Dr. David Clarke
David joined Bat Conservation Ireland in May 2023 as a Bat Ecologist. 
He has over ten years’ experience working in environmental education and conducting research in a range of ecological fields. David became interested in bats while working and living in New Zealand. During this time, he initiated and coordinated two research projects examining the presence and distribution of long-tailed bats in the wider Auckland region, a species classed as ‘Nationally Critical’ and needing urgent conservation action to protect remaining populations. Both projects involved active collaboration with communities, ecological consultancies, local and regional authorities, and universities.
David has an honours degree in Environmental Science from the University of Galway, and a Ph.D. in Acarology, also from the University of Galway.
He lives in Co. Mayo and enjoys fishing, hiking, and playing hurling.
Karen Healy
Karen joined Bat Conservation Ireland in November 2023 as Projects Co-ordinator.
Karen has over seventeen years’ experience working in the community and environment sector in Northern Ireland. As Environmental Officer at Creggan Country Park, Karen worked with a wide range of groups through the environmental volunteer programme, nature themed events, community fridge, tree nursery and environmental education programme.
Karen has been an active volunteer committee member of the Northern Ireland Bat Group since 2007 and served as Chairperson from 2015 – 2022. In both roles she has helped recruit and train new volunteers, created an education resource, organised member meet ups, and volunteer events. Karen is a licenced roost visitor (NIEA) and registered bat carer (Bat Conservation Trust). She has volunteered in the Irish Bat Monitoring Programme (Car-Based Bat Monitoring and All Ireland Daubenton’s Bat Waterway Survey) and completes a Roost Count and Hibernation Survey each year for Bat Conservation Trust’s NBMP.
Karen has a degree in Environmental Science and MSc in Environmental Management from Ulster University and has a TQUK qualification in Education and Training and ILM qualification in Volunteer Management and Mentoring.
She lives in Derry and loves going for nature walks with her husband and their 2 dogs.
Eimear O’Donnell
Eimear joined BCI in 2026 as Administrative Assistant. She has over ten years experience in administrative and operational roles across the voluntary, education, government, and social justice sectors. Her work has included office management, governance, change management and project coordination. She holds a BSc in Biochemistry from University College Cork and a Diploma in Secretarial Studies.
Eimear has volunteered for a number of years with wildlife conservation organisations, rescuing and transporting wildlife to specialist rehabbers across Munster and Leinster – particularly bats, seals, birds, and hedgehogs.
Recently, she and her partner have been rewilding 20 acres of grassland at their home in Co Waterford, including planting thousands of native Irish trees, digging ponds, and restoring habitats. She loves spending time at home with her dog, two cats and flock of hens.
Dawn Quinn
Dawn joined Bat Conversation Ireland in 2019 as its part-time Administration Manager.
She has over 25 years’ administrative and financial experience, working in both the private and NGO sectors.
Dawn has worked in a variety of different roles including managing and implementing administrative systems, volunteer management, project and network coordination and event management in the human rights, social justice and international development sectors.
She holds an honours degree in Audio Visual Communications from the Institute of Technology Tallaght and a Master’s Degree in Comparative Ethnic Conflict from Queen’s University Belfast.
She lives in Co. Kildare and loves going for canal and forest walks with her dog.
Dr. Niamh Roche
Niamh has managed the Car-based Bat Monitoring Scheme since 2004 and the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Roost Monitoring Scheme since 2012. She works for Bat Conservation Ireland on a part time basis.
Under her direction the car-based scheme has grown from a pilot project covering fewer than 10 survey squares, to an island-wide survey with a committed surveyor base. She has also presented BCIreland’s work at national and international conferences. She was lead author of the book Irish Bats in the 21st Century. Niamh has also been the main organiser of several national bat conferences. More recently Niamh has been involved in analysing long-term bat trend datasets collected by BCIreland monitoring schemes to see if predictions can be made about how they are likely to change with future climate change.
She has a degree in Environmental Biology from UCD and a Ph.D. from the University of Warwick which examined bat activity in broadleaved woodlands.
She lives near Slane and loves cooking for family and friends with her own home-grown vegetables and fruit.