Clean-up on Shrubbywood Coolnagun bog

So much rubbish was lifted on Shrubbywood Coolnagun bog on Saturday morning, that the group of volunteers ran out of the purple bags provided by Westmeath County Council.

They lifted household rubbish, litter, beer cans, plastic bottles and crisp packets from different parts of a scenic bog walkway.

Patricia and Kevin Coffey of Portnashangan, Ion Hamilton, Delvin, Kerry Harris of Lower Coole, Helen Coyle with Jamie, Eva and William from Castlepollard and Patrick and Caroline Pilkington from Coole did the hard work.

Van loads of building waste has been fly-tipped on the bog – that it is unsightly is bad enough, but it can also do harm to small animals and birds living in the area.

Ducks, swans and herons nest there and can look for food in the rubbish and get caught in tin or get bags stuck on their heads.