Munster South Connacht

Munster / South Connacht
Co-operation Project

Part of Ireland’s National Agri-Environment Scheme

ACRES Co-operation – A locally adapted agri-environment scheme for Munster / South Connacht

The Munster / South Connacht Co-operation project is headed by Padraig Cronin. It has offices in Tralee, Co. Kerry and Oranmore, Co. Galway. For administrative purposes, this Co-operation project is divided into 13 regions.

The Comeragh Mountains in Co. Waterford are part of ACRES Leinster but Co-operation project activities in this part of Co. Waterford are managed out of our Tralee Office.

ACRES Munster / South Connacht Co-operation Project

ACRES Munster / South Connacht is the largest and most dispersed of the Co-operation Projects. It is spread across nine counties, stretching from the Knockmealdown Mountains in Waterford to the Slieve Aughties in Galway. It contains large upland and mountainous areas including the Galtees in Limerick / Tipperary, the Stacks Mountains in Co. Kerry and Slieve Callan in Co. Clare. These areas are particularly important for many of our upland bird species, including Curlew, Merlin and Red Grouse. Most of the land designated for breeding Hen Harrier is contained in this Co-operation area and close to 1,500 farmers have had experience of the results-based approach through the Hen Harrier Project.

The Munster / South Connacht Co-operation Area contains the upper reaches of some our most important river catchments. The Lee, the Blackwater, the Suir, and important tributaries of the Shannon, including the Mulkear, and the Feale, flow through this Co-operation area.

Local Area Plan

Examples of local objectives

In the Ballyhoura Mountains, Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, vulnerable groundwater resources and upland peatlands are all important.
The priorities in the Comeragh Mountains include water quality, vulnerable groundwater resources, upland peatlands (Red Grouse) and archaeology.
The Galtee Mountains are important for upland peatland habitats (Red Grouse), water quality, semi-natural grasslands and at lower altitudes for Hen Harrier, Barn Owl, and Kestrel.
The objectives in the Knockmealdown Mountains include Hen Harrier, water quality and semi-natural grasslands.
In Musheramore the objectives include Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, water quality and upland peatland habitats.
In the Nagles the focus will be on Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, vulnerable groundwater resources and archaeology.
The focus in the Sliabh Luachra/ Mount Eagle area will include Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, water quality and archaeology.
In the Clare part of the Slieve Aughties the objectives include Hen Harrier and Merlin, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Geese and Swans, water quality and upland peatland habitats.

Local objectives in the Slieve Bearnagh area include Hen Harrier, Geese and Swans, Water Quality and upland peatland habitats.
In the Slievefelims the objectives include Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, Water Quality and Archaeology.
In the Slieve Callan area the focus will be on Hen Harrier, Water Quality and Peatland habitats.
Hen Harrier, Barn Owl and Kestrel, water quality, in particular protection surface water from Phosphates, are all priorities in the Stacks Mountains and the West Limerick Hills.
The priorities in the Galway part of the Slieve Aughties include Hen Harrier and Merlin, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Breeding Waders, water quality and semi-natural grasslands.

The objectives listed are not in order of priority nor does the list include all of the objectives in each area. At a local scale there will be additional priorities.

Contact Acres Munster / South Connacht

The ACRES Munster / South Connacht Co-operation Project is based in Kerry Technology Park, Innovation Works 1, Dromtacker, Tralee, Co. Kerry V92 KF76. Their phone number is (066) 7127399.

A northern office dealing with farmers in the Galway, Clare and the Slievefelims in Tipperary, operate from our head office in Unit 2 Oran Point, Main St., Oranmore, Co. Galway. They can be contacted at (091) 792865.

The Comeraghs are part of ACRES Leinster but local Co-operation Project activities in this part of Co. Waterford are managed out of the Tralee Office.