Advertisement
Ours to Protect 2025

Ours to Protect 2025- Reflections

Nov 20, 2025 15:05
By radiokerrynews
Share this article
Ours to Protect 2025- Reflections
This year, Ours to Protect launched a very special project  in collaboration with the Institute of Climate, Sound, and Society in Harvard University.  The purpose of this project was to map biodiversity   through sound using audio moth recorders,  small portable devices that could withstand the elements  and record the comings and goings of all the wildlife in a selected area.
This was a world-first project in mapping nature through sound  for journalistic purposes. Radio Kerry, along with 15 other independent radio stations, launched a campaign to choose the area for the audio moth to be installed over the summer months.
Advertisement
After an extensive search for a suitable location, Castledrum National School outside Keel was chosen for the project.
Siobhan Brosnan returned to the school this month to look at some of the results with the fifth and sixth class students. 
Advertisement
The results of the project were aired in episode 12 of this series of Ours to Protect.  We asked the 4th, 5th and 6th class students in Castledrum National School about their experience working on the project. Here are their thoughts.
Advertisement

The most interesting part of this project was listening to the bird song because I learned a lot of things I didn’t know before. When I heard my friend’s voice on the radio it taught me to be brave and to try new things. Projects like this are important so we can learn about the animals that live in our native area.

Alana,

Age 10

4th Class

 

My favourite part of this project was identifying all the different birds in my locality, such as the Goldfinch, the Jackdaw and the Great Tit. I think projects like this are important because it makes us aware of the sounds of the birds and wildlife in our area.

Alysha Murphy

Age 11

5th Class

 

I think projects like this are important so we know what is going on in our local community abd we can learn about how we can help it. My favourite part of this project was learning the different names and types of birds and what they sound like. An I really thought  the audiomoth was really interesting to be a part of.

Nessa Murphy

Age 12

6th Class

 

I think projects like this are important to show the nature in our school. The most interesting thing in my school is the bug motel

Sean Evans

Age 12

6th Class

 

I think this project is important because children get to know more about our community and the wildlife in it. I like that we got to listen to the birds and see what type of birds are around our school

Paddy

Age 12

6th Class

 

It’s important to know what species are in our environment, as it can help us to protect them most effectively. It can help us to understand biodiversity. I never knew how many birds were in my locality.

Micheál

Age 12

6th Class

 

I learned more stuff about bird than I did before. There are a lot of birds in our area like Robin, Pheasant and more at our school. Our school is very popular with birds. It’s important to know what’s in our local area.

Megan Murphy

Age 11

6th Class

 

In this project I learned about the different types of birds and I liked listening to the bird sounds. It’s important that we do projects like this si we can protect the planet.

Kayleigh Evans

Age 12

6th Class

 

I learned about all the different species of birds. The most interesting part was hearing the birds chirp. It’s important to learn about the biodiversity in our area.

Bryan Evans

Age 12

6th Class

 

I think it’s important to learn about our community and the wildlife. We got to listen to the birds and identify them and that was very interesting.

Grace Mangan

Age 12

6th Class

 

I liked listening to the bird recordings and looking at the different birds in Keel. It’s important that we can look at the different birds and it was cool that we could be on the radio.

Dylan

Age 12

6th Class

 

It’s important to learn what birds, animanls and insects are doing. I thought it was very interesting to learn the different types of sounds the birds make.

Charlie

Age 11

6th Class

 

 

The most interesting part was all the different types of birds that were at the school. I think it’s important to help the biodiversity of our school

Rhys Nolan

Age 12

6th  Class

 

I learned the different sounds of birds and the most interesting part was that we could hear the recordings. We need to know what species of birds are in our area so we can set food up for them that they like.

Adam Cizmar

Age 12

6th Class

 

I learned how different birds sound and their habitats and climates. The most interesting thing was the facts about the birds in our area. Projects like this ae important so we can learn and experience bird sounds and it also help with biodiversity.

Cole Buckley

Age 11

6th Class

 

I learned that different birds make different sounds. I learned that Radio Kerry do a project like this every year. I learned that every bird is different. Projects like this are very important because nature needs to be explored.

Gráinne

Age 10

5th Class

 

I enjoyed listening to the sounds of the birds in our community. I think they are important because it teaches you the importance of the nature in our community.

Michael

Age 9

4th Class

 

My favourite part of this project was listening and identifying the bird call on the Merlin App! Like the European Goldfinch and the Jackdaw! I think projects like this are very important to make people aware of biodiversity and pollution.

Caroline Houlihan

Age 11

5th Class

 

I learned we have to protect ur planet, I now know more about birds in my locality. I think projects like these are important because they help people understand more in nature.

Lucy Mangan

Age 10

5th Class

 

I learned that birds all live in different places and we have a lot of birds in Kerry and Keel. I think projects like this are important because some people don’t know which bird is whilch and it will make people more aware of what is in their area,

Anna

Age 10

4th Class

 

I learned the names of birds in my locality. I thought that the part about the project going to Harvard was very interesting. It’s important to learn what kind of wildlife is in our local area

Olivia Szymsaj

Age 10

5th Class

 

I learned about the birds that I was hearing a long time chirping, and figured out what they are. I also learned more about my locality. I think projects like this are important because biodiversity is very important.

 

Ella Sophia Flynn

Age 10

5th Class

 

I learned a few things during this project. I learned about some birds I never knew about, and I learned what some of these birds sound like. I think projects like this are very important because we can learn about birds and lots of other things. It was a nice experience.

 

Seise

Age 10

4th Class

 

I learned the sounds of birds and I found it interesting that you could hear the cound of the recordings from the gadget being in the tree. I think projects like this are important because I learned lots of things from it and it shows me how important nature is.

Meabh

Age 11

5th Class

 

It got me interested in bird in the local area. I liked listening to the different sounds the birds make. Projects like this are important since we need to know about the local wildlife.

Jamie

Age 11

5th Class

 

I liked learning the sounds of the birds and knowing about the different kinds of birds in Ireland. Projects like this are important for Kerry.

Jack

Age 10

4th Class

 

I learned to care more for the birds and nature around me. Projects like this are important because it will teach others to care for nature.

Adam

Age 9

4th Class

I learned a lot about different birds and animals I had never heard of. Projects like this are important because you get to learn about different animals.

Paidi Ryan

Age 10

4th Class

 

I learned about the birds and about nature in our local area. I was interested in discussing what is going on in our local area. I think projects like this are important so people can learn about nature and animals in our local area.

Eoghan

Age 11

5th Class

 

I liked listening to the different types of bird calls, The Merlin App confirmed the sounds I was hearing. This project showed us the importance of biology. It got me interested in finding out about different species and sounds of animals.

Projects like this are important because we learn about the nature around us. Projects like these are important for both learning and entertainment. Projects like these are important for teaching us about biology.

Joan O’Byrne

Age 11

5th Class

 

This project got me interested in how birds sound and I learned more about the wildlife in my locality. Projects like this are important because you learn more about your local area.

Odhrán O’Shea

Age 10

4th Class

 

Everything was very interesting, it all stood out to me. But my favourite bit was identifying the bird sounds. Projects like this are important because we get to learn facts and thing you might not have known.

Robyn Nagle

Age 10

4th Class

 

My favourite part of this project was learning about the birds. Projects like this are important to learn about nature.

Amelia

Age 10

4th Class

 

My favourite part of the project was learning that there are different species in the crow family. It was great to learn about the different the different sounds birds make and how we can identify them. Projects like this are important because it makes us aware about animals in the area and how to keep them safe.

Sophia

Age 10

4th Class

 

I liked hearing about the birds and listening to them. I loved the Robin because it is pretty and I think they are really nice and not that loud and they are cute. They are also orange, peach and a little bit of black and it is nice to see them once in a while. Projects like this are important because it is good to know about your local county and I liked learning about what more we can do. I can’t wait to learn more about it and learn more about birds like swallows, more about robins and all the rest. I can’t wait to do more reading and listening and even do a poster about it.

Laura Murphy

Age 10

4th Class

 

The most interesting part about this project was learning about the different sounds the birds make. I think projects like this are important because  it’s important to learn about the how we keep our local wildlife safe.

Tom

Age 9

4th Class

 

Sometimes projects like this can be very serious. But this project was fun and was a bit like a guessing game. It was a nice way to help people learn and have fun at the same time. Plus I learned lots about different birds in Ireland. Before this project I only knew a few birds but now I know about lots! My conclusion: It was amazing!

Projects like this help us to learn about wildlife happening all around us and we don’t even know it. It will help us to get out more and connect with nature. It’s a lovely message to put out!

Muireann

Age 9

4th Class

 

 

 

Advertisement

RadioKerry Newsletter

Sign up now to keep up to date with the latest news.

Processing your request...

You are subscribed now! please check your email to confirm your subscription.

Maine Street,
Tralee V92 AP2W,
Co. Kerry,
Ireland

Download RadioKerry App Today

Copyright © 2026 Raidio Ciarrai Teoranta. Developed by Square1 and Powered by PublisherPlus