TIM McCann is spearheading an amazing project that's going to grow and grow – literally.
The wildlife champion’s new job harnesses his two great loves – the GAA and nature. He's become the organisation’s first Sporting Nature Officer!
It’s initially a three-year Ulster project, but it’s got so much potential that Dúlra could see it rolled out nationally.
Thirty clubs across the North are taking part in the Sporting Nature Project, where they aim to boost biodiversity, especially around their pitches.
Four clubs in Belfast are involved: Davitt’s, St Gall's, Lámh Dhearg and Sarsfield’s.
“They each get a small amount of seed funding, pun intended, and expert advice on how to boost nature and kickstart the project,” Tim told Dúlra this week.
DREAM JOB: Tim McCann is combining his love of GAA with his passion for the great outdoors
Next Thursday [August 7] St Gall’s hosts the GAA’s first Bioblitz as part of Féile an Phobail, where the public are encouraged to come along (10am-2pm) and help find and list everything from bugs to birds on the club’s grounds and the adjoining Bog Meadows. As well as Tim there’ll be a wide range of experts on hand from groups like RSPB, Ulster Wildlife and Butterfly Conservation to help with identification.
Tim has spent a lot of time in the four Belfast clubs trying to help them increase wildlife, doing things like putting up swift and bat boxes. But he admits to being most impressed by what he found at Michael Davitt’s. The Falls Road club’s pitches at Beechmount are a “treasure trove” of wildlife, he says.
“When I first arrived here, I didn’t expect much. It’s an urban club, but the first thing I was greeted with was a wildflower meadow that had just recently been planted,” he said.
“And then when we came up to the club’s grounds, we came across a wooded area at the back which was absolutely amazing – a real treasure trove for nature. When we went in closer to examine it, we saw evidence of foxes and so many birds, including jays.”
He added: “There’s a wee bit of poetry about it – the stag is on Michael Davitt’s crest and in Celtic mythology, the stag was often seen as a protector of the forest and of local wildlife, and here we are again with Davitt’s protecting wildlife.”
Bringing nature back to club grounds is a brilliant concept. Dúlra remembers the swallows skimming the grass when Antrim played at Casement. They nested under the stand roof.
As Tim says, Belfast's GAA grounds are “green lungs” in the city.
It’s the perfect job for Tim. When Dúlra spoke to him this week he was at the top of the Mournes leading 36 young GAA leaders on a camping trip! He has spent years working for the RSPB, Ulster Wildlife and most recently as manager of the brilliant Belfast Window on Wildlife sanctuary down at the Docks.
The chance to merge all that experience with his passion for the GAA – the Lurgan native is “Armagh through and through” – is a dream come true.
“If Carlsberg did jobs…” he laughs.
The clubs he’s helping to boost biodiversity at include Beragh Red Knights in County Tyrone – he says he’s rarely seen a more beautiful location. And St Paul’s in Lurgan recorded a red-tailed cuckoo bumblebee, which is very rare. But Davitt’s remains the one he was most surprised and delighted about.
“It’s a hidden gem,” he said. “When you get the enthusiasm of the people in the club for what they are doing and then find the range of biodiversity in such a small urban area, it really is eye-opening.”
And with Tim helping the clubs manage their habitats, they will be able to see the increase in nature as the years pass.
“This project is a trend setter for the organisation, a template for other clubs,” he says.
“The GAA are leaders in their local communities and have half a million members. And when young people see their sporting heroes supporting wildlife and biodiversity, it will have a knock-on effect.”
It’s fantastic work, and you can see it at first hand next Thursday at St Gall’s.
With people like Tim involved, we might even get those swallows returning to the new Casement Park!
• It’s incredible that this amazing creature is living in Dúlra’s garden. The grasshopper is bigger than the spider but it’s not so easy to catch one – they jump so far that you’ve no idea where they land. But when you do cup your hands around one, and then open them, they sit still and let you take their picture!
Dúlra hasn’t cut the lawn since spring and won’t for a few more weeks (sorry, Mrs Dúlra!), and it’s amazing how nature responds. All our gardens used to be fields in the lower Belfast Hills so the biodiversity still exists if we just allow it.
Grasshoppers are scary looking creatures close up, but they are vegetarian, munching through the grass. I wonder how many grasshoppers are needed to eat enough of the lawn to keep Mrs Dúlra happy?
• If you’ve seen or photographed anything interesting, or have any nature questions, you can text Dúlra on 07801 414804.
