The North Slob provides the winter home for 10,000 white-fronted geese, about one third of the world population, which migrate to Greenland for the summer months.

[1] The North Slob is part of the Wexford Harbour Special Protection Area of 27.34 km2 (10.56 sq mi; 6,760 acres).

On 4 May 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries,[6] was on a shooting party in the North Slob when he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the grouse.

That evening at Castlebridge House he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird.

[7][8] He knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs in Britain and Ireland, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records.