The aim of the project is to provide swift nesting boxes on key cultural buildings in Kilkenny City. The boxes, and the accompanying swift callers, will encourage swifts to make their home in the city during the summer. This will not only enhance the cultural buildings as wildlife habitats, it will also help to increase the numbers of this iconic and threatened bird in Kilkenny City.

The Common Swift (Apus apus) is regarded as an iconic urban species and just as the sound of the Cuckoo heralds in summer in many rural areas, the swift, with their evocative scream, announces summer has arrived in Kilkenny.

The cultural buildings at which it is planned to install swift boxes include:

• The Bishops Palace (Heritage Council HQ)
• The Abbey Quarter (new cultural and business quarter currently under development)
• The Carnegie Library
• The Butler Gallery 
• The Medieval Mile Museum
• County Hall

This is a collaborative project between Kilkenny County Council Heritage Office and the Heritage Council, in partnership with cultural venues and services in the city. The Heritage Council Wildlife Officer has applied for and secured the necessary Section 35 licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the boxes and callers will be installed in early 2021.

The project supports the conservation these wonderful and threatened birds. Installing swift boxes on key cultural sites will help raise awareness and engage the public.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.