Community of special needs families enjoy Boora visit

Shamrock Squad is a community of special needs families and friends on a mission to make outdoors accessible for all abilities. Vika Gailite and Alina Barone, the co-founders of Shamrock Squad, have been family caregivers for over a decade and draw from their outdoor experience when planning and preparing for group walks.

The support walk for special needs families took place at Lough Boora Discovery Park in Offaly on June 10. This adventure was a partner event for the EU Commission Green Week, with a focus on litter picking and sustainability. Various activities and workshops were organized with these themes in mind.

Leave No Trace Ireland and Picker Pals World were present at the event, sharing their knowledge on environmental conservation and protection. Claire, Leave No Trace trainer, spoke about the 7 Principles, safe outdoor practices, wildlife, and hosted an interactive game. Building Blocks - Child Development, co-founded by speech and language therapists Aoife and Claire, facilitated a workshop that was enjoyed by children of all ages.

After the walk, all attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a picnic. Other support representatives in attendance included Family Carers Ireland, Young Carers Ireland, and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

The trails at Lough Boora Discovery Park are mostly wheelchair and pram-friendly, making it a welcoming change for special needs families.

The walk in Boora was organised with the assistance of manager Julie McLoughlin.

Shamrock Squad, founded by Alina Barone from Limerick, a mother of three, and Roscommon-based Vika Gailitem, mum of two, will be providing feedback to Lough Boora Discovery Park to help make future walks more inclusive and enjoyable.