Limerick City and County Council marked Earth Day 2026 by hosting a Butterfly Monitoring Training Workshop on Saturday, 18 April, at Dooradoyle Library and Baggot Estate, Limerick.
The half‑day event brought together members of the public, nature enthusiasts and volunteers with an interest in biodiversity and citizen science. Participants took part in an indoor learning session followed by hands‑on field monitoring, gaining practical skills to help support national butterfly conservation efforts.
The workshop was led by Dr Liam Lysaght, Chief Executive Officer of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, whose expertise and engaging delivery were widely welcomed.
Dr Lysaght introduced Ireland’s butterfly species, butterfly identification techniques, and the national butterfly transect monitoring scheme, before guiding participants during an outdoor monitoring session at Baggot Estate.
Sinead McDonnell, Biodiversity Officer with Limerick City and County Council highlighted the importance of community participation in biodiversity monitoring, particularly considering ongoing biodiversity loss and climate pressures.
Speaking after the event, Sinead McDonnell said:
“Butterflies are important indicators of the health of our environment. It was encouraging to see such strong interest from the public in learning how they can contribute meaningful data that supports national conservation efforts.”
Dr Liam Lysaght noted the value of citizen science in building a clearer picture of Ireland’s biodiversity:
“Local monitoring plays a vital role in understanding how our butterfly populations are changing. Workshops like this help empower communities to take an active role in recording and protecting biodiversity.”
The event was an outcome task from the successful ‘The Future of Moths and Butterflies in Ireland’ event hosted by Limerick City and County Council in June 2025. It also forms part of Limerick City and County Council’s wider programme of biodiversity awareness activities in the county.
