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WHO
WE ARE

We are a dedicated group of wildlife conservationists determined to enact meaningful change in Ireland

Meet The Barn Owl Project Team

The founder of the project  

John Carrig is a published wildlife photographer and has been involved in wildlife conservation and rescue for many years. John now holds the position of director of the Barn Owl project.

John Carrig, Founder of The Barn Owl Project

John Carrig

Founder, The Barn Owl Project

John Carrig is a published wildlife photographer. He has been involved in wildlife conservation and rescue for many years. John now holds the position of Director of the Barn Owl Project. 

Bev Truss, Wildlife Care Expert, The Barn Owl Project

Bev Truss

                 Wildlife Care Expert

Bev Truss is an expert in wildlife rehabilitation.

A qualified Vet Nurse with over 30 years experience with wildlife, Bev also set up and runs The Hogsprickle in Co Clare, which is a dedicated facility to help injured hedgehogs in Ireland. She helps the Barn Owl Project with all the injured wildlife that comes through the project.

Dermott Crombie, Project Advisor, The Barn Owl Project

Project Advisor

Dermott Crombie is advisor to The Barn Owl Project. He is a lover of all wildlife and a bee- keeper in his free time. Dermott has many skills including vast experience gained in his time as:

  • Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at IngersollR and

  • Operational Excellence Six Sigma

  • Leadership

  • Sustaining Engineering

  • Strategic Initiatives

  • Engineering

  • Quality Assurance

  • Sales

Susan Kerwin, Owner, Bat Rehabilitation Ireland, Wildlife Care Expert

Susan Kerwin

Wildlife Care Expert

Susan Kerwin is an expert in wildlife rehabilitation with a long history of working with birds of prey. Susan set up and runs Bat Rehabilitation Ireland in Co Limerick. She helps the Barn Owl Project with all the injured wildlife that comes through the project.

Martin O Malley, Wildlife Care Expert, The Barn Owl Project

Martin O Malley

                 Wildlife Care Expert

Martin O Malley is a Veterinary Surgeon and is a partner in Ark veterinary practice Co Galway.

Martin helps with any Wildlife that comes through the Project. Ark Vets are also a Sponsor to The Barn Owl Project.

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Eirn, Barn Owl Ambassador

Barn Owl Ambassador 

Eirn is our Barn Owl Ambassador and is a valued part of our team. Eirn is used to letting people see the beauty of what we are trying to protect. Eirn is a captive-bred Barn Owl who came into our care and can never be released.

Danny Dorrhy, Soft Release Manager, The Barn Owl Project

Danny Dorrhy

         Soft Release Manager

 Dan Doorhy, who has been involved in helping Barn Owls make a comeback in the west of Ireland, is also Conservation Officer on our 600 acre soft release site. 

He has completed on-site training as well as a course with the Barn Owl Trust on Barn Owl Ecology, Legal Protection, Licence Applications and Minimising Disturbance, Survey Methodology, Search Procedures, Evidence of Occupation and Mitigation and Planning.

Claire Besnyoe, Honorary Chairperson, The Barn Owl Project

 Claire Besnyoe

                       Honorary Chairperson

Clare Burke  got her degree in TCD in the 1940s before moving to Vienna to work with the UN where she spent her whole working career before retiring and moving back to Ireland. Clare has work hard to protect wildlife on her family's Estate and has been instrumental in pushing the Barn Owl project forward this includes the set up and modernisation of our soft release sites.

Jack Lawless, Youth Ambassador, The Barn Owl Project

            Youth Ambassador 

Jack Lawless is an ambassador to the Barn Owl Project and has helped the project to identify nest sites in East Galway. Sadly Jack past away in late 2021 after a short illness but he will always be an ambassador for the Barn Owl Project. We talk about him regularly and he has left his mark on us all.

 

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