“Barna Woods and Rusheen Bay are of themselves beautiful living remnants of our ancient past. Today they may be reduced in size and confined to very small, fragile, and precious remnants, but they are no less precious for that, in fact they are more so because of it. We are blessed to have and to be the caretakers of, for the present and for future generations, these beautiful places we and the many species in them call home.

Within Barna Woods and Rusheen Bay are not only gems of our natural history but our cultural history too. These ‘gems’ are alive and well for us to cherish and nurture. Many of us who waltz through the woodland or along the bay while on our walks aren’t aware, (as of yet at least), of some of these gems as we walk by them.

Many of us don’t know, for example, that within Barna Woods among the myriad wildflowers, birds, and mammals, grow some of the oldest oak trees in all of the west of Ireland. These giant venerable oak trees, so revered by our ancestors, still stand tall and proud in Barna Woods. And in their gentle shadow lies Saint Enda’s Well, a monument of our cultural heritage that dates back to the 5th/6th century, which is still used for prayer and contemplation by many of us to this day.

Amidst our daily routines driving by, or on our weekend walks having a gossip with friends, all too many of us pass by without noticing as hundreds of species of trees, flowers, birds, mammals, fungi, and fishes, live out their lives in the woodland and bay. They live out their lives right under our very eyes, and on our watch now, in this ancient place. The cultural heritage of Saint Enda’s Well, (and more archaeological sites within Barna Woodland and Rusheen Bay), have also been passed down to our care and protection now. The oldest of those ancient oaks, the tiniest of fragile wildflowers, the cunning fox, and the majestic herons above the still waters of the bay, they are all under our care now.

We have been blessed to inherit these natural and cultural treasures of Barna Woods and Rusheen Bay. May we now protect them wisely so we too may pass them down to future generations: intact, protected, healthy, and thriving.” Ryan Crowell

Habitats: Woodland, Seashore, River, Grassland

Flora(sample): Oak, Ash, Alder, Ash, Wild Garlic, Bluebell

Fauna(sample): Grey Heron, Red Squirrel, Badger, Fox, Otter.

Public Features

St. Enda’s Well

Foot Bridges

Walkways

Picnic Area

Car Park / Bus Park

Although not a park in the formal sense of the word, nevertheless the campus of NUI Galway contains a mosaic of very important green and blue habitats that have been brought together to form an official Biodiversity Walking Trail.

The trail, which is accessible to both the campus community and the wider public, can be followed via a map, video and audio podcast tour which takes visitors from the historic Quadrangle building at University Road along the river to the northern part of the campus at Dangan. Check out www.nuigalway.ie/biodiversitytrail

Particularly noteworthy are the university grounds along the River Corrib which include a number of habitats such as parklands, woodlands, a herb garden, meadows, and reed beds. The birdlife on the campus ranges from Ireland’s smallest bird, the goldcrest, to the largest, the mute swan, as well as the world’s fastest animal, the peregrine falcon. Mammals, including the badger, fox, otter, stoat, woodmouse and pygmy shrew are also found in the grounds of NUI Galway. Distinct habitats along the biodiversity trail include the College Park in front of the Quadrangle, with sycamore and horse chestnut trees, and pipistrelle bats can be seen at sunset in the summer. The Eglinton Canal runs underneath the O’Shaughnessy Bridge that links to Fisheries Field, and is home to trout, kingfishers, and otters. The university’s herb garden, outside Moffett’s Restaurant at the Orbsen Building, is a great spot to see bees and other pollinators visiting flowers in summer. Follow the River Corrib along the campus river path to see yellow iris and common spotted orchids in summer, as well as mute swans and grey heron year round.

The Engineering Lawn, in front of the Alice Perry Engineering Building, attracts blackbirds and goldfinches, and is dotted with clover and buttercups in summer. Further along the river path, deciduous woodland between the Alice Perry Engineering Building and Corrib Village provides a habitat for woodmouse and pygmy shrew, along with bluebells and wild garlic in spring.

The alluvial woodland along the path past the Dangan Park and Ride facility features alder trees, ivy, fox, stoat, and haws in autumn.

Along the path visitors can also enjoy the reed beds between the river path and the river — home to common reed, meadowsweet, and birds such as willow warbler and reed bunting.

At Menlo Castle, on the opposite bank of the river from the sports campus, watch out for barn owl, peregrine falcon, and lesser horseshoe bats at dusk. In fact, all of Ireland’s nine bat species have been recorded in the night skies over the campus.

The Biodiversity Trail is available as a leaflet from several locations around the campus, including the information office at the Quadrangle and the Zoology and Marine Biology Museum in the Ryan Institute, and is also available from the Galway Tourist Office.

Circle of Life Garden

The Circle of Life is a national organ donor commemorative garden located in the beautifully sited seafront Quincentennial Park in Salthill overlooking Galway Bay and reflects the spirit of giving, the enduring legacy which defines the lives of organ donors. It was developed by the Strange Boat Donor Foundation in partnership with Galway City Council and was formally opened on May 6th, 2014.

The title of the garden, “Circle of Life”, derives from the five 2 metre tall stones surrounding the garden’s centre, and each has a carving and inscription symbolising the connectivity and interdependence of man at the different stages of his journey through life. These, and the garden’s many other stone features, sculpture and inscriptions, are designed to create an inclusive place of beauty, inspiration and welcome to all.

One example is the Global Heritage Stones trail which consists of a stone from each of the five continents to reflect the universality of the life giving the cause of organ donation and communicate a global message of inclusion and welcome.  Each of the five stones was sourced from a site associated with a different aspect of the advancement of humanity and arranged on a walkway extending from the garden through the park.
Other features in the Quincentennial Park include a small wildflower garden and a large picturesque ornamental pond complete with a large bird sculpture, waterfall and foot-bridge.

Definitely the most attractive park in the city and a very popular location for wedding photographs, it first opened in 1984 as part of the five hundred year celebrations of Galway as a city. This public facility was paid for by the Galway-based Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) then one of the world’s largest computer manufacturing companies who commissioned it for the benefit older people of the city. A large commemorative stone was placed above a time capsule buried that year which will not be opened until 2484.

Public Features
Sculpture Trails
Standing Stones
Commemorative plaques
Ornamental pond
Information signage
Wildflower garden
Seating