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Clara
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The town of Clara
is situated 13km north west of Tullamore in Co Offaly. The town lies
on the banks of the River Brosna.
Clara is untypical of most Offaly towns in that it is mainly an
industrial town, with its history and growth largely influenced by
the industries it supported. It was its proximity to the Brosna
river and the Grand Canal that played significant part in Clara's
early industrial development. The town was once home to successful
distilleries and a brewery and also a thriving weaving industry -
particularly cotton and linen. It also supported the manufacturing
of tobacco, soap, and candles, and had a significant flour mill
operation.
With its location on the river Brosna, Clara has become a popular
angling destination over the years. It is also increasingly popular
as a hill walking destination. To the north of the town is Aughamore,
which overlooks the town and provides a great birds-eye view of the
area. To the south are the Eskers, a ridge carved out by the last
ice age which runs parallel to the town. To the west of Clara are
the Erry Hills, and to the east are the Ballinough Hills.
Two kilometres from the town centre lies Clara Bog, a raised bog
which contains rare flora. It has been declared a national nature
reserve and was considered for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The Clara Bog visitor centre is located beside the town's
library. A bog boardwalk is very popular with local walkers, but is
virtually unknown to visitors. The board walk allows walkers to
safely cross the surface of the bog.
8km south of Clara is the Esker Hills Golf Club. This beautiful
course is carved from the glacial deposits of Esker Riada that runs
through the Offaly in an east-west direction. The course is neither
parkland nor links giving it a very unique feel. As the name
suggests it is an undulating golf course as each hole carves it's
way over the sandy gravel base deposited by the glacier thousands of
years ago. Esker Hills was designed by Christy O’Connor Jnr and is a
fine test of golfing skills. |
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Clara Holiday Homes - County Offaly, Ireland