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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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A project led by the community in Stradbally and Laois County Council is taking practical action to enhance the town’s wildlife and built heritage.
Stradbally Community Development Association was granted funding in 2021 through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, for the conservation of the bridge at the centre of the town, public realm enhancements and actions to improve biodiversity.
After a period of planning the project is now seeing visible action on the ground, with nest boxes for breeding swifts installed at strategic locations in the town this week. Swifts are a summer visitor to Ireland from Africa, a little bit larger than a swallow but blackish-brown all over, except for a small, white chin-patch, with a short tail and long, sickle-shaped wings Swifts in Ireland are in decline. We have lost 40% of our Swifts in the last ten years, according to BirdWatch Ireland.
A survey carried out for Laois Heritage Office in 2018 highlighted the importance of Stradbally as a stronghold for swifts in the county.
Ricky Whelan of BirdWatch Ireland assisted the SCDA group with finding the best site for the new nest boxes and was there on Saturday to help with installation.
“It's fantastic to see Laois County Council and local communities collaborate to help this charismatic and endangered bird across County Laois. The swift boxes installed in Stradbally will increase nesting opportunities for swifts in the town and we hope that this will have a positive impact on the population locally.
"A Biodiversity Week walk held in Stradbally this week explored the swifts, swallows and house martins of the town, and it was great to see such interest from people from Stradbally and farther afield in these beautiful birds and how to help them. BirdWatch Ireland looks forward to working with the community of Stradbally in the coming years to enhance the town for all wildlife,” he said.
John O’Brien is PRO with the Stradbally Community Development Association.
“The birds are singing and moving swiftly in Stradbally especially on Main Street and Hunters Lane . Stradbally Tidy Towns and Stradbally Community Development Association are delighted to join forces to execute a project that will enhance the town’s wildlife and built heritage," he said.
He thanked Pat Deegan Engineering and his team in Stradbally for their expertise, time and hard work.
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