IT’S AN upland landscape that has inspired poets and traditional musicians for centuries, but it could soon be dominated by lofty wind turbines, writes Donal Hickey

HAVING tried for years to work out exactly the differences between three quite similar migrant birds, I enlisted the help of BirdWatch Ireland, of late, writes Donal Hickey

While some people regard the fox as a pest and an unwanted predator, the animal can keep down the rabbit, mice, and rat populations.

THE other day, I revisited a bog near the Cork/Kerry border where we used to cut turf to burn at home until about 35 years ago, writes Donal Hickey. 

Anyone growing up in the rugged splendour of the Dingle Peninsula must surely be moulded and inspired by such surroundings, as the late footballer and native son, Paidí Ó Sé, often opined.

Warnings about dangers posed to Irish wildlife by non-native species — most recently highlighted by the reports on the presence of the South American rodent, coypus, in Cork — continue to be realised, writes Donal Hickey.

Is this a new trend? asks Donal Hickey. 

Numbers of red deer in the two main herds in the lowland areas of Killarney National Park are now believed to be higher than ever, writes Donal Hickey. 

While nesting birds and their chicks are the main victims of illegal gorse fires that have again plagued the country this year, plants and other animals that are often forgotten about are also being badly hit, writes Donal Hickey. 

May is many people’s favourite month, as we witness nature and new life burst forth in all their glory, writes Donal Hickey.