Web Feb 22nd: Make Your Own Bat Box workshop


 After a lengthy closure to facilitate major renovations to the premises, Cumann na bhFear (aka Ballinfoile Mór Men’s Shed) located at Unit 1B Sandy Road Business Park is now reopened and welcoming new members.
Because of its strong environmental ethos and as a member organisation of the Terryland Forest Park Alliance, the Cumann is offering a "Make Your Own Bat Box" workshop at 7pm tomorrow (Wednesday February 22nd) supervised by Peter Finnegan. Fee is €12 which covers the cost of materials and light refreshments.
The session will be followed a few weeks later by a practical demonstration from Dr. Caitriona Carlin of NUI Galway, in association with the Vincent Wildlife Trust and the Galway Bat Group, of how and where best to place bat boxes. This event will take place in Terryland Forest Park. Should you wish to book a place on this workshop, email felicity.gillespie@gmail.com. But please note that there are a limited amount of places available.

Because of vampire novels such as Dracula, these nocturnal flyers are sadly misunderstood. In fact bats which are protected under Irish law should be viewed as a gardener’s best friend. For the world’s only flying mammals act as natural insect control agents, as key pollinators with their droppings being prized as an excellent organic fertilizer. So gardeners should attend this workshop in order to learn how to attract more bats into their gardens.

The primary role of Cumann na bhFear is to encourage retired, working and unemployed men and women of all ages to help each other develop, learn and/or teach skills and crafts that can benefit themselves and the wider community. There is a focus on the provision of practical skills whose existence was endangered by a modern society where the ability to make or repair everyday items was been devalued. Hence the members provide courses and workshops on traditional Irish heritage crafts from woodturning to blacksmithing to beekeeping.

Photograph shows Kevin McLernon with some of the bat boxes made at Cumann na bhFhear which were donated to schools and community gardens in Galway city and county

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