Menu
The next outing is on “Butterflies and Dragonflies of Aughanish” on Saturday 4June22. We expect to see butterflies such as the Small Heath, Common Blue, Small Blue and Dingy Skipper as well as dragonflies and damselflies. The leader is Mike Quirke.
Date and Time: 8th June, 19:00
Hosted by Irish Wildlife Trust – Dublin Branch
Date & Time: 11:00 am start, Sunday 12th June
To get there – just beyond Supervalu on Sundrive Road is Pickles Café. Beside it is the Sun Dry Launderette. Opposite that is a lane. It’s at the very end of that lane.
For more information contact dublinbranch@iwt.ie
Hosted by Irish Wildlife Trust – Dublin Branch
Date & Time: 11:00 am start, Sunday 3rd July
Location: Meet at the visitor center, North Bull Island
To book on and for more details contact dublinbranch@iwt.ie
This webinar will feature a discussion on the new Fair Seas ‘Revitalising Our Seas Identifying areas of interest for Marine Protected Area Designation in Irish waters’ report.
The report aims to kick-start the conversation of where additional MPAs may be designated, using analysis of species hotspots in Irish waters.
Fair Seas is an Irish coalition campaign that seeks to build a movement of ocean stewardship across the island of Ireland. Our aim is for Ireland to become a world leader in marine protection, giving our species, habitats and coastal communities the opportunity to thrive. Key to this is ensuring Ireland secures an ecologically coherent network of well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Irish waters.
Ireland has committed to designating 30% of its waters as MPAs by 2030. However, the current figure of MPA coverage in Ireland stands at just 2.1%. Ireland therefore has a significant task ahead in scaling up marine protection to achieve spatial conservation targets as well as requirements under EU nature laws to bring its marine waters to a Good Environmental Status and ensure recovery of depleted fish populations.
Register for this virtual event here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VeeHalkRT7eAeaWJsC9x9g
This is an IWT members only event. To book a place contact Lyn at limerickbranch@iwt.ie
Location: Confirmed upon booking
Our Limerick Branch are running a botanical outing to Loughmore Common near Limerick City on Saturday morning 13th August at 10:00. The event will be guided by botanist Tom Harrington.
This is an IWT members only event. To book a place contact Lyn at limerickbranch@iwt.ie
Date: 13th August
Time: 10:00am
Location: Confirmed upon booking
Learn all about Ireland fascinating wild bees
Join the Irish Wildlife Trust for a free Heritage Week event hosted at the National Botanic Gardens. The event is all about Ireland’s wild bees and will combine an informative talk with a bee identification walk around the Gardens. No prior knowledge of bees is needed.
The event will begin at the Visitors Centre with a talk on the bees of Ireland and how we can help protect them. We will then take a walk around the National Botanic Gardens where we will demonstrate how to find and identify bees with a focus on bumblebees. The skills and knowledge gained from this event will allow you to begin monitoring bees in your own garden or community.
Children are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Booking is compulsory for this event please register with the link below if you wish to attend.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/iwt-people-for-bees-at-the-national-botanic-gardens-tickets-395934780587
Date: 13th August 2022
Time: 11:00
Location: National Botanic Gardens Dublin
Hosted by: Irish Wildlife Trust Monaghan Branch & Local Authority Waters Programme
Join the Irish Wildlife Trust Monaghan Branch & Local Authority Waters Programme for an event to explore some of the many ways the sound of nature has influenced Irish creative culture. Attendees will follow the journey of an Irish sound recordist Dean McDonnell, who is documenting Ireland’s different habitats & rich array of wildlife across the north-east through the medium of sound recording. Writer and medieval Irish scholar, Fearghal Duffy, will share his learnings on the ecology of early Irish literature, examining the influence of sounds from nature on Irish medieval poetry, whilst local musicians Tara & Rossa Gilsenan will play a few tunes inspired by the Irish countryside. Particular focus will be given to our immense wealth of wetland habitats, so synonymous with the inter-drumlin landscape of counties Cavan & Monaghan and coastal environment of County Louth.
Booking is essential for this event. Please book using this link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-heritage-inspired-by-nature-and-its-music-tickets-390366736417
Date: 18th August
Time: 19:30 – 21:00
Location: Doohamlet Community Centre, Doohamlet, A75 Y798 Castleblayney
Hosted by: IWT Dublin Branch
Join the IWT Dublin Branch on this IWT Heritage Week Event where we will learn all about Irelands bat’s.
We will explore a section of St Anne’s Park at dusk to any hopefully see and hear some of these fascinating native flying mammals. This event is free of charge and family friendly.
Space is limited on this event and booking is essential. To request a place on the event please email dublinbranch@iwt.ie
Date: 18th August
Time: 20:30
Location: St Anne’s Park, Raheny, Co Dublin
Space is limited on this event and booking is essential. To request a place on the event please email dublinbranch@iwt.ie
Learn all about Ireland fascinating wild bees
The Irish Wildlife Trust works with the National Biodiversity Data Centre to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and the Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme. With the new skills learnt through our People for Bees programme, participants have the knowledge and confidence to start carrying out bee population monitoring and habitat creation in their communities, thus completing two of the objectives of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan – “Making Ireland more pollinator friendly” and “Bee population monitoring”.
Children are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Booking is compulsory for this event please register with the link below if you wish to attend.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iwt-people-for-bees-monaghan-tickets-394331735837
Date and Time: 6th September, 19:00
Hosted by Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin
The September outing is the popular rockpool event – loved by with younger ecologists and their parents.
Meet at the Martello Tower, beside the White Sands Hotel at 11:30. There’s a bus stop next to it, and the DART is within walking.
Bring nets and containers – as will we.
No falling in – not even by accident. And that includes the young ones too.
Wear sensible, sensible, sensible footwear – no flip-flops.
Date & Time: 11:30 am start, Sunday 18th September.
Location: Martello Tower, Portmarnock.
More info: dublinbranch@iwt.ie
Date and Time: 4th October, 19:00
Hosted by Waterford Branch.
This walk will take place on Sunday 16th October. Meet at 1.00 at Centra, Knocktopher, Co. Kilkenny.
Hosted by Limerick IWT Branch
Hosted by Waterford Branch.
This walk will take place on Sunday 13th November.
Meet at Passage East at 13.00 for possible car-pooling.
Tintern Abbey carpark at 13.40.
Leader: Denis Cullen
Sunday walk to Tintern and Saltmills
Hosted by Waterford branch.
Saltmills, Co. Wexford (Muileann an tSáile)
Meet at Passage East at 13.00 for possible car-pooling.
Tintern Abbey carpark at 13.40.
Leader: Denis Cullen
Join us for another free and fantastic webinar. The Secret Life of Crows talk takes a look at the corvid family, its members, ecology, complex societies and outstanding intelligence. It explores the crows place in a human dominated world both now and historically. The talk has recently been updated to include the summary findings of the Laois Rookery Survey 2022 which Identified 173 unique rookery sites in the county through a combination of fieldwork and citizen science.
This fun but factual exploration of the crow family is certainly for the crow fan but it may even convert a few of those more dubious of the corvids.
Date: 17th November
Time: 19:00
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GC1PT2HWRSeOAjDHB3rVBQ
Join us to learn more about the Eu Nature Restoration Law and what it will mean for Ireland.
Date: 25th November
Time: 1pm to 2pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uTdVIkVJR_SEZnRNfCPjkw
Hosted by Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin
Join us this November for an outing to explore the fabulous fossil bank at Portmarnock with Aodhan our brilliant paleontologist.
Meet at the Martello Tower, beside the White Sands Hotel at 11:00. There’s a bus stop next to it, and the DART is within walking.
Wear appropriate footwear such as boots or wellies and bring paper and crayons for making rubbings. Ordinary A4 paper and twistable crayons will do fine.
Date & Time: 11:00 am start, Sunday 27th November.
Location: Martello Tower, Portmarnock.
More info: Dublin Branch
Join us this Tuesday 13th December at 19:00 for a webinar from the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal. Our guest speaker will be our very own campaign officer Padraic Fogarty. We’ll be discussing the news from the conference and what it can do to help save nature on our planet.
To attend this free webinar register using the link below;
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZSxJEorIQEKj0y29f6XBxA
Hosted by Waterford Branch.
Cuan Dhún Garbháin agus Dún na Mainistreach.
Meet at the car park by the Shandon Roundabout in Dungarvan next to Waterford Council’s offices at 1.00.
We will head down to the seawall at the harbour by the town park, walk to Abbeyside and on to Killongford Bridge and back to Dungarvan via the Greenway.
The main focus will be on birds. Bring your binoculars!
Hosted by Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin
Join us this December for an outing to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.
Our December outings BC (Before Covid!) were to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin
where a brilliant guide showed us that “The Bots in Winter” were not simply dormant but
were waiting to spring (the obvious word) into life in the following months. We will be back this year!
Date & Time: 11:00 am start, Sunday 18th December.
Location: the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.
More info: Dublin Branch
08 Jan: Waterford: Carrigavantry and Ballyscanlan Lake Walk
IWT Waterford Branch will be leading a visit to Carrigavantry and Ballyscanlan Lake, Co. Waterford (Carraig an Bhruinnteora agus Loch Bhaile Uí Scanláin). The Walk will be led by Denis Cullen.
Location: Meet at the carpark opposite the Applegreen garage in Tramore
Date: Sunday 8th January.
Time: 13:00
Event contact: iwtwaterfordbranch@gmail.com
10 Jan: IWT Webinar: Rights of Nature
The Citizens’ Assembly has recommended that Ireland’s Constitution be changed to include reference to biodiversity, perhaps to allow for recognition of Rights of Nature. This webinar will explore the ideas behind Rights of Nature and what it might mean for Ireland. We will talk to James Orr and Katie Holden about the campaign for the Rights of Nature to be recognised in Ireland.
Register for this free webinar using this registration link
22 Jan: Dublin: Bull Island Birding Outing
IWT Dublin Branch loves to start the year with an annual January outing to Bull Island to see the birds, especially the Brent Geese. We are fortunate this year to be led by two volunteers from Birdwatch Ireland. It promises to be a great morning. Bring binoculars and telescopes if you have them, but we should have some to share. And remember – wrap up well.
Location: Meet at the end of the Causeway, opposite the wonderful carved tree.
Date: Sunday 22nd January
Time: 11:00
Event contact: dublinbranch@iwt.ie
This webinar will look at the Lesser Horseshoe Bat and the recent action plan that was published for it’s conservation in Ireland. To learn about this fascinating native mammal we will be chatting with Dr Kate McAney.
Kate McAney is Ireland Mammal Programme Manager at the Vincent Wildlife Trust. Kate McAney obtained a PhD from University College Galway in 1987 for her research on the summer activity and diet of the lesser horseshoe bat in County Clare. Since 1991 she has been working in Ireland for the Vincent Wildlife Trust, a UK-based wildlife charity, and has spent most of that time working on practical conservation actions for the lesser horseshoe bat. In 2022 she co-authored the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Species Action Plan with Dr Ferdia Marnell, National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Date & Time: Feb 9, 2023, 07:00 PM
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bft3gzqHQ6abCBXVai_5Xg
February Foraging with Samuel Arnold Keane
This is a Dublin Branch event
We are going to have an absolutely marvellous outing on Sunday, February 12th when Samuel Arnold Keane will take us foraging!
With foraging edible ‘weeds’ we end up taking care and protecting wild pieces of land. We form a relationship with land that is otherwise labelled as ‘neglected’ or disused. It is this type of ‘wild’ land that we so desperately need to allow insect life- and therefore bird life, and indeed human life to become sustainable. In an urban setting, foraging can be a strong practice in community building, while gathering, preparing, preserving wild foods and materials into many various uses. It is an activity than can include all ages and abilities.
The Sunday low tides for 2023 are seriously low, so we are meeting at Dalkey Dart Station at 9:30 to walk to Whiterock Beach in Killiney. Wear sensible shoes, and bring a small container or two for your ‘forage’
Samuel has a wonderful new book on foraging, and he will have copies to sell. They are €10 each, and you will need CASH.
Date & Time: 12th February, 09:30
Meeting Point: Dalkey Dart Station
Contact: dublinbranch@iwt.ie
This event is hosted by Waterford Branch
The next outing of the Waterford branch of the IWT is next Sunday, 12th February to Marlfield Pond, Clonmel with a look at the Greylag Geese and Whooper Swans on the way.
They can best be seen at Darrigal on the Portlaw to Carrick road (R680) or at Tibberaghny ( best viewed from the high road at Brownswood)
We therefore plan to meet at Kilmeaden railway station at 1pm. S 51497 10762
We will stop briefly at the Tesco carpark on the ring road, Clonmel at 2pm for anyone who prefers to join us there. S 20964 23363
More details: iwtwaterfordbranch@gmail.com
This webinar will talk with Richard Nairn, an ecologist and writer based in County Wicklow. In this webinar he will talk about Ireland’s native woodland including its wildlife, management and policies for its protection.
Date & Time: Mar 7, 2023, 07:00 PM
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C7mtHS2VQA6l2vPysl516w
Limerick Climbing Club are holding an environmental awareness talk on Tuesday March 21st, at 7.30 in Mary I, room T.1.17.
The topic is ‘Birds of the Irish Uplands’, which covers the birds of our local hills and mountains that we are likely to see or hear, and wonder how they live their lives in places that we are happy to visit briefly. Our speaker, Tom Tarpey, is a local birdwatcher, a member of BirdWatch Limerick and consultant, with many years of experience, from the Shannon estuary to the Galtees, with all habitats in between. We have invited members of the Limerick branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust, and we hope to see many of you there too. Incidentally, identification swatches for many groups of insects will be on sale. (€5 each).
Rewilding is recognised as among the quickest, easiest and cheapest ways of addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis. It is exciting and hopeful but has also made some nervous. This event will look at how we can make rewilding work for people as well as nature at a landscape scale.
Date and time: March 25th from 10am to 1pm
Location: Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, Co. Longford, Keenagh, Co. Longford, N39 XT18
Speakers:
Alan McDonnell – Programme Development Manager, Trees For Life and Affric Highlands Rewilding Project
Sue Moles – Conservation Ranger for County Longford NPWS
Padraic Fogarty – Irish Wildlife Trust Campaign Officer
Hosted by IWT Dublin Branch
Once again our March outing is along the River Liffey in Springtime, and once again it’s led
by the wonderful Tim Clabon.
It’s on March 26 th , at 10:30, Remember – that’s the day the clocks go FORWARD – one hour less sleep!
Meet: Sluice Carpark, Lucan. Opposite McDonald’s
This webinar will look at new research into lynx and wolves in Ireland, both their history and their future. We’ll be talking to Dara Sands and Colin Guilfoyle.
Dara Sands
Dara Sands is a PhD researcher from County Down who now lives in Norway and works at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. His background is in conservation biology, but his current research project is focused on the social and political sides of conservation and rewilding. His talk examines the possibility of reintroducing and coexisting with wolves in Ireland.
Colin Guilfoyle
Col an ecologist from Newport, Co. Mayo who recently completed a masters with a research focus on using baseline biodiversity data to inform restoration and management in the Nephin Forest of Wild Nephin National Park. He recently published research which focussed on assessing the current ecological suitability of Ireland for the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), one of Ireland’s extinct carnivores.
Date & Time: Wednesday 12th April, 2023, 07:00 PM
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qfnRacdSTc2raAQmChmOqQ