The Walks

Photos by Gus Devine

Written by Cathriona McLoughlin

Nestled between the bustling Main St of Loughrea and the Carmelite Abbey and graveyard there is a delightful tree lined pathway called “The Walks”. It hosts the last working moat in Ireland, one of the great archaeological treasures of Loughrea dating back to c.1300 when Richard de Burgo founded the town.

“The Walks” differs from day to day and season to season. A purple and white carpet of crocus followed by daffodils in the spring time are staged to bloom at different intervals. The babbling of the river in the summer time, while fish spawn and swim freely and birds and butterflies visit. The rusts, ambers and gold leaves are shed from the deciduous trees during Autumn and the river gushes by while the trees provide shelter from the strong winds in the Winter.

The Walks provides a sanctuary in nature and many communities assist Loughrea Tidy Towns in maintaining it. The Anglers help to clear the river and encourage young anglers to get involved. The river in The Walks is vitally important to the Loughrea Lake fishery, acting as a nursery for baby brown trout until they are mature enough to migrate back into the lake. The “Picker Pals” from St. Ita’s primary school have also been busy litter picking here. It is heartening to see the sense of pride the next generation have in keeping this beautiful space.

We now have a magnificent sculpture in the centre of the Walks. Created by Para Havatitye, a woodwork teacher and artist, and made from a dead sycamore tree. The carving depicts two wild brown trout, representing the trout that swims up from the Lake to spawn in the Walks’ river, as well as two mallard ducks and heron.

The Walks Project Committee have been instrumental in securing vital funding for the restoration and conservation of the moat walls and work continues on this project.