Mary Swan 90 the oldest visitor to Clara Bog Trotters Festival

Mary (O'Carroll) Swan, of Chelsea, London, was the oldest visitor to the Clara Bog Trotters Festival, in 2025.

Mary, who is pictured sitting for a photo with Tony McCormack, TD and Councillor Frank Moran, grew up in Harcourt Terrace, Dublin. She spent her married life in Chelsea, and travelled to Clara with her granddaughter, Trianna, to watch the blacksmithing and woodturning.

Now in her 90's Mary has a keen interest in Industrial Heritage and Artisan Skills. She said that if God spares her, she will travel to Clara again next year.

A Note of Thanks

Clara Heritage Society would like to thank everyone who supported and funded a very successful 2025 Summer Programme, which brought hundreds of people together to celebrate heritage, culture, and landscape.

The summer began with guided walks on Clara’s beautiful trails, supported by Tullamore Municipal District.

In June, over 1,500 visitors enjoyed the Bog Trotters Festival, funded by the Natura Community Peatland Engagement Scheme, a sustainability festival, celebrating our peatland landscape. Workshops, traditional skills demonstrations, live music, and a Summer Solstice Celebration, being the highlights.

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School visits and the Bog Bothy Festival in Sheridan’s Field, showcasing Clara Bog and the work of the Irish Architecture Foundation and Twelve Fields as part of a Creative Ireland project, were particularly interesting.

In July, the Dancing at the Crossroads Festival, funded by the Small Festival & Summer School Scheme, revived an old tradition at Lysmoyny Crossroads, where over 300 people danced together. Children also enjoyed special art workshops with local artist Vincent Devine.

Heritage Week featured evenings on Clara’s industrial and educational heritage and the Brosna River, funded byLAWPRO.

The Brosna River Literary & Music Festival, funded by Creative Ireland, travelled downstream this year to Ferbane for a wonderful event hosted by Ferbane Tidy Towns.

We were also honoured to support the Tullamore Union of Parishes on their Pilgrimage from Rahan to Clonmacnoise, which was guided across the wild and beautiful peatlands of Lemanaghan by the Lemanaghan Heritage Group & greeted by community groups along the way.

The ongoing lace making, weaving, art, workshops and exhibitions added greatly to the summer.

Sincere thanks to all our funders, suppliers, performers, schools, community groups, and volunteers for making this summer such a vibrant celebration of Clara’s rich and wonderful heritage. Come visit our “Witches Hut” at the Púca Spooka, Tullamore.