Ballymacraven-River-in-Ennistymon-Co-Clare-1200x675 Clare River Revives After 2023 Fish Kill — Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co Clare

A community-led initiative is using art and science to mark the recovery of the Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co Clare, following a major fish kill in May 2023.

The two-day Fish Live in Trees gathering, taking place on October 2 and 3, highlights both the return of fish and the volunteer effort that helped restore the river. Members of the Restore Ballymacraven River Association planted more than 1,600 native Irish trees along the lower river corridor, improving habitat and encouraging fish to return.

Eva Birdthistle, Creative Communities Engagement Officer with Clare County Council, said the project shows how “creativity, care for nature, and collective action can bring about positive change.”

Artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly are documenting the project and interviewed Ruairí Ó Conchúir of the Local Authority Waters Programme, a cofounder of the RBRA. Bill Keane, a fisheries officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland, joined them along the river, a key salmon spawning ground. Ó Conchúir explained that trees provide shade, cooler water, and shelter for fish, summarising the project’s guiding principle: “fish live in trees.”

Image3-1200x800 Clare River Revives After 2023 Fish Kill — Ballymacraven River in Ennistymon, Co Clare

The gathering is part of Catchments 2025, a wider programme connecting artists, scientists, and communities along seven Irish water bodies this year. Cleary said the initiative aims to give people the opportunity to engage with issues of water quality and biodiversity loss.

The programme is funded by a Research Ireland Discover Award, Clare County Council’s Creative Ireland fund, and the Department of Education, with support from local galleries, the UCD Earth Institute, and the RBRA. All events are free, but booking is required. More information is available at here.