Wild Flowers of the Dooras Peninsula
WILD FLOWERS OF THE DOORAS PENINSULA
The Dooras (Dubhros) pensinsula juts out in to Lough Corrib from the village of Corr na Móna and at its end is a bridge leading to the island of Inisdoorus. Along its length are to be found many wild flowers, many of which can be seen along the roadside, but some are hidden away and access can be over difficult, wet and boggy ground.
Sorcha's interest in wild flowers started many years ago but it is only in the last few years that she has started try and identify and catalogue those to be found locally.
It is always a pleasure to meet visitors with a similar interest and Sorcha is happy to give directions on where to find various plants. Some members of The Wild Flower Society have visited the area and, with their help and advice, have added to Sorcha's list of species.
Many flowers can be seen along the road and more common species to look out for include Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, Bilberry Vaccinium oxycococcos, Navelwort Umbilicus rupestris, Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca, Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria. Some more unusual flowers would be St. Daboec's Heath Daboecia cantabrica or Lesser Butterfly Orchid Platanthera bifolia. 
There are at least 30 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 found in the "wild" patch in the garden and in the bog beyond.
A few unusual plants to be found on the peninsula include Irish Ladies Tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana, Grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris and Pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum.
Probably the best months for flowers in bloom are June to August but there are still plenty to be seen at other times of the year.