New Bat Roost Opens at Historic Galway Park

Minister of State Seán Canney visited Coole Park Nature Reserve at the weekend to officially open a new bat roost and accept a rare signed WB Yeats book gifted to the State.

The new roost was created by renovating an old apple store on the Coole Park grounds. It provides a safe shelter for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, a rare species unique to Ireland’s western seaboard. The renovation preserved original features such as the stonework and limestone slab floor.

Coole Park, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service since 1987, is a historic site once home to Lady Augusta Gregory and the Gregory family. It is a vital habitat for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat and a key location for both nature and cultural heritage.

Minister Canney said Coole Park is a world-class site for visitors and conservation. He welcomed the signed limited edition of WB Yeats’ Autobiographies, gifted by Cicely Muldoon, whose family emigrated from Limerick to California. The book will be part of Coole Park’s collection.

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan praised the project for protecting a vulnerable species while restoring a historic building using traditional methods.

Cicely Muldoon, formerly of Yosemite National Park, highlighted the shared commitment between Irish and US National Parks to preserve natural heritage. She said the book’s return to Coole Park symbolises deep historical ties and honours the site’s inspiration to artists and writers.

William Cormacan, Divisional Manager at NPWS, said the event celebrated the unique blend of nature and culture at Coole Park. He affirmed the NPWS commitment to preserving the site for future generations as a top destination for nature conservation and literary heritage.

Coole Park is part of the Coole Garryland Complex Special Area of Conservation, an important refuge for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, protected under the EU Habitats Directive.