Free Barn Owl Lecture in Cashel's Halla na Féile

John Lusby, Raptor Conservation Officer with Birdwatch Ireland will give an illustrated talk on one of the rarest birds in the country - the barn owl.

This nocturnal bird of prey is both loved and feared and is the subject of folklore, superstition and legend. John had a passion for the natural world from an early age.

This led John to study Zoology at NUI, Galway. He has a particular interest in birds of prey. In his role as wildlife researcher he is a regular visitor to Tipperary, one of the strongholds of the owl.

John's talk will focus on the positives and challenges facing the barn owl conservation efforts. One sad fact is that of the 387 known barn owl deaths in Ireland over the last 10 years 277 were road casualties. Other threats are poisoning and loss of habitat. John contributes regularly to press, radio, and TV including ‘Mooney Goes Wild ’ , ‘Living the Wildlife’ and ‘Wild Cities’.

Recently John has worked in environmental education which entails visiting schools and presenting the RTÉ Junior wildlife series ‘Shutterbugs’.

The Tipperary Branch of Birdwatch Ireland are delighted to host this talk which promises to be very informative by an expert on the subject. Venue: Halla na Féile, Cashel. Time and date: Monday 26th February at 8 pm. All are welcome! Admission free.