Description
Ireland is a land replete with natural wonders, but we live in an age when our native wildlife is under threat like never before. Centuries of hunting and habitat loss have already wiped out some of our most iconic species, from the once-feared grey wolf to the flightless great auk – Ireland’s very own ‘penguin’.
In The Living and the Dead, acclaimed writer Conor W. O’Brien travels the country to tell the stories of our amazing lost wildlife, from the mighty sturgeon to the minuscule mountain ringlet butterfly. He reveals the tragedies behind their demise and the lessons they impart for today’s conservationists. For across the country, passionate people are fighting to protect endangered species and reintroduce those once lost. The return of creatures long gone, like the common crane and great spotted woodpecker, are celebrated in these pages. Such comebacks offer a vision of a return to a wilder Ireland, one in which humans and nature thrive in a land where eagles fly again.
Introduction
Part I: Where Wolves Once Walked
Great Auk
Sturgeon
Capercaillie
Corn Bunting
Right Whale
Mountain Ringlet
Grey Wolf
Part II: Where Eagles Fly Again
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Crane
Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Grey Partridge
Natterjack Toad
Pine Marten
White-Tailed Eagle
Praise for The Living and the Dead:
‘Conor O’Brien brings a number of Irish ‘Dead Zoo’ specimens vividly to life in his imaginative reconstructions of wildlife loss and return. Widely researched, the book puts in context the regretful historical effects of habitat and species loss and the urgency to be aware of their ongoing vulnerability.’ – Gordon D’Arcy, author of Ireland’s Lost Birds
‘A remarkable dive into the world of Ireland’s lost animals and the stunning return of some of them. An evocatively written exploration into the tragic loss of some of Ireland’s natural wonders.’ – Pádraic Fogarty, ecologist and author of Whittled Away
‘At once a lament for creatures we have lost and a celebration of the power of nature to recover and regenerate, The Living and the Dead is an essential read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ireland’s natural heritage.’ – Niall Hatch, Birdwatch Ireland
‘A timely and well-researched reminder that humans have caused the extinction of many species from this island but have the ability to bring others back from the brink. A personal and persuasive book.’ – Richard Nairn, ecologist and author
About the Author
Conor W. O’Brien is a writer and photographer with a lifelong interest in the natural world. His work has been published in Ireland’s Own, Irish Wildlife magazine and Wings, the official publication of Birdwatch Ireland. Conor’s first book, Ireland Through Birds: Journeys in Search of a Wild Nation, was shortlisted for Best Irish-Published Book at the 2019 An Post Irish Book Awards. His second book, Life in Ireland: A Short History of a Long Time, was published in 2021. Conor is a board member at Birdwatch Ireland.
