1859, and located beside Railway View Housing Estate. It is on the main Dublin to Ballina / Westport / Galway railway line. Clara was once a railway junction, with a branch to Streamstown on the now disused Athlone–Mullingar link. There was also a railway junction west of Clara serving the Banagher branch line. Clara is also served by the M6 Dublin/Galway motorway with junction 6 less than 5 minutes drive from the town centre. In 2008 there was a proposal for a small regional airport in the area, which later fell through Sport Clara's local GAA club is involved in Gaelic football and hurling from under 8 to senior level. Clara also has a soccer club and an athletic club. The town has two swimming pools, a pitch and putt club, and a powerlifting club. A golf driving range is located in the town also with the Esker Hills golf club located just outside the town. There is a local equestrian centre and sports centre also. Special Area of Conservation Two kilometres from the town centre lies Clara Bog, a raised bog which contains rare flora. It 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 (Accessible from Ballinough, off Tullamore road) is very popular with local walkers but is virtually unknown to visitors. The boardwalk allows walkers to safely cross the surface of the bog. A much shorter, but more accessible bog boardwalk is also located 2 km from Clara on the main Rahan road. Notable people Sam Clyne, Vincentian priest and president of St Pat's, Drumcondra Brian Cowen, Taoiseach from 2008 to 2011. Brigid of Kildare, patron saint of the parish of Clara. The local Catholic church preserves a relic of the saint. Shane Lowry, professional golfer who won the 2009 Irish Open (as an amateur) and the 2019 Open Championship. Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937), conducted some of his radiotelegraphy experiments in Clara. Vivian Mercier, literary historian. Ken Smollen, Chairman of the Irish Democratic Party. Placidus Timmons, OSF, Irish Catholic Franciscan missionary. References External links Various articles on the history of Clara Towns and villages in County Offaly Planned communities in the Republic of Ireland