To celebrate National Biodiversity Week 2025, Galway City Council and Galway County Council are teaming up with MKO, Galway Atlantaquaria, Conservation Volunteers Galway and the University of Galway to undertake a Bioblitz and Biodiversity festival at Rinville Park, Oranmore. A series of surveys will be undertaken to count as many species as we can within the Park.
We are inviting members of the public to join us for some biodiversity-related guided walks, talks and demonstrations. A list of the various activities is provided below. All activities are free and centred at the castle/playground area. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
What is a BioBlitz? It’s a race against the clock to find and identify as many species as possible within 24 hours. It’s a fun and educational way to learn about the amazing biodiversity right in our own backyard.
National Biodiversity Week Ireland takes place 16th – 25th May 2025.
| Thursday 22nd May | |
| 19:00 – 19:45 | Bioblitz Countdown Timer starts. Big Beach Survey with Galway Atlantaquaria. (Meet at the Beach Car Park). Click here for coordinates. |
| 20:00 – 21:00 | Public talk on moths and mammal/bat surveys. Demonstration of setting up of moth and camera traps along with small mammal traps and hedgehog tubes |
| 21:00 – 23:00 | Bat walk and nocturnal foray – all welcome |
| Friday 23rd May | |
| 06:30 – 08:00 | Dawn Chorus walk in the park and along the shore. |
| 09:00 – 10:00 | Moth and small mammal trap opening. |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Biodiversity of the Park with Biodiversity Officers Rosina Joyce (Galway County Council) and Paula Kearney (Galway City Council) |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Pond dipping and aquatic sampling demonstration |
| 14:30-15:00 | Conservation Detection Dogs demonstration |
| 15:30-16:00 | Camera trap viewing and species counting |
| 18:30 | Species recording with Conservation Volunteers Galway. (Meet at the Beach Car Park). |
Check out our highlights from the 2024 and 2023 Bioblitz.
