Lough Carra Catchment Association Podcast

The guest of this episode is Luke Drea, the Senior CommunityWater Officer for LAWPRO in the Western region. We talk about LAWPRO’s mission and community‑centred water‑quality initiatives, such as citizen‑scienceprogrammes and funding for local action groups.
Luke shares his personal connection to the Great WesternLakes, and the path that led him from the equestrian world and angling to freshwater ecology. He also shares his thoughts on Ireland’s declining water quality and the importance of community led projects, such as the Lough Carra Catchment Association, in restoring the country’s rivers and lakes.

The guest of this episode is Luke Drea, the Senior CommunityWater Officer for LAWPRO in the Western region. We talk about LAWPRO’s mission and community‑centred water‑quality initiatives, such as citizen‑scienceprogrammes and funding for local action groups.
Luke shares his personal connection to the Great WesternLakes, and the path that led him from the equestrian world and angling to freshwater ecology. He also shares his thoughts on Ireland’s declining water quality and the importance of community led projects, such as the Lough Carra Catchment Association, in restoring the country’s rivers and lakes.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Yvonne McDermott, Lecturer in History and Geography at ATU Mayo, to discuss the archaeology of Lough Carra. We start from the earliest traces of human life around the lake, the Bronze and Iron Age features still visible today, and finish with Medieval landmarks that shape the area — including Castle Carra, Castle Burke, Ballintubber Abbey, Church Island, and Burriscarra Friary.
Dr McDermott also shares her thoughts on the future of LoughCarra’s heritage and what could be done to better protect these remarkablesites.

In this episode, the guests are local environmental conservation legends Chris and Lynda Huxley to talk about their life and their decision to settle at Lough Carra, where they immediately began documenting the lake's rich wildlife and changing environment.
We talk about their pivotal role in founding the Lough Carra Catchment Association, highlighting how they united scientists, local authorities, and the community to fight for the lake's unique flora and fauna.
Finally, we look to the future and discuss the association's new land acquisition and what it would take to fully restore the catchment

The guest of this episode is Michael Kingdon, who is a naturalist and conservationist who has spent decades living on the shores of Lough Carra.
We discuss the work of the Clogher Environmental Group, including the creation of Sand Martin walls and community ponds, as well as the best spots to witness the famous Starling murmurations at Moore Hall.
Michael is a keen angler and a regular columnist for the Connaught Telegraph and Mayo News.