Wild Flowers of the Dooras Peninsula

The Dooras (Dubhros) pensinsula juts out in to Lough Corrib, on the north-west side of the lake, and runs from the village of Corr na Móna to the island of Inisdoorus.  Along its length are to be found a wide variety of  wild flowers, many of which can be seen along the roadside, but some are hidden away and access is over wet and boggy ground.

My interest in wild flowers began in the early 70's. We would come to Corr na Móna each May for the fishing and, when our children were small and I wasn't fishing, I used to take them for walks. Seeing the variety of plants along the roadside prompted me to buy my first wildflower book, a pocket sized Collins Gem Guide.  This was my trusty reference book for along time before I graduated to more detailed guides as my interest developed. About ten years ago, I decided to try and catalogue the flowers growing locally, purely for my own interest. 

Over recent years, a number of visitors have stayed at the Cottage who share my interest and it is always a pleasure to swap notes on plant locations and identification. Some members of The Wild Flower Society and the BSBI have visited the area and stayed at the Cottage and, thanks to their willingness to share their knowledge and experience, I have been able to add to my catalogue of flowers. I am happy to give directions on where to find various plants and have a number of wildflower guides/keys which visitors expressing an interest in learning more about the local flora can borrow.  I would also recommend two excellent Irish websites to anyone interested in finding out more about our wildflowers: www.wildflowersofireland.net and www.irishwildflowers.ie

Flowers commonly seen along the roadside include: Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, Navelwort Umbilicus rupestris, Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca, Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria and Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra. One of the more unusual flowers to be seen on the roadside would be St. Daboec's Heath Daboecia cantabrica, one of the Irish specialities.  

There are at least 30 different species to be found in the garden including Lords and Ladies Arum maculatum, Bog Pimpernel Anagallis tenella, Honeysuckle Lonerica periclymenum, Primrose Primula vulgaris,  Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis and, in May/June, there are several examples of Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii to be seen in the "wild" patch in the garden and in the bog beyond the wall.  In recent years one or two specimens of Western marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza occidentalis have appeared in the front lawn.

Less common plants to be found on the peninsula include Irish Ladies Tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana, Grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris  and Pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum.

 

The best  months to see flowers in bloom would be May through to August although there are still plenty to be seen at other times of the year.

Apart from the wildflowers of the peninsula, there are other wonderful botanical locations to explore including Ballykine Woods (Clonbur/An Fháirche) or the Burren.

 

Sorcha Peirce

Wild Flower Photo Gallery