IRBC - Background

At the end of 1971 Major R.F. Ruttledge, founder of the Irish Bird Report, retired as its editor after nineteen years to give more time to his work on The Birds of the Western Palearctic (Preston 1973). During this time, Major Ruttledge had assumed primary responsibility for the assessment of all claims of rare and scarce species in Ireland, soliciting the assistance of acknowledged expert(s) in cases where he had insufficient personal knowledge of the species concerned. The Irish Records Panel (IRP) was established in 1971 with the aim of continuing Ruttledge's excellent work, its operation being modelled on the quite recently established British Birds Rarities Committee.

The decision to change the name of the IRP to the Irish Rare Birds Committee (IRBC) was taken at a meeting of the IRP in November 1984 because 'of a feeling that the former title has led to some confusion about the committee's sphere of activities' (Preston 1985).

The full list of past and present members along with their years of service etc. is displayed in the table below. The list of reports etc. published by the IRP and the IRBC is below that. Much of the content included in various IRBC reports published in Irish Birds may be found in the Announcements section of this website also.

* Ken Preston served as voting Secretary of the IRP from 1971 to 1976.
** Jim Fitzharris served as Secretary from 1977 to 1981, as a voting member from 1982 to 1992 and as Adviser from 1992 to 2008.
† Pat Smiddy served as a voting Secretary from 1985 to 1989 and as non-voting Secretary from 1989 to 1996.
‡ Dave McAdams served as a voting member prior to becoming Recorder non-voting.

List of IRP & IRBC Reports published in Irish Birds and elsewhere.

Fitzharris, J. 1994. Notes from the IRBC. Irish Birding News 3(4): 128-129

Fitzharris, J. 1995. Notes from the IRBC. Irish Birdwatching 4(3): 32

Fitzharris, J. 1995. Election of New Member to 'Rarities' Committee. IWC News 83: 19

Fitzharris, J. 1996. Irish Rare Birds Committee Report. Irish Birds 5(4): 475-478

Fitzharris, J. 1998. Irish Rare Birds Committee Report. Irish Birds 6(1): 91-96

Fitzharris, J. & Smiddy, P. 1995. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 5(3): 352-354

IRBC 2000. Irish Rare Birds Committee Report. Irish Birds 6(3): 407-416

IRBC 2003. Irish Rare Birds Committee Report. Irish Birds 7(2): 243-252

IRBC 2004. Irish Rare Birds Committee Report. Irish Birds 7(3): 413-418

Mullarney, K. 1983. Irish Records Panel Report. Irish Birds 2(3): 264-375.

Mullarney, K. 1984. Review of Irish Records of Greenish Warblers. Irish Birds 2(4): 536-545.

Mullarney, K. 1986. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 3(2): 337-338.

Mullarney, K. 1987. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 3(3): 491-494.

Mullarney, K. 1988. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 3(4): 649-652.

Mullarney, K. 1989. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 4(1): 115-118.

Mullarney, K. 1990. Irish Rare Birds Committee report. Irish Birds 4(2): 258-260.

Smiddy, P. 1990. Identification problems - The divers. Irish Birding News 1(2): 80-81

Smiddy, P. 1990. The Irish Rare Birds Committee. Irish Birding News 1(1): 29-30

Smiddy, P. 1992. Notes from the IRBC. Irish Birding News 2(3): 105

Smiddy, P. 1992. Notes from the IRBC. Irish Birding News 3(1): 32

Smiddy, P. 1993. Notes from the IRBC. Irish Birding News 3(2): 66

References:

Preston, K. (ed.) 1973. Irish Bird Report, Twentieth Annual Report 1972. Irish Wildbird Conservancy

Preston, K. (ed.) 1985. Thirty-second Irish Bird Report, 1984. Irish Birds 3(1): 105.