Ireland is Europe’s second largest island, and although it used to be glaciers, today it’s a unique mixture of lush greenland, peat bogs, stunning lakes and Atlantic coast cliffs. It rains in Ireland even more than in England, and its wildlife is very different to ours (there are no snakes, for one). It only has two wild mice (wood mice and house mice) though similar amphibians to us.
Obviously there is a sad political history between England and Ireland (and a shameful past on the part of England, which in part was to cause for the potato famine when many starved to death). Today Ireland is a modern thriving country with better politics than ours and a thriving centre for the arts and culture, from music to Irish dancing!
Northern Ireland is far more than ‘the Troubles’, with a 200km wild Atlantic coastline littered with castles, lighthouses, wildlife and birds, and the rugged granite summits of the Mourne Mountains that look over County Down, oakwood forests along with remarkable wildlife and geology.
Just like England, Ireland has had issues with huge deforestation. Island of Woods tells the story of how Ireland is now importing conifers and growing more trees, but farmers and environmentalists are critical, as what government should be doing is planting native trees, imports could even bring non-native invasive species. What on earth is going on?
The Irish language is beautiful but quite complicated to learn, it’s spoken more in the west of Ireland (and even in a little area of Canada). It doesn’t have words for ‘yes or no’ and instead communicates with verbs. So if someone asks you if you would like a cup of tea, you would reply ‘I would like a cup of tea’ or simply nod!
books on Irish nature & wildlife
- An Irish Nature Year offers a daily meditation, in this illustrated yearbook, for you to enjoy 5 minutes each day exploring the mysteries of the seasons. Who’s cutting perfect circles in your roses? Which birds wear feathery trousers? From ‘weeds’ in the pavement cracks to surprising inhabitants of vacant lots to unusual finds alongside our shoreline and hedgerows, you’ll find Ireland’s natural world makes for great bedtime reading!
- Wild Ireland is by author and photographer Carsten Krieger to take us on a journey across Ireland to explore alpine flowers blooming in the Burren, ferocious anemones on the shorelines and Shannon Dolphins. Fly with ocean birds and hear the dawn chorus is Killarney, marvel at ancient giant oaks and look closely at hedgerows, home to countless plants and animals.
- Wild Atlantic Women is a book by Gráinne Lyons, who walks Ireland’s west coast on foot, in the footsteps of 11 pioneering Irish women. As a Londoner born to Irish parents, she also seeks answers in her own identity. She heads north from Cape Cleare Island (whwere her great-grandmother was a lacemaker) and visits wild and remote places, in this walk through history.
- The Great Big Book of Irish Wildlife is an illustrated book to guide young readers through the seasons. Explore nature in your back garden as well as mountains, rivers, forests and seas. Learn of tadpoles and frogs, red deer ruts in autumn and a starling flock in winter
- Wild Embrace is a book by an ecologist who openns our eyes to the hidden beauty of the land, sea and sky as she heads out to explore the Irish landscape from the marvels of birdlife to nature at night. With beautiful illustrations.
Guinness is now vegan (but not Irish)
Guinness used not to be vegan, but now it is due to consumer pressure. But you may be surprised to know that it’s not actually Irish (and sells more in Nigeria than Ireland). The company was actually created by a Protestant who asked employees who married Catholics to leave! He did donate to peace-making organisations. But would not let the government use the harp logo (if you look closely, you’ll see the government turned the harp to face the other way, to get around copyright rules). Having said that, you can sub with any vegan stout (Nirvana stout is good, and also alcohol-free). Use it to make this vegan Guinness cheesecake (the recipe is by a classically-trained baker who is actually Irish!)
how green is Irish politics?
Ireland has more success with green politics, than in England. The Green Party runs several campaigns including free inter-rail tickets for 18-year olds and a ban on private jets. It currently has two MEPs, 12 TDs (like our MPs), 4 senators, 45 councillors, 50 local area reps and almost 4000 members, all campaigning for walkable communities, green safe homes and cleaner air. Eamon Ryan TD does not use a ministerial car so his protection comes from Garda (police) who have to cycle after him!
Ireland’s Animal Welfare Party runs campaigns to ban bloodsports, puppy farms, factory farming, live exports, animal testing and dog racing (something that is far more popular in Ireland than in England, where there are only 19 or so greyhound tracks left).
an inspiring personal journey of rewilding
An Irish Atlantic Rainforest is an award-winning book that charts the remarkable journey of a wild forest that bursts into life before our eyes, inviting us to consider the burning issues of our time: climate breakdown, ecological collapse and why we need to radically transform our relationship with nature.
On the Beara peninsula of West Cork in Ireland, a temperate rainforest flourishes, due to the life work of Egohan, who had a vision to move from Dublin with family to rewild a 73-acre farm that he bought. This is a story more of doing nothing than taking action – allowing natural ecosystems to return and thrive without interference, an in doing so, heal an ailing planet. An enduring picture of the regenerative force of nature, and how one Irishman let it happen.
Eoghan Daltun is a conservationist, farmer and rewilder. He spent 7 years studying sculpture in Tuscany, Italy. He rebuilt a 1750s cottage using the original stone and used the proceeds to buy a long-abandoned farm overlooking the Atlantic, the land ecologically wrecked by severe over-grazing and invasion by a host of alien plant species.
