Become a Nature Detective with the Kilkenny County Council Library Service

The Kilkenny County Council Library Service in association with the Biodiversity Officer is delighted to announce the re-launch of the Environmental Science Kits for Ecological Recording (ESKER) kits.

ESKER kits are borrowable boxes of ecological recording equipment. The programme was launched as a pilot in 2023 and after some fine tuning, they have been relaunch making the ecology equipment more user friendly as they are packaged in themed boxes specific to the user’s needs.

• Bat Exploration Kit (Includes a Bat Detector and an Identification Guide to Irelands Bats)
• Bird Observation Kit (Includes a binocular, a tally counter and a Birds of Ireland Book)
• Plants and ecological Exploration Kit (Includes a compass, ID Guides for Wildflowers and Grasses)
• Insect Exploration Kits (Includes a sweep net, ID Swatches for Insects and a magnifying glass)
• Water Ecology Kit (Includes a kick sampling net, bathyscope and magnifying jars)

Originally created by the Heritage Council in partnership with Kilkenny County Council Library Services the ESKER kits are designed to support citizen science, biodiversity awareness, and community ecological recording to help individuals to actively respond to biodiversity loss and climate change.
Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive Officer with the Heritage Council said “We developed the ESKER project as we were witnessing an increase in the number of communities seeking to become more action-focused when faced with the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. We were keen to support and nurture this energy so were pleased to partner with 17 County Libraries, including Kilkenny, on the ESKER pilot initiative. Although the pilot has ended, we remain active and available to support Librarians and Biodiversity Officers and are delighted that Kilkenny County Council is taking a step forward in making the kits more accessible and user-friendly.”
Aideen McDonald, Executive Librarian with Kilkenny County Council Library Service, said:
“We are delighted to announce the relaunch of the ESKER Kits, which are now available to borrow from our Mayfair and Loughboy Library branches. These kits offer a fantastic opportunity for individuals and groups to connect with nature, learn new skills and explore the rich biodiversity on their doorstep. We would encourage anyone with an interest in local wildlife, ecology or citizen science to check out the ESKER Kits and make the most of this unique and engaging resource.”
Bernadette Moloney, the Biodiversity Officer with Kilkenny County Council said “As National Biodiversity Week draws to a close, the ESKER Kits provides you with a helping hand to explore nature. The kits are full of identification swatches with equipment that caters for everyone’s level of learning. I ask that borrowers return the kits back to the library clean and ready for the next user and to log your recordings on Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal via their mobile app biodiversityireland.ie as capturing accurate snapshots of nature and setting reliable baselines is essential to understanding how biodiversity is changing—and how we can act to protect it. It’s a great project to have been involved with as it aligns with the Kilkenny Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030.
The kits are available to borrow from the Mayfair and Loughboy Libraries in Kilkenny City.

Left to Right: Lorcan Scott from the Kilkenny Naturalist Field Club, Karyn Deegan from the Kilkenny County Council Library Service, Meadhbh Bolger from The Heritage Council and Bernadette Moloney, Kilkenny County Council’s Biodiversity Officer