From community gardens and wildflower meadows to bird boxes, trail cameras and youth activities, four Lurgan clubs are showing how GAA grounds can become thriving spaces for both people and nature.
Four Lurgan GAA clubs are making their mark through the Ulster GAA Sporting Nature Project, demonstrating how biodiversity can become part of everyday club life.
St Peter’s, Clan na Gael, Clann Éireann and St Paul’s have each embraced the project in their own way, creating habitats for wildlife while providing new opportunities for members and the wider community to connect with nature.
The Sporting Nature Project, led by Ulster GAA in partnership with RSPB NI and NI Water, is supporting clubs across Ulster to take practical action for biodiversity and make their grounds more welcoming for nature.
St Peter’s – Nature bringing the community together
At St Peter’s, the project has become a genuine community initiative. The club has developed a community garden, wildflower meadow, planters and no-mow areas, alongside a bug hotel and bird boxes. Importantly, these spaces are being used by different groups within the club community, including the Silver Whites and Autastic, a group supporting children with autism and special educational needs.
“It has been great to see different groups using the garden and getting involved. It has become much more than a biodiversity project – it is a space where people can come together.” — Jimmy Magee, St Peter’s
The club has also developed interpretation signage highlighting local wildlife, helping members and visitors learn more about the species found around the club grounds. The initiative has proved particularly successful, with the approach subsequently shared with and adopted by other Sporting Nature clubs across Ulster.
Clan na Gael – Creating space for wildlife
At Clan na Gael, the club has focused on creating new habitats and encouraging members to discover the wildlife already using their grounds. A community garden, wildflower areas, tree planting and bug hotel have all been developed, while a trail camera is helping the club identify wildlife visiting the grounds.
“The project has encouraged us to look at our grounds differently and think about what we can do to make them better for wildlife. The trail camera has also been a great way of finding out what is actually using the space.” — Eileen McGivern, Clan na Gael
Clann Éireann – Engaging all generations
At Clann Éireann, Sporting Nature has been incorporated into the club’s existing community and youth activities. The club has engaged its youth club and ran a Sporting Nature activity as part of its summer scheme. It also used Big Garden Birdwatch as an opportunity to engage with older members of the community, organising an event specifically for older women.
“Sporting Nature has given us another way to engage people with the club. It has shown that nature activities can involve everyone, from young people through to older members of our community.” — Caoimhe Devlin, Clann Éireann
St Paul’s – Discovering the wildlife on the doorstep
At St Paul’s, the club has undertaken a broad programme of activity, including creating a wildflower meadow, tree planting, bird and insect identification events, trail cameras and interpretation signage. The club has also installed bat boxes and hedgehog boxes, creating additional habitats while giving members an opportunity to learn more about the species living around their grounds.
“The project has given us an opportunity to make biodiversity something people can see and get involved with. The bird, bat and hedgehog projects have all helped people take a greater interest in the wildlife around the club.” — Eamon O’Connor, St Paul’s
More than just sporting spaces
While each club has taken a different approach, the four Lurgan clubs share a common message: GAA clubs are more than just sporting spaces. Community gardens, wildflower meadows, trees, bird and bat boxes and wildlife monitoring are creating new habitats, but they are also creating opportunities for people to meet, learn and participate.
The experience of the four clubs also highlights the value of sharing ideas across the Sporting Nature network. What starts as an initiative at one club can provide inspiration for others, helping good ideas spread across the Province. From young people taking part in summer activities to older members getting involved in birdwatching, the Lurgan clubs are showing that nature can provide a new way to connect people with their club and their community.
As the Sporting Nature Project continues to grow, the work taking place across these four clubs provides a strong example of how practical changes around GAA grounds can create more vibrant spaces for both people and wildlife.
For more information on this programme please email fionntan.odowd.ulster@gaa.ie
By Michael Devlin Tue 6th Oct
