Call it a daily meditation on the world around us for nature-lovers and nature newbies alike, An Irish Nature Year gleefully explores the small mysteries of the seasons as they unfold – Who’s cutting perfect circles in your roses? Which birds wear feathery trousers? And what, exactly, is an amethyst deceiver?

In A Natural Year, critically acclaimed travel writer Michael Fewer celebrates the everyday wonder of Irish nature in these beautifully written diaries, observed from his homes in south Dublin and rural Waterford, in which he delights at the startling beauty and extraordinary complexity of the natural world through the tranquil rhythms of the passing seasons. Fewer’s infectious passion for his subject simply inspires our own observation, and suggests how careful study of the natural world around us can be a sure antidote to the stresses of modern life. At a time when it’s essential for us to understand the crisis that faces our wildlife and environment, we need to know more about the natural world around us, the treasures that are being needlessly lost, and the threat to our very way of life. A Natural Year will open eyes and hearts to a greater understanding of the world around us, and its innate beauty and fragility.

A BuzzFeed "Best Book of June 2021" From sixteen-year-old Dara McAnulty, a globally renowned figure in the youth climate activist movement, comes a memoir about loving the natural world and fighting to save it. Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of a year in Dara’s Northern Ireland home patch. Beginning in spring?when “the sparrows dig the moss from the guttering and the air is as puffed out as the robin’s chest?these diary entries about his connection to wildlife and the way he sees the world are vivid, evocative, and moving. As well as Dara’s intense connection to the natural world, Diary of a Young Naturalist captures his perspective as a teenager juggling exams, friendships, and a life of campaigning. We see his close-knit family, the disruptions of moving and changing schools, and the complexities of living with autism. “In writing this book,” writes Dara, “I have experienced challenges but also felt incredible joy, wonder, curiosity and excitement. In sharing this journey my hope is that people of all generations will not only understand autism a little more but also appreciate a child’s eye view on our delicate and changing biosphere.” Winner of the Wainwright Prize for UK nature writing and already sold into more than a dozen territories, Diary of a Young Naturalist is a triumphant debut from an important new voice.

This is the story of life in Ireland – a story half a billion years in the making. With its castles, crannogs and passage tombs, Ireland is a land where history looms large, but the saga of life on this island dates back millions of years before the first people set foot here. In Life in Ireland, Conor O’Brien guides the reader on a journey around the island to explore the history of natural life here, from the Jurassic Coast of Antrim to the great Ice Age bone-beds of Cork. Along the way, we’ll meet some of the astonishing creatures to have called Ireland home through the ages: shelled monsters; huge marine lizards; armoured dinosaurs; giant deer; mighty mammoths. Vital strands in the story of life on Earth have left their mark here, including some of the first creatures to crawl onto land or take to the wing. This epic journey will take us from the first fossils to the present day, to see how our wildlife has adapted to the human age and explore what the future might hold for life in Ireland.

Step into Nature is a captivating Irish nature diary that serves as a personal invitation to explore the wonders of the natural world.Author and naturalist Rachel McKennaguides readers through a month-by-monthexploration of the fascinating wildlife that surrounds us, from the 'vibrant fungi of January' to the 'intricate ecosystems of old stone walls.' With her engaging prose, McKenna strikes the perfect balance between information and inspiration,enhancing the reader'sunderstanding of the natural world. The book is beautifully illustrated with McKenna's stunning photographs, such as the striking image of a 'rare pink grasshopper resting on the seed head of a bird's foot trefoil on Finnamore Lake in Lough Boora.' The addition of hand-drawn sketches further enriches the reader's experience. Step into Nature encourages readers to actively engage with the natural world by taking the time to stop, look, and notice its beauty and complexity. McKenna emphasizes that noticing nature is an active choice that can enrich our lives and deepen our connection to the world around us. This book will appeal to a wide audience, from experienced naturalists to neophyte nature enthusiasts. It opens doors to a new generation of readers who wish to discover the wonders of nature in their own corner of the world and inspires them to preserve it for future generations. Step into Nature is a must-readfor anyone seeking to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the natural world and foster a sense of stewardship for the environment.

Ireland's Wildlife Year is a superbly illustrated survey of the four seasons in the Irish natural environment. It traces the development of plants and trees, the movements of birds and animals and the changing face of the Irish landscape over one calendar year. There is nothing understated about the seasonal changes in Ireland. This book, driven by the stunning nature photography of Billy Clarke, Eric Dempsey and Carsten Krieger, tracks those changes as they affect plants, trees and shrubs, bird and animal life, the general landscape and the natural environment. Contributors are outstanding experts in their fields. Eric Dempsey writes about birds; Declan Doogue about flora; and Professor Tom Hayden of UCD about fauna.

How has Irish nature been studied? How has it been expressed in literature and popular culture? How has it influenced, and been influenced by, political, economic, and social change? These long-neglected questions are pursued in Nature in Ireland, a pioneering collection of original essays by leading naturalists, science writers, and cultural historians who bring us from the geological prehistory of Ireland to the environmental threats of the late twentieth century.