World Wetland Day will be celebrated via music and film this Saturday, February 1, at 5.30pm in the Audio-Visual Room at Connemara National Park in Letterfrack. The event is a collaboration between the Galway Music Residency and Galway County Council’s Biodiversity Office

World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on February 2 to raise awareness about the importance of boglands and their essential role in biodiversity. They provide habitats for plants and animals, including rare and endangered birds like the curlew, merlin and golden plover. Connemara has some of the most important wetland sites in Ireland.

Beyond their ecological value, Connemara’s boglands play a crucial role in water regulation, acting as natural sponges that absorb rainfall and help prevent flooding. They are important carbon sinks, helping to mitigate climate change, and play a crucial role in the availability of fresh water.

This Saturday’s World Wetlands Day event features a performance by ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s Ensemble-in-Residence, who will explore the flora and fauna of these important ecosystems through string quartet repertoire. Works will include Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 50 no. 6 –  ‘The Frog Quartet’, alongside compositions by Irish composer, Judith Ring. They include Of Wood and Water and traditional tunes The Topped Hen / The Peat Dance. The event will also feature the world premiere of the short film Wildlife on Roundstone Bog. Made by BirdWatch Ireland, it highlights the importance of Connemara’s boglands for native biodiversity, and the unique wildlife found there. Produced with support from the Local Biodiversity Action Fund from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, it features well-known wildlife experts John Lusby and Dermot Breen.

Admission to the celebration event is free and open to everyone. It will last around 75 minutes. No booking is required.

For further information, visit www.galwaymusic residency.ie.