Lodge Bog, Co. Kildare

County: Kildare
Area: 35 hectares
Bogland Type: raised bog
Year Acquired by IPCC: 2005 and extended in 2009
Grid Reference: N 715 262
How to get there: Lodge Bog is 5km from Allenwood and 12km from Rathangan. The site is located along the R414 at a dangerous bend in the road. There is a pull in opposite the site.
The IPCC can accept no liability for injury to persons visiting the site.

Further Information on the Reserve

Lodge Bog is an area of 28ha located 5km west of Allenwood in county Kildare. It is a remnant of Lullymore Bog, which was the largest single raised bog in the historic complex of the Bog of Allen. Lodge Bog supports a wonderful variety of 60 plants, insects, birds, mammals and amphibians, all of which are typical of raised bog habitats. The bog is an example of an active peat-forming raised bog habitat, which is listed on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive. It also supports interesting areas of species-rich semi-natural grassland and a native bog-woodland of birch. The grassland area provides habitat for a number of wild orchids while the woodland adds structural diversity to the site and provides cover for plants such as bilberry and nesting sites for wild birds.

This peatland site abuts the mineral island of Lullymore to the west (see aerial photo). This geological divide between the higher mineral ground of Lullymore Island and the ancient peat is another interesting feature of the site. On Lullymore Island the remains of the monastic settlement overlook the bog, giving the visitor some idea of the remoteness and wild landscape which the early monks here would have enjoyed.

The site is surrounded on three sides by industrial cutaway bogland and on its fourth side by the R414 road from Allenwood to Rathangan.

Discovery map showing the location of Lodge Bog Co. Kildare, represented by a black diamond.

Air photograph image showing the location of Lodge Bog, Co. Kildare. The raised bog outlined in yellow and marked A is to be transferred to IPCC from Bord na Móna. A portion of the bog in private ownership lies to the west of the yellow boundary line adjacent to mineral soil. The edge of the mineral soil island of Lullymore can be seen which is the location of a monastic settlement. The extensive areas of industrial cutaway peatland can be seen to the North and East of the site. Photo courtesty of Bord na Móna.

A spider's web stands out in morning dew on Lodge Bog in Co. Kildare. The bog is a raised bog which took 10,000 years to develop. The surface of the bog has a hummock and hollow topography which is covered in a rich layer of Sphagnum mosses. The site is a refuge for the Irish Hare and Skylarks and Swallows.

The wettest parts of Lodge bog where Sphagnum moss forms swampy carpets is where cranberry and sundew (see leaf at the top of picture) are found.

If you would like to make a donation to the project help to conserve and manage Lodge Bog please follow this link

Please make your donation today to the Lodge Bog and Lullymore West Bog Conservation Project

Irish Peatland Conservation Council Registered Charity Number CHY6829