We were delighted to weclome Mr Féidhlim Harty back to Kerry for our second in-person workshop. Our workshop was held in Kerry County Council's Anam Cultural and Arts Centre on the morning of April 7th. The morning sun was high in the sky and blue skies reigned in Killarney as our spell of beautiful weather continued to flourish. The fine weather was bittersweet for the Biosphere, as there were many absentees on the day, possibly sidetracked by the fine weather!
What’s it all about?
Are you a homeowner with large volumes of water run-off from your downpipes? If you live in Kerry then the chances are that a big ‘YES’ is the answer to this question. Excess rainwater from your roof run-off may lead to puddles and even some flooding in the vicinity of your home. Thankfully, there are ways to alleviate the pressure on your drains, including a nature-based solution.
We have applied for funding from Creative Ireland through the Kerry County Council Arts Team. We have been successful in securing funding from Creative Ireland over the past number of years and are hoping to continue working with the team in 2025. Our application for this year is focussed on our native woodlands. 'Our Wild Woodlands' initiative will engage with an illustrator and a poet to help promote the conservation of our native woodlands through the medium of art. Further details of the initiative will become available should we be successful in our funding application, watch this space!
We are delighted to welcome back Féidhlim Harty for a second workshop. Our first workshop back in January was a huge success with a sell out crowd gathering in the Garden Room at Killarney House. We were treated to an entertaining and informative morning and left thinking about what actions we can take to tackle the negative impacts on our natural watercourses.
We were delighted to learn that new Biosphere Coordinator has been employed at the Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve. Congratulations to Dr Pauhla McGrane for securing the role. As there are but two biospheres in Ireland, we have a close working relationship with the Dublin Bay Biosphere. We have collaborated on interesting projects in the past and now have the opportunity to collaborate once again.
Our beautiful Lessser Horseshoe Bat sculpture will be migrating from North Kerry to South Kerry this week, making the trek from Tralee Library to Killarney Library. The sculpture has been roosting in Tralee since September, spending Halloween and a jolly Christmas in the County Town. The sculpture, affectionately known as Helen, will move to the transition zone of our Biosphere, adjacent to the National Park and the woodlands that support this species. Although the Lesser Horseshoe Bat is particularly sensitive to light (photophobic), we're confident that Helen will be tolerant of the bright lights of Killarney.
January is finally over and whilst our bats and hedgehogs are still in hibernation, here at the Kerry Biosphere we are bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for new initiatives. We continue with Year Two of the Rainwater Planter Initiative having installed planters in St. Oliver's, Scoil Bhríde Loreto Road, and Loughquitane National Schools. In continuation of the initiative we will be hosting the ever popular Féidhlim Harty for workshop number two, keep an eye out on our social media and this website for updates on the date and location for this workshop.
The Garden Room at Killarney House was at full capacity on Monday 20th January for the Kerry Biosphere's Rainwater Planter Workshop. Hosted by the Biosphere, the workshop provider Féidhlim Harty delivered an entertaining, informative, and interactive workshop that appealed to all audience members. There were 63 participants present on the morning, and it was noted that the group was particularly interested and willing to engage with the interactive workshop. This made for a very productive morning with networking and collaborative concepts being explored. The Biosphere was delighted to welcome attendees from throughout the Kingdom, from Ballybunion in the North, to Sneem and Kenmare in South Kerry.
We are racing towards Monday 20th January and our Rainwater Planter workshop with expert Féidhlim Harty. We are looking forward to kicking off on Monday at 10am in the pleasant surroundings of the Garden Room in the decadent Killarney House. Places are being booked fast, and though limited, you can book your free ticket on the Kerry Biosphere's Eventbrite page here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/kerry-unesco-biosphere-reserve-34191586363
We're delighted to host expert Féidhlim Harty t odeliver a workshop foccussed on suburban drainge systems (SuDS) and rainwater planters. The Kerry Biosphere Rainwater Planter Initiative has been made possible from funding from Kerry County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.