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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Up to one-third of our insect species are extinction-threatened due to pollution, intensive farming and habitat loss. Pictures: iStock</p>

outdoors

On the fly: Insects play key role in environmental and human life

The next time you hear someone grumbling about insects causing a nuisance ask them to think again. We rely on insects for many things that go unseen

<p>The National Folklore Commission recorded foxglove’s close associations with fairy lore and, therefore, people once believed it was unlucky to bring the plant into their houses. Picture: Brian Lawless</p>

outdoors

Flower fairies: Foxglove and fuschia feature prominently in folklore

<p>Nationwide, there are thousands of vacant, or derelict homes and buildings which could be brought back into use. Picture: iStock</p>

outdoors

Donal Hickey: Expand grant schemes to beat rural decline

Feeling the heat: Challenge to provide cooler spaces in urban settings

outdoors

Feeling the heat: Challenge to provide cooler spaces in urban settings

House Wooden Frame

outdoors

Wood from the trees: Timber a route to low-carbon construction

Damage done: Expanding deer population sparks calls for culls

outdoors

Damage done: Expanding deer population sparks calls for culls

Woman hiker legs walking beautiful flowering grassland

Head to the hills: Taking steps to maintain our outdoor areas

Getting farmers and private landowners in upland areas involved in maintaining paths is seen as key to restoration projects aimed at creating a more sustainable future for visitors

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

Common / Bandit Pipistrelle Bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) hunting at twilight, Berwickshire, Scotland, June 2008

Donal Hickey: Going to bat for our flying friends

Bats are often maligned in folklore, but in reality they are a very good measure of how good our habitats are and are an indicator that an area is in good environmental condition

Thu, 04 Jun, 2026

View from dune top over North Sea

Sands running out: Natural solutions to combat coastal erosion

Experts suggest that by investing in restoration and conservation of dune habitats, we can more sustainably protect against coastal hazards

Thu, 28 May, 2026

Thorny tales: Whitethorn may owe its abundance to prickly folklore

Thorny tales: Whitethorn may owe its abundance to prickly folklore

Could it be that the survival of so many whitethorn trees and bushes may somehow be due to an old superstition that it could be unlucky to damage them, or cut them down?

Thu, 21 May, 2026

Industrial Skip, Overflowing

Home free: Saving by clever reuse of building waste

Disposals from construction and demolition make up our largest single waste stream. Yet much of what's thrown out could be recycled or repurposed, with obvious savings for all

Sat, 16 May, 2026

The marsh iris (Iris pseudacorus) feels most at home at the edge of the water.

Ireland's May Day traditions: Welcoming summer with wild flowers and ancient Bealtine customs

May is immersed in traditions relating to nature, growth and the outdoors in general. More than anything else, perhaps, it’s when we welcome summer

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Abstract Weather Concept - Sun In Serene Sky With Flare Effect

Donal Hickey: April a capricious month as we move from showers to flowers

People in medieval times depended on weather lore for their forecasts with many people in rural Ireland still mindful of the old proverbs

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026

Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?

Donal Hickey: Glorious weather — but will we be hit by the Scairbhín?

The anglicised version of the phenomenon is 'scaraveen' and it has been known to strike between the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Seaweed surrounding a tidal pool at Amble in Northumberland

Growing benefits: Developing a sustainable seaweed industry

The expanding seaweed industry is an asset for coastal communities, however the challenge will be to develop it further in a sustainable manner

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

Cuckoo Bird

April arrivals: Cuckoo among signs of the advancing summer

Many regular spring/summer visitors to Ireland are already here. Swallows, swifts and house martins, are all getting busy having returned to Ireland where they nest, lay eggs and raise their chicks.

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Summertime and the gorse is budding yellow flowers along the country road.

Reading between the lines: Hedgerows enrich the lives of everyone

As well as providing safe nesting for birds, hedges have many other important benefits for plants and animals. The huge loss of this habitat has serious consequences for nature

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Illegal Fly Tipping by a Farmers Gate on a Quiet Rural Lane

Messaging being lost under piles of unlawfully dumped rubbish

Despite all the anti-littering appeals, many people still don’t get the message, with unauthorised dumping accelerating as a fundamental cause of litter pollution

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

large school of mackerel

Mackerel boats ‘full to the chin’ no more as quota down by over 70%

Foreign fishers are usually blamed for gross over-exploitation of our stocks. As with many other species, mackerel around our coast are also diminishing because of overfishing

Thu, 19 Mar, 2026

Fresh Potato Harvest

Spring is in the air — here's how you can take biodiversity action from your garden

With spring in the air, more people are getting out into the garden and keeping wildlife in mind by opting for eco-friendly and organic products

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

dirty double wheels of agriculture tractor on dirt road at sunny summer day with green field in the background

Is there any truth in the weather lore around the month of March?

One common belief amongst previous generations was that if March was preceded by dry weather, the month itself would be wet

Thu, 05 Mar, 2026

Government Shutdown

War powers row deepens after Trump orders Iran strike without Congress approval

While presidents have the authority as the commander in chief to conduct certain strategic military operations on their own, the Constitution vests Congress with the power to wage war

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Irish politics is showing symptoms of the US culture wars — we wanted to know why

Irish politics is showing symptoms of the US culture wars — we wanted to know why

Just like other cultural influences have been exported from the US, so too could the often hateful, toxic rhetoric of this new era of Maga politics, nowhere more obvious than Irish anti-migrant protestors waving Trump flags and wearing ‘Make Ireland Great Again’ hats

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Air pollution problems — you can almost taste the smoke in the air on cold evenings

Air pollution problems — you can almost taste the smoke in the air on cold evenings

There are major challenges at EU level to achieve the ambitious goal of reducing premature deaths from air pollution by 55% by 2030

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Ambitious tree-planting project targets small, half-forgotten spaces

Ambitious tree-planting project targets small, half-forgotten spaces

The 100 Million Trees project uses the Japanese miyawaki method of tree-growing where thousands of trees can be planted close together in relatively small spaces

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

A bus that goes where you ask it to — service being piloted in Limerick, Kerry, and Mayo

A bus that goes where you ask it to — service being piloted in Limerick, Kerry, and Mayo

On-demand shuttle buses and safer cycling show promise, but a cultural shift and investment are still needed

Thu, 22 Jan, 2026

Wasteful and dangerous to dump batteries and electronics

Wasteful and dangerous to dump batteries and electronics

Lithium is now used in many batteries, especially the rechargeable ones. But a damaged lithium battery can catch fire, or explode, without warning — so for safety reasons, people are asked not to put batteries into general bins, skips, or street bins

Thu, 15 Jan, 2026

Blow away the cobwebs with these wonderful winter walks

Blow away the cobwebs with these wonderful winter walks

Here's a handy link to lots of long and short walks suitable for varying skills

Mon, 29 Dec, 2025

Donal Hickey: Do try to avoid making pour decisions

Donal Hickey: Do try to avoid making pour decisions

Fats, oils and greases (FOGs) should never go down the kitchen sink. Hot fats cool quickly inside pipes causing hardened blockages in the plumbing

Thu, 18 Dec, 2025

Leaping Scottish Salmon

Helping wild Atlantic salmon overcome man-made obstacles

In the days before electricity, barriers of all sizes were important for using a river’s energy to turn mill wheels and power all sorts of machinery. Many of these barriers are still present but most now serve no purpose, other than preventing salmon from making their journeys between the sea and freshwater

Thu, 11 Dec, 2025

Donal Hickey: A salute to farmers working with nature

Donal Hickey: A salute to farmers working with nature

Making a shift from using every bit of land and ‘driving it hard’ to a work model where climate and nature guide every decision

Thu, 04 Dec, 2025

Russia-Ukraine War-Trump

US envoy to meet Putin for Ukraine peace plan talks

After months of frustration in his efforts to stop the fighting, US President Donald Trump is deploying officials to get traction for his peace proposals

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Fox Cub found

Fox-hunting — conflicting attitudes between urban dwellers and farmers

Foxes breed prolifically and a vixen can have five cubs per year, which reach adulthood in about eight months. In ideal conditions, a fox can live for 10 years, but most only last for two, or three

Thu, 27 Nov, 2025

Free the Fifteen protest

Free the 15 penguins campaign highlights captive animals issue

The owners of Sea Life London Aquarium have pledged to listen to "constructive ideas" about the care of their gentoo penguins after a campaign against the birds' captivity

Thu, 20 Nov, 2025

Hedgehogs getting ready for hibernation

Hedgehogs getting ready for hibernation

Studies from Britain and elsewhere in Europe have found that hedgehog numbers are in steep decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation from changing farming practices and development. As the environment in Ireland is experiencing similar pressures the hedgehog population in Ireland may be similarly affected — link to study below

Thu, 13 Nov, 2025

Donal Hickey: Keep your distance from seals — even the cutest pups

Donal Hickey: Keep your distance from seals — even the cutest pups

Every year, well-meaning members of the public approach seal pups on the beach, not realising the harm it can cause

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025

Mink with Wet Fur

Donal Hickey: Mink eradication pilot programme underway in the Midlands

American mink were first recorded in the wild, in Ireland, more than 60 years ago, and have spread countrywide since then. The current population is descended from animals which either escaped, or were released, from mink farms

Thu, 30 Oct, 2025

Donal Hickey: What you need to know about deer rut season at Killarney National Park

Donal Hickey: What you need to know about deer rut season at Killarney National Park

Great nature photo opportunities here — but don't be one of those amateur photographers who wander into the fields and get too close to the herds, disrupting the animals’ normal routines. And definitely don't approach fighting stags... that's a recipe for disaster

Thu, 23 Oct, 2025

Donal Hickey: Here's how to take part in traditional Burren winterage walk

Donal Hickey: Here's how to take part in traditional Burren winterage walk

Winterage — where cattle move to the uplands for winter grazing — plays a vital role in protecting one of our most biodiverse landscapes.

Thu, 09 Oct, 2025

A Disordered Medicine Drawer Containing Various Pills, Packaging, and Additional Items

Tackling out-of-date medicines — they can be a serious health and environmental risk

Internationally, one of the most pressing health challenges of our time is the problem of bacteria and viruses which resist the effects of medicine. Every antibiotic incorrectly disposed of adds to this problem

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

How do you like them apples... huge amount of fruit on trees in gardens and orchards

How do you like them apples... huge amount of fruit on trees in gardens and orchards

We had the ideal conditions for apple-growing this year — and scroll down for recipes for apple tart or mulled apple and whiskey

Thu, 11 Sep, 2025

Donal Hickey: Best blackberry season in years, isn't it?

Donal Hickey: Best blackberry season in years, isn't it?

There's a bumper crop of blackas on the brambles this year thanks to a great summer — scroll down for recipes for blackberry gin and blackberry drizzle cake

Thu, 04 Sep, 2025

Driver Delivering Online Grocery Order

Donal Hickey: Food waste is a big problem for our pockets and for the planet

When food is wasted, all the resources used in bringing food to our tables are wasted too. Reducing your food waste is a key action you can take to help the environment and save money too

Thu, 28 Aug, 2025

ladybug on a green leaf

About one-third of insects here under threat of extinction due to pollution, intensive farming, and habitat loss

Insects play an essential role in the planet. David Attenborough once said the world’s ecosystems would collapse if all the bees, wasps, ants, flies and others were to disappear

Thu, 14 Aug, 2025

United States China The Bumpy Road

US and China extend trade truce for another 90 days

The previous deadline was set to expire at 12.01am on Tuesday

Tue, 12 Aug, 2025

Increase in dolphin strandings — here's what to do if you see a live dolphin stuck on the beach

Increase in dolphin strandings — here's what to do if you see a live dolphin stuck on the beach

Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue Service (BSCR) and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) were involved in a rescue operation for a stranded striped dolphin at Long Strand, Ballybunion in Kerry recently.

Thu, 07 Aug, 2025

When close up is too close — who's the worst culprit for invading wild birds' space?

When close up is too close — who's the worst culprit for invading wild birds' space?

It is illegal to disturb and/or photograph nesting birds without a licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

The Big Butterfly Count

Donal Hickey: Small white butterflies — a welcome sight

Some believe white butterflies are the spirit of a deceased loved one letting you know they're ok. And folk tradition says you should make a wish if you see two side by side

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025

Homeward-bound goats, 'white horses' and adventurous gulls — all weather forecasters if you know how to understand them

Homeward-bound goats, 'white horses' and adventurous gulls — all weather forecasters if you know how to understand them

Some unofficial meteorologists say animals are amazing with an apparent ability to sense changes in the atmosphere and impending weather

Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

Older Couple Enjoys A Relaxing Day On A Sandy Beach, Sitting In Beach Chairs With Tropical Drinks In Hand

Donal Hickey: Links between climate change, rising temperatures and health in Ireland

Climate change could lead to 1,400 additional deaths annually in Ireland by the end of the 21st century

Thu, 19 Jun, 2025