"Sex and its effect on water quality" - that's the intriguing title of a lecture to be given during this year's ESB Lough Ree Environmental Summer School, which runs from July 7th to July 14th.
The lecture will be given by Mr Andy Fogarty, senior science lecturer and ecotoxicologist at Athlone Institute of Technology.
He will look at the influence on water quality of a group of chemicals called oestrogen mimics. Oestrogen is essential for reproduction in females, but in high amounts in males it can cause feminisation.
Freshwater fish have been found to be affected by these hormones on a wide scale. This could lead to the collapse of wildlife.
Mr Fogarty said he hoped the lecture, and the summer school, would bring science out of the laboratory into the field. During the summer school he will lead a team from Athlone IT's Department of Science in a floating laboratory on the Shannon.
The team will take water samples from Lough Ree and test them in a series of experiments to discover the level of pollution in the lake.
Members of the public will be encouraged to take part in the experiments and ask questions.
Mr Pat Collum, marketing manager for Lough Ree Development, said the results would be interesting as the lake had received some damning reports in past years.
Ironically, the level of pollution had fallen with the arrival of the zebra mussel. The mussels, widely seen as pests, attach themselves to the bottoms of boats and that was how they arrived in Lough Ree about six years ago. They filter water and live off the high-nutrient waste.
However, they also colonise water supply pipes, constricting flow and causing follow-on problems.
The summer school will include a tour of monastic sites in south Longford, and waterways enthusiast Mr Dick Warner will lead island cruises.
Environmentalist and broadcaster Ms Eanna Ní Lambhna will discuss woodlands and wildlife expert Mr Richard Collins will give demonstrations on bird-ringing.
Last year's very popular bat walks will be repeated and local historian Prof Harman Murtagh will lead an excursion to the Rindown peninsula.
This year's summer school will include children's art workshops where children will be encouraged to make sculptures out of recycled materials such as plastic bags, coat-hangers and cereal boxes.
Further details on the summer school can be got by viewing the website www.lough-ree.com or by contacting 043- 27070.
Meanwhile, the schedule has been launched for the Tullamore National Livestock Show - one of the summer's biggest agricultural events. The show will be held on August 11th on a 200-acre site at Charleville Estate in Tullamore. Chairman of the show Mr John Cleary said this year's prize fund of €120,000 would break all records.
The organisers expect an attendance of more than 35,000 to watch some of the 830 competitions and visit the 300 machinery and trade stands.
A tented village of 160,000 sq ft will host a horticultural show, cookery competitions and arts and crafts displays.
Vintage displays, old farm machinery, rural enterprise and rare breeds exhibitions will also be held. For more details, see www.tullamoreshow.com