The Trip to Gougane

On the 15th of June, 40 people from the locality went on a day trip to nearby Gougane Barra. The weather on the day was excellent, the sun was shining and it was mild. We arrived in Gougane at about one o’ clock and our first port of call was to the hotel where we enjoyed a lovely meal. The food set us up nicely for the evening ahead. After lunch we went for a stroll to the church. As we made our way there it was hard not to be taken aback by the sheer beauty of the area. The water in the lake was clear and still, there was a green tinge in the mountains surrounding us and the chapel was in pristine condition.

We then went on a tour around the forest park. The park and surrounding countryside boasts a rich diversity of plant, animal and bird life. The river Lee flows from its source within the park to Gougane Lake. Facilities provided include 5km of motor trail, 10km of hill walks, vista points and a nature trail. The park is located in the townland of Coomroe or Com Rua which means a red Coum or hollow. It is easy to see where the name comes from for on entering the valley one is overawed by the sheer walls of Old Red Sandstone rock which rise some 370 meters from the valley bottom. Acquired for afforestation in 1938, it was gradually planted over the next 4 years. Plantings were largely of Sitka spruce, Lodgepole pine, Japanese larch and some Scots pine. Having reached maturity some of these areas have been harvested and restocked with a wider variety of species. However, one of the finest stands of Sitka spruce in the country still exists in the valley bottom with trees reaching 38 meters high and carrying a volume of up to 3 cubic meters each. Gougane Barra was developed as a forest park in the early 60’s and was officially opened in 1966. During the tour of the forest park we took in some breathtaking scenery which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

We then returned to Cronin’s bar and cafe where we had a very entertaining evening with music by Denis Moynihan and David Pretty, together with songs and recitations from members of the group. We had a short break for tea and scones which went down a treat. The music and songs started again after the tea and continued until about 6:30p.m when it was time to head home. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Gougane. One lady I was speaking to summed up the day in one sentence, “Fine weather, beautiful location, nice company, a great day was had by all”. Gougane Barra is a beautiful, peaceful, tranquil place and it will never lose its charm. We are very fortunate to have such beauty on our doorstep.