Discover Lisacul

Lisacul brings together local history and habitats found along the Golden Miles, in the hedgerows and at Figh Lake. Local themes range from ecclesiastical heritage and traditional nature events to bog and turlough landscapes.

Church history and historic places

The present-day church in Lisacul was built by Thomas Ryan. The church grounds also include a sensory garden. Cill Rúddhaín Cemetery is said to have once been inhabited by monks. This traditional story gives the place its own historical character.

The Kilrooan Golden Mile includes an old cemetery and an old path leading to it. Mary Kate’s Golden Mile offers a different aspect of the local trails, encompassing hedgerow and bog habitats. Cemetery history and distinct landscape types are thus presented as separate themes.

Information boards and signs about local flora and fauna have been installed at various locations around the village. The information boards along the Golden Miles include maps, pictures and information about flora and fauna. The trails therefore combine nature themes with practical guidance to the habitats they describe.

Habitats around Figh Lake

Figh Lake is the most important turlough habitat in Lisacul. After the summer flooding, most of the area reverts to grassland, while permanently wet areas remain. The description covers both seasonal change and wet refuges that remain a permanent part of the habitat.

Hedgerows also shape Lisacul’s landscape. They act as wildlife corridors and provide shelter, food and nesting habitats for animals. Together with the hedgerow and bog habitats along Mary Kate’s Golden Mile, they offer varied nature themes: Figh Lake represents the change between flooding and grassland, while the hedgerows serve as both connections and habitats for wildlife.

At nearby Carrowbehy Bog, a path leads deep into the bog, where the site’s characteristic plants and animals can be observed. The bog path and the habitat themes in Lisacul offer different perspectives: here, the focus is on the typical plants and animals of the bog, while there it is on turlough development and the functions of hedgerows.

Past nature events and food culture

Nature-related events previously organised by the Lisacul Tidy Towns Committee included bat walks and walks through bog habitats. These activities are part of the history of past events; this does not imply that they are currently being held again.

Food culture is another part of Lisacul’s traditional heritage: boxty was a very common bread there. This is a historical culinary aspect of the village, alongside stories about the church and cemetery and its nature-related themes.

Further perspectives in County Roscommon

The wider destination of County Roscommon has its own cultural and landscape themes. Boyle Abbey in Boyle, County Roscommon, is a well-preserved 12th-century Cistercian monastery. Its restored gatehouse houses an interpretive centre, adding a distinct regional example to Lisacul’s church history themes.

The Suck Valley Way in County Roscommon offers a different perspective. The circular route runs from Mount Talbot along the west side of the Suck to the outskirts of Castlerea, then returns along the east side with a short break. It offers lowland walks through bogs, flood meadows, woodlands and traditional farmland, as well as stretches along the river. If you include this route in your plans, check conditions beforehand.

Discover more destinations: Elphin, Boyle, Ballyfarnon, Arigna, Cootehall, Tulsk, Ballintober, Roscommon

For the wider travel guide: County Roscommon.