Brian O’Toole, Director of the Presentation Interprovincial Justice Desk, sent ECI this report on the Presentation Bog Lixnaw:
In 1875 the Presentation Sisters were invited to Lixnaw Parish, North Kerry to educate the children of tenant farmers. The Landlord offered 20 acres of a raised bog as an inducement explaining that it was the best that he could do and that neither the Sisters nor the children would be cold. Leic Snámha (Lixnaw) translates easily as floating flags and an aerial photo shows up these flags easily. The Sisters worked this bog (one flag) until 2012 when there remained some local farmers who rented turf banks that they harvested.
The Presentation Sisters who have a long commitment to our care for our earth felt that it was now time to allow this bog to rest and for the carbon contained within to continue to be a carbon sink that offers a down payment on a healthier future for all. The resting of the bog began when the Presentation Sisters engaged expertise that advised on how best to preserve and conserve, on how to attract back to the bog nesting animals, to facilitate the environmental circumstances that would be conducive to growth of native bog plants.
The 20 acres was fenced off in ways to deter the ingress of the larger animals (cattle) but would encourage the smaller animal and insect to re-inhabit the recovering bog. In the intervening 7 years all are amazed at the ability of the bog to heal itself so thoroughly. Sphagnum moss, a mainstay of bog creation is thriving as are the bog cotton, the asphodel and the sun dew. A healthy bog is a wet bog and despite the drought last year the bog continued to thrive and to heal, holding water to prevent flooding. When asked how best to approach the restorative work of the bog Fr. Seán McDonagh explained that the speediest and fullest recovery would come if and only if humans were kept off the bog, and he was right.
Today the bog is full of water, alive with insect and plant life. The pure air that can be breathed when standing on this bog confirms that the carbon sink is cleaning the air we breathe. The snipe can be heard to sing again as it nests on the marshy ground. The restored Presentation Sisters Bog in Lixnaw is an example to others that such restoration is important and that we should work together to ensure that there would be a just transition from the harvesting of turf to the use of renewable energies. The Presentation Sisters are exploring these opportunities while at the same time they keep a caring eye of the health and welfare of the bog whilst encouraging all in the local schools to learn of the nature on their doorsteps. Equally too it is hoped that the bog can be used by third level students who are studying in Tralee and Cork.
‘The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God’ (Laudato Si 84).
You can read an article on the bog at the following link: ‘The Raised Bog of Lixnaw: Raised Bog Raised Hopes.
