Blog

(Tues 28th May 2024) New Information Board to be…

Today at 2 pm we will officially open the new information board 🙂

(Weds 22nd May 2024) St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School 2nd…

“Thank you to Shannon Wetlands and Michaél for hosting a very interesting and exciting workshop with our 2nd year Science class for National

Biodiversity Week. They found frogs (or rather it found them) tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, cuckoo spit and many other invertebrates living in the ponds” – from their Facebook page 🙂

(Tues 21st May 2024) SES helped with a Clean-Up

Wonderful turn out by SES (https://ses.aero/) to help in cleaning up the wetlands. Thank-you again! 🙂

(Tues 4th Feb 2024) Celebrating World Wetlands Day at…

Had three wonderful speakers last night at a great venue, the Bunratty Room at The Treacys Oakwoods Hotel.

Olive first introduced those present to a brief history of the Shannon Town Community Wetlands and the work done by it’s volunteers to restore and maintain the wetlands here in the heart of Shannon Town.

She then explained we would next have three speakers: John O’Brien (STCW), Ruairí Ó Conchúir (LAWPRO) and Dr Pamela Bartley (from Hydro-G, Galway)

The talks were very engaging with the experts sharing the knowledge of past, present and future of our wetlands, bogs and water courses.

A great evening was had by all.

Finally, Tony Walsh (STCW) reminded people that we are always after content (stories, pictures, videos, etc.) concerning the Shannon Town Community Wetlands and reminded those present to engage with us on this website ShannonTownWetlands.ie and on our open Facebook Group

Here’s a few photos of the night. Enjoy 🙂

2024 Photo Competition Launched

Here are the competition details:

You can enter by clicking on this link Photo Competition

Happy World Wetlands Day! A story…

Ramud pulled the last line back on to the boat and surveyed his haul. 12 medium sized herrings, some still flopping, sat between his legs in the reed boat. He wanted to surprise his wife on her birthday with a celebration meal and the waters were kind today to provide such a catch.

He gutted the fish at the shore and brought the flesh in to their reed house to slowly cook on the central fire. Hazi was still washing clothes downstream with other village women and he looked forward to the smile on her face as she smelled the food on her return.

“Nice” the red curly haired, freckled faced, 20 year old said as the he returned the book to shelf in Shannon Town library. “That guy sure paints a picture”.

Sam’s Detroit flight home had been delayed 6 hours at Shannon Airport so he had grabbed a cab to explore the local town.

He then noticed a talk was starting up. A lady rose to her feet and addressed the 10 or so people seated around. My name is Olive and welcome to World Wetlands Day here at Seán Lemass Library in Shannon.

As she explained the origins of the yearly celebration in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea a shiver passed through Ramud the Marsh Arab’s great-great-grandson 100 times removed and Sam sat down to listen..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wetlands_Day

https://www.messynessychic.com/2014/11/12/the-floating-basket-homes-of-iraq-a-paradise-almost-lost-to-saddam

Lots of Clare Events to Celebrate World Wetlands Day…

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is hosting / co-hosting 4 different community events in Co. Clare this week to Celebrate World Wetlands Day.

You are invited to join LAWPRO and our partners to mark World Wetlands Day, which is a global day celebrating the importance of wetlands. This year’s theme is ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’

The 4 different free community events will focus on wetlands in County Clare and how they support biodiversity, help address climate change, and support human wellbeing.

All events are free and open to all.

Event No. 1:     In advance of World Wetlands Day, you are invited to celebrate the newly created wetlands and the unveiling of a new illustrated sign highlighting the importance of wetlands.

Please join LAWPRO, Miltown Malbay Tidy Towns, local Councillors and others to celebrate this event, followed by a reception with refreshments in the Miltown Malbay Community Centre (Church Street).

What:              Opening of newly created wetlands & unveiling of a new illustrated sign

Where:            Church Car Park, Miltown Malbay & Reception in Community Centre

When:             Thursday, 1^st February @ 11:00 am

Event No. 2:     Clare Wetlands Networking Event.Please join LAWPRO, Clare County Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland, with important community case studies, at this wetlands networking event for County Clare.

What:               Celebrate World Wetlands Day – County Clare Networking Event

Where:             Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Clare V95 HOXK

When:              Thursday, 1^st February 2024 @ 7pm

Event No. 3:     You are invited by Shannon Town Community Wetlands (STCW) and LAWPRO to celebrate the importance of local wetlands with an illustrated talk in Seán Lemass Public Library, Shannon Town and the Launch of Amateur Photography Competition focused on wetlands and biodiversity in County Clare (with light lunch) followed by a family friendly visit to the Shannon Town Community Wetlands site next to Gaelscoil Doinnach Rua.

What:               Talk, Launch & Wetlands Site Visit

Where:             Seán Lemass Public Library, Shannon Town (V14 WK50) followed by visit to Wetlands Site (parking at V14 AY84)

When:              Friday, 2^nd February 2024 @ 12:30 pm

Event No. 4:     You are invited by LAWPRO and various East Clare community group to a family friendly event to celebrate World Wetlands Day on the beautiful shores of Lough Graney. The event will highlight the importance of East Clare wetlands, local folklore and tradition and the ecosystem services wetlands provide to us while supporting our wellbeing. Please bring along suitable clothing and footwear.

What:              Family friendly field trip (talk & walk) – Lough Graney

Where:            Car Park Area, Silver Sands, Lough Graney, Cahermurphy, East Clare

When:             Saturday, 3^rd February @ 11:00 am

Celebrate World Wetlands Day with us

Why not find out more about the wonderful wetlands in Shannon Town and wetlands in general?

Thurs 4th Jan 2024 – Sunny muddy walk in…

More on this later, but did you know Faro, Portugal has a massive coastal wetlands?

But back to Shannon Town and I just had a lovely muddy New Year’s walk in the Shannon Wetlands in glorious sunshine!

Last week I was in Faro Portugal. And while we may have 7km2 of wetlands they have 700km2!

In fact, when the 1755 tsunami hit Lisbon, Faro was saved by its wetlands!
“The tsunami destroyed some coastal fortresses in the Algarve and, in the lower levels, it razed several houses. Almost all the coastal towns and villages of the Algarve were heavily damaged, except Faro, which was protected by sandy banks. In Lagos, the waves reached the top of the city walls. For the coastal regions, the destructive effects of the tsunami were more disastrous than those of the earthquake.”
https://www.sms-tsunami-warning.com/pages/tsunami-portugal-1755

Here’s a short video showing these wetlands from the aircraft when leaving Faro for Shannon. (Fun fact the end of the video shows the most southernly point in Europe!)

October 2023 Walk around the Wetlands

It was good to see the ponds much fuller with water than recent months and the areas of land that have been cleared should have fresh growth in the Spring.