Search
22 Oct 2025
Search
22 Oct 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Portlaoise not only has one of the fastest growing populations in Ireland, but it has the largest roost of rooks in the county too.
The heritage site of The Downs, a glacial ridge covered in mature trees near the town centre, is now known to have the largest rook roost in Laois.
It was the focus of a fascinating walk called Bats About Rooks, held last Friday August 19 as part of Laois Heritage Week.
Birdwatch Ireland's Ricky Whelan led the information walk, while Kildare Bat Group expert Anna Collins also gave a talk about bats, leading the audience after dark along the River Triogue bank.
Alf Harvey was there to snap the photographs on behalf of Laois Heritage and Laois County Council.
Scroll through our gallery by clicking on NEXT under each image.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
