Offaly County Council planning 'bat roost house' in Edenderry

Offaly County Council has announced it will be constructing a bat roost house at Blundell Park, Edenderry, in what it described as "a significant step forward for local biodiversity".

The local authority said the project is the first of its kind in Offaly and is designed to "provide a safe, permanent roosting site for native bat species that already thrive in the area".

The initiative was proposed as part of Offaly County Council's successful application to the Sport Ireland 'Amuigh Faoin Spéir' fund in 2024, which supports projects combining sports and recreation with biodiversity measures. The joint proposal by Offaly Sports Partnership and the Offaly Biodiversity Officer Ricky Whelan secured funding for both an upgrade to the nearby astroturf facility and the new bat roost house.

The bat roost house will be located in Blundell Park, between the existing skatepark and the park’s boundary with the Woodfield/Blundell Wood residential areas.

This site was chosen by the council’s biodiversity officer in collaboration with the members of Edenderry Municipal District.

The bat roost structure, designed in-house by Offaly County Council technical staff and inspired by a Vincent Wildlife Trust model in Galway, will feature a 3m x 3m footprint and stand just under 4m high.

Built with block and finished in cement, the design incorporates guidance from Bat Conservation Ireland and bat specialist Dr Tina Aughney to ensure it meets the needs of local bat species, the council said.

The project will be completed by a local contractor following a competitive procurement process, with a total cost of under €25,000.

The council said the bat roost house "will enhance biodiversity in Blundell Park and complement plans for a nearby community garden", with bats playing "a vital role in controlling insect populations, including many pest species, making them an important ally for gardeners, farmers and the wider ecosystem".

From next spring, the council's biodiversity office plans to host bat walks and talks as part of its biodiversity events programmes.

Eamonn Henry of Offaly Sports Partnership welcomed the project saying, "physical recreation and healthy environments are cornerstones of our health and wellbeing.

"Public green spaces give us the unique opportunity to unite these values, where nature thrives, people also flourish."

Biodiversity Officer Ricky Whelan said: “Blundell Park is the ideal location for the bat house.

"We know there is abundant bat activity in the area, and with the park linking to the wider Offaly countryside via the Grand Canal, which acts as a wildlife corridor, this project brings bats and other biodiversity right into this wonderful urban green space."