Membership Change, February 2017.
Following seven years of dedicated service to the IRBC, Dermot Breen announced his intention to retire from the committee and will step down in February 2017. During his tenure Dermot brought his considerable knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication to the task at hand, carrying out all his duties in a thorough and considered manner. He was the first IRBC member to be based in Galway, during a time that coincided with an marked increase in the number of rare birds recorded there, which included him finding the first Irish records of Little Blue Heron in 2008 and Hudsonian Godwit in 2015.
In addition, he maintained the IRBC’s Provisional List diligently for two extended periods, a sometimes onerous task, which he dealt with efficiently. Never shy to voice an opinion on records under discussion at IRBC meetings, his feedback and generous personality will be sorely missed. We are sorry to lose him, thank him for his service and wish him the best for a rarity filled future.