RESIDENTS and visitors are just batty about a striking new mural at Watergate Flats in Limerick City, celebrating four of Ireland’s most iconic summer visitors, the swift, swallow, sand martin, and house martin.
Created by Draw Out’s artist in residence, Louise Keely, the mural highlights these remarkable birds, known for their aerial acrobatics and long-distance migrations, while encouraging greater awareness of the species that share our towns and cities.
This project was delivered through a collaboration between Limerick City and County Council’s Housing Construction and Maintenance Department, the Biodiversity Office, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and creative partners Draw Out.
The mural not only enhances the visual appeal of the Watergate Flats area, a spokesperson said, but serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting urban biodiversity. Swifts, swallows, and martins depend on buildings for nesting, yet their populations are under increasing pressure due to habitat loss and changes in building practices.
Speaking about the project, Limerick City and County Council Biodiversity Officer, Sinead Mc Donnell, said: “The Wildlife Walls project brings art and biodiversity together in a way that connects people with nature in their everyday lives. This mural celebrates species that many of us see every summer but may not fully recognise or understand. By highlighting them in this way, we hope to foster appreciation and encourage their protection.”
The Limerick Wildlife Walls initiative continues to grow, transforming public spaces and raising awareness of local wildlife and biodiversity conservation.
Limerick City and County Council said it “would like to thank BirdWatch Ireland for the photographs which inspired the artwork”.
Members of the public are encouraged to look out for these distinctive birds across Limerick during the summer months. This project reflects Limerick City and County Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting biodiversity, it said, in line with national actions under the National Biodiversity Action Plan.