 to support improvements to learning resources, outdoor facilities, and student wellbeing initiatives.

Whether you walk, run or are part of a relay team, or simply support the cause, every step and every donation will help invest in the future of St. Mary’s N.S. while celebrating 90 years at the heart of the Pullough community.

You can sign up here: www.idonate.ie/event/thebogwalk click start fundraising and get yourself or your team registered.

You can donate to the event here: www.idonate.ie/event/thebogwalk or donate to a specific individual/team by clicking on their page.

If you are a business and would like to sponsor a km or support the hosting of the event please contact: 

FAQs

What is The Bog Walk?

The Bog Walk is a fundraising event, it is a 25km route through the local boglands from St. Mary’s NS Pullough to Lough Boora Discovery Park, and back. 

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 learning 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, onto Leabeg Wind Farm into Lough Boora Discovery Park and back via Boora Church, to Turraun Wetlands and back along the Grand Canal Greenway, finishing at the school.

There will have signage and stewards along the route.

How long is the route?

The total distance is 25km. This is divided into 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 the 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 directly on idonate and click on Start Fundraising.

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 - register directly on idonate and click on Start Fundraising.

Do I have to fundraise?

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.

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?

You can acknowledge the donation by putting it up as an offline donation, and you can give the cash to a committee 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 adults/children cycle it?

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

What time does the event start?

Registration opens on the morning at exact time TBC. All those taking on the full 25km, and individuals taking on Stage 1, must register at St. Mary’s NS, before setting off on the route. 

Participants starting the route at different stages must register at the water station before starting their section of the walk.

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 toilet facilities?

Walkers should use the toilets at St. Marys NS before departing. There will be toilets facilities at the end of Stage 2 of the walk in Lough Boora (approx. 16.2km from the start of the walk).  While there will be toilet facilities available, walkers should prepare for toileting outdoors by bringing tissues / baby wipes and “leave no trace”.

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.

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.  

Leave no trace

Please do not leave rubbish anywhere along the route, we will have bins at each of the stages please use the bins provided if you do have rubbish.

Is parking available?

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

Safety Issues

Participants’ safety is our primary concern in this event. We are very lucky that must 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 roads and always adhere to stewards.

Keep away from open water at lakes and rivers 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: