On Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan visited Abbyleix, Co. Laois, for the 2025 Wild Bee Festival. Organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre in collaboration with Abbeyleix Tidy Towns and Laois County Council, the annual Wild Bee Festival is an opportunity for community groups to come together and learn how to protect pollinators. Following the success of previous years in Skerries, Tralee, and Galway City, we were delighted to come to Abbeyleix for the fourth year of the festival.
Celebrating Meadows
The weekend kicked off with a talk by Lisa Doyle, Laois County Council’s new Biodiversity Officer, about biodiversity in the county and how people can get involved in protecting the unique habitats in Laois. Next, Kate Chandler from the National Biodiversity Data Centre spoke about how communities can help pollinators with simple actions such as reducing mowing and choosing pollinator-friendly plants. Then, Galway City Council Biodiversity Officer Paula Kearney talked us through the council’s successful project creating meadows in residential areas of the city.
In the afternoon, Fiona MacGowan of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns led a tour of the town, taking in areas managed for pollinators such as the new orchard on the grounds of Heritage House and the community garden. Here, we spotted the Tree Bumblebee – the first known sighting of this species in Co. Laois!
We ended the tour at the gorgeous short and long-flowering meadows at St Michael & All Angels Church of Ireland, which has seen orchids blooming as a result of this work.
Reducing mowing is one of the best ways to help pollinators, but at some point the grass will need to be cut, and this is often the most challenging stage of meadow management. Mark Clancy of Abbeyleix Tidy Towns had arranged a lineup of various methods for cutting meadows, from a traditional scythe to large-scale tractor-pulled grazers. Finally, Rev Canon Patrick Harvey showed us around his church, including a beautiful stained glass window featuring wildflowers found in the local meadows.
Wildflowers and Wetlands
Sunday began with a talk by Dr Úna Fitzpatrick on the value of native wildflowers and how to harvest locally and sow them sustainably. The weather wasn’t as spectacular as it was on Saturday, but that didn’t deter us from a fascinating walk around Abbeyleix Bog led by Fiona MacGowan and Fiona Dunne. The Abbeyleix Bog Project manages 100 hectares of raised bog, as well as public walking trails along the route of the old railway line. This volunteer-run group have transformed the bog, previously owned by Bord na Mona, through sensitive management and rewetting. We spotted several orchids along the route, and even heard a cuckoo!
We left Abbeyleix hugely inspired by their efforts to manage the whole town for biodiversity, creating a haven for pollinators and people. A big thank you to thank Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, Laois County Council, Paula Kearney, Heritage House, and everyone who helped make this year’s Wild Bee Festival a success!
Find out more:
Local Communities: Actions to Help Pollinators
Online Course: Managing Communities for Pollinators