Swift return to St. Ignatius Church
There’s been a warm west of Ireland welcome for an endangered bird species that has begun to return to Coláiste Iognáid SJ and St Ignatius Church, where specially designed swift nest boxes have been installed to help restore a traditional nesting site lost during building renovations.
According to Liam O’Connell SJ, a member of the Jesuit community at St Ignatius’ Church Galway, there was much collaboration between local conservation experts, the school community, and the parish, to ensure the safe return of the swift.
Bird Watch Ireland has warned that swifts are suffering major declines in Ireland and across much of Europe, and that the species is now listed on Ireland’s ‘Birds of Conservation Concern Red List’.
The charity said swifts, which spend most of their lives in the air, begin strengthening their wings at around six weeks old as they prepare to leave the nest. Once they take flight, they may not land again for three to five years, returning only when ready to breed.
According to the Countryside Bird Survey, carried out by BirdWatch Ireland on behalf of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Republic of Ireland lost 69% of its breeding swift population between 1998 and 2023.
Bird Watch Ireland says the decline is being driven by several factors, including the loss of nesting sites. Swifts are an urban species and typically nest in buildings in towns, villages and cities. But renovations and modern building works can remove the spaces they rely on, so one of the main causes of the decline appears to be the shortage of suitable nesting sites. That’s why the church and school project is so important, explains Fr Liam. In June 2025 Galway City Council installed four swift nest boxes at Coláiste Iognáid SJ. St Ignatius Church had been a traditional site for swifts nesting in the area for many years, until the insulation in the building was improved in the 2010’s, and the birds were unable to access their old nesting sites.
The school and church received expert advice from Paula Kearney, Biodiversity Officer with Galway City Council, and Lynda Huxley from Swift Conversation Ireland (pictured above with Murt Curry SJ, and Liam O’Connell SJ). They selected the location for the boxes and recommended the Swift Vivara Pro GZ boxes, which are made of a mixture of wood chippings and cement.
“We are glad to report that in recent days the swifts have been arriving here in small numbers,” says Fr Lian, adding, “The boxes are a wonderful sign for the students of Coláiste Iognáid, and the worshippers at St Ignatius Church, that ‘He prayeth best who loveth best all things, both great and small: For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.’”
