Andaire Tours & Experiences

03/11/2023

28/10/2023

Coole is busy preparing for Hallowe'en...

24/10/2023

At least 8 species of fungi were found on one tree in Coole today! They are huge contributors to the breakdown of organic matter, feeding nutrients back into the soil. Some are tasty snacks for our woodland creatures. Some provide shelter for insects. Some are indicators of the health of a tree, such as Hymenoscyphus fraxineus - Ash Die-back - that has sadly resulted in the felling of many infected ash trees in Coole. This Kingdom of Fungi come in a fantastic array of shape and size and colour so keep a look out for some on your walk.

14/10/2023

SummaryRead the latest news from the Burren National Park in our Autumn Newsletter

08/10/2023

29/09/2023

29/09/2023

Enjoy a guided walk in the Burren National Park this Autumn as nature prepares for winter and the autumn light shines on the Burren limestone. Tours also available during the week on request. All tours are free but must be booked in advance.
Please contact 065 6827693 or [email protected] for more info or to book. 🍄🍂🌄

28/09/2023

This little beauty wandered in to the Visitor Centre recently. A Grey Dagger caterpillar, very different in colour to its adult form which is a mottled grey appearance with dark dagger shapes on the forewings. This species has quite a few larval food plants on its menu including Rowan, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Birch and Linden (Lime), so we popped it onto a lime leaf outside the centre where it began munching straight away.

11/09/2023

09/09/2023

08/09/2023

We all want to get out and enjoy the good weather but let’s do it responsibly - without putting nature at risk. The NPWS is appealing to everyone to be vigilant and, in particular, not light fires or bbqs in public places. That includes our National Parks and Nature Reserves, coastal sand dunes, mountains and upland areas, forests and meadows. The NPWS has increased ground crews on fire patrol this year as well as aerial monitoring. If you do notice a fire please call the emergency services on 112 immediately.

08/09/2023

Join us in our ever-popular Family Fun Scavenger Hunt Extravaganza this Sunday at 11am. Suitable for children aged 7 up accompanied by an adult.

Email [email protected] or phone 091 631 804 to book in.

27/08/2023

Turned out to be a lovely day for a swim -
Can you find the Galway Ho**er sailing past?
le Andaire

26/08/2023

While there are plenty of flora still in bloom in the Burren National Park, alas, orchid season is almost over! Autumn Lady's-Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) is the last orchid species of the year to flower. It's tiny, white flowers are arranged in a spiral around the stem and can be found from around mid-August through to September.

24/08/2023

Great talk about nature by Matthijs Schouten at BurrenBeo

Matthijs Schouten has a background in biology, Celtic linguistics and literature, comparative religious studies and Eastern philosophy. He led the Dutch-Iris...

22/08/2023

Had a look into the new library in Kinsale. The building used to be a corn store. Wonderful place!
le Andaire

22/08/2023

Had a look into the new library in Kinsale. The building used to be a corn store. Wonderful place!
le Andaire

21/08/2023

Kinsale before the night comes
le Andaire

21/08/2023

Getting to know Kinsale … went for a walk out to James Fort and the Block House after a swim at Dock Beach

14/08/2023

Have you spotted one of these butterflies whilst out and about in the park? Count yourself lucky, as they’re not that common in Ireland, favouring counties Galway and Clare as their breeding grounds where their larval food plants of Purging Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn grow in abundance. July to September sees the newly-emerged adults basking in the sun along woodland verges and gorging on nectar of mostly purple flowers before tucking themselves away amongst ivy, holly and brambles to hibernate over winter.

12/08/2023

Kilkee and Loop Head Lighthouse on a wild Summer day

11/08/2023

Wonderful Burren in August

09/08/2023

Wonderful trip to Inchagoill on Lough Corrib, blue sky and sunshine
🌞

04/08/2023

The Irish Bodhrán is sometimes described as the heartbeat of Irish music, and whilst we know the tradition was born on this Island, remarkably little is know...

04/08/2023

With all the wet weather recently, fungi season has come early. Here are some beauties recorded in Coole in the last few days: Russula sp., Amethyst Deceiver and Witches' Butter. Fungi play an important role in woodland ecology, helping to decompose organic matter to provide fresh nutrients for plant growth. And as you can see from the larger Russula mushroom, they are tasty snacks for some of our woodland creatures too.

30/07/2023

The Comma butterfly used to be a rare sight outside of the sunny confines of the south-east, but it has been spreading consistently north-west since the early 2000s. This beauty was spotted in Coole Park the other day - July to August is the flight time of the second generation of adults, the first being April - May.
If you want to entice them into your garden, it's worth leaving a patch of nettles as this is the favourite food plant of its caterpillars!

25/07/2023

Look who's back! We're pleased to announce that Your Man's Puppets will be performing his puppetry magic in Coole Park Visitor Centre on Saturday 5th August at 3pm. Tommy has been creating and bringing his remarkable puppets to life for many years, performing to audiences across the world. Come and enjoy an afternoon of his unique and entertaining style of storytelling.

This event is FREE, but booking is essential. Please contact 091 631 804 or email [email protected] to reserve your seat. All ages welcome.

23/07/2023

Rainy day on Achill - even the sheep stay at home

20/07/2023

The brush of a Thistle 🌿 against your leg is never a nice sensation, but their prickly exterior makes these wild plants some of Ireland’s most resilient pollinators. Their defence system is so robust, the Celtic people associated the Thistle with determination, strength, overcoming adversity and difficult situations. No wonder it was chosen as the national flower of Scotland!

🐝Thistles are a firm favourite for Irish bees, and play an essential role in the Biodiversity Ireland All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020.

Have a read of the plan to see how you can help rewild Ireland and support biodiversity:
�https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Councils_actions-to-help-pollinators-2018-WEB.pdf

20/07/2023

Sunny day at Loop Head

19/07/2023

Sunset under a heavy rain shower last night at the cliffs

02/07/2023

Would you like to know more about the Gregorys of Coole and the workings of the estate during their ownership? Why not join one of our guided walks with a NPWS guide! Who knows, you might learn a bit of 19th Century gossip!

Booking is essential as places are limited. Please email [email protected] or call 091 631 804.

29/06/2023