May 25, 2011

IRD Duhallow Environmental Forum Up-date

Thus far 2011 has been a very busy year with further development of the Bird Watch Group and the Grow it yourself Group. The forum organised a very successful Environmental Awareness Campaign for the month of April which included information seminars on:



  • Fresh Water Ecology
  • The Native Red Squirrel
  • Field trip focusing on up-land flora & fauna with a particular emphasis on the Hen Harrier
  • DVD Showing on the Eagles Return to Ireland
  • Wildlife gardening & how to attract wildlife to our back gardens
  • Myths, Legends & Reality of the Bat World


The events attracted 170 individuals in total with a strong attendance by school children at some of the events.


The bird watching group continues to be very active and current membership stands at 25. This weekend (Sunday the 15th May) the group are organising a Dawn Chorus Event which will be facilitated by Brid McDonnald who is s member of the Bird-Watch group in Duhallow. The group will meet at 5.00am and the event will incorporate a trip to the local  Island Wood.


Duhallow Bee-Keepers organised a six week training course for individuals interested in Bee-Keeping and to close the training they held a seminar on Bee-keeping & its influence on the Environment with guest speaker being Prof. John Breen for the University of Limerick. IRD Duhallow have also secured funding to develop an Apiary within the ground of the James O'Keeffe which will be used to breed bees for new members of the association.


The Environmental Forum are also initiative a campaign to raise awareness about the destruction caused by gorse fires. Currently an information brochure is being drafted which will be distributed to the wider Duhallow area to raise awareness about this self-defeating activity.


The forum has applied for LEADER Funding to develop an Environmental Resource Centre which will provide information on the Environment to the people of Duhallow this will be a one-stop-shop for all environmental information.