To celebrate National Biodiversity Week 2026, Galway County Council and local schools are teaming up with MKO, The Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum and numerous other volunteers and groups to undertake a Bioblitz and Biodiversity festival in Loughrea. The event will be centred around Loughrea Lake and its shores and will involve counting as many species as possible within a 24 hour period from 19:30 on the 21st May until 19:30 on the 22nd May. Teams of ecologists will be active in the area counting species during this period and aiming to record as many as they can.
In addition, there will be an event centre set up on the fair green and 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 most are centred on the lakeshore and around the town. 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 15th – 24th May 2026.
In addition to the above:
- There will be demonstrations of aerial and underwater drones throughout the day.
- The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will have a stand at the Fair Green, will have educational biodiversity material on display and will be joining in the bioblitz effort.
Hedgerows Ireland will be running an educational event throughout the day at Mad Yolk Farm on the 22nd May, with guided walks at 11am and 1pm. The walks will be approximately 1.5 hours in length.
Explore highlights from previous years
