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#Outdoors

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The ruins of the schoolhouse set built for ‘Ryan’s Daughter’, perched on the cliffs of Dún Chaoin, Co Kerry. Picture Dan Linehan</p>

outdoors

Hikes and trails: Stroll through a piece of cinema history in Kerry

If visiting the Dingle Peninsula and looking to discover more about Ryan’s Daughter, the Lúb na Cille walk is your answer

<p>Some plants go to sleep at night, opening their petals with the morning sun and closing them again at dusk. Oxalis, often called the sleeping plant, folds both its leaves and flowers every evening before reopening the next morning. Picture: iStock</p>

outdoors

Opening hours: Why some plants open by day and close at night

<p>The great tit is easily recognised, with white cheeks, a black bib, and a black crown. The breast is yellow, the upper plumage greenish.</p>

outdoors

No silver lining: Great tits under threat from global warming

Sir David Attenborough's one hundred birthday

ourview

Irish Examiner view: David Attenborough taught us to look at the world with tenderness

Blue Moon

outdoors

Sky Matters: Astronomical events that come along ‘once in a blue moon’

Age-old question: What are the factors behind a long life?

outdoors

Age-old question: What are the factors behind a long life?

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

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Peatlands may not be glamorous landscapes. They are muddy, waterlogged and often difficult to access. But they are among the most important ecosystems on Earth for tackling climate change

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Solar power: Sunny April weather sees butterflies take flight

Solar power: Sunny April weather sees butterflies take flight

Whether on the farm, in the garden, or the council-owned and managed open spaces, every patch of green space can play a role in helping butterflies and biodiversity, mainly by facilitating native flowering plants

Sat, 25 Apr, 2026

rain is falling in a puddle in the garden

Michelle McKeown: The smell of rain and the science behind it

This smell of rain is a real physical thing that can be explained by science. In Ireland, where rain is a regular feature of daily life, this phenomenon is easy to overlook. But it is worth pausing to notice next time it rains

Fri, 24 Apr, 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

Short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus) in the thickets of sea grass Zostera. Black Sea. Odessa bay.

Anja Murray: Ireland’s seahorses and the seagrass meadows they call home

A rarely-sighted seahorse washed up on Ballynamona Strand recently is a small reminder of the richness of our coastal waters and the urgent need to protect habitats while there’s still something to protect

Sat, 18 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

Paradisical tropical beaches, islands and islets on Vanua Levu island near Savusavu, the hidden paradise of Fiji, Fiji, South Pa

Michelle McKeown: An island in the Pacific built from ancient waste

At first glance, this small island in Fiji looks like many others in the South Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Take a stroll to discover the religious history intertwined with Ardmore trail

Take a stroll to discover the religious history intertwined with Ardmore trail

Embarking on the trail, you might reflect that monastic life as practiced centuries ago in Ardmore, with its emphasis on simplicity, mindfulness and humility, still has lessons to offer

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), adult, Pantanal wetland, Brazil, South America

The world's largest and friendliest rodent can be visited at Fota Wildlife Park

The size of large dogs, Capybaras are found in the wild along forested rivers, ponds and marshes, endearing cuddly creatures resembling pigmy hippos with coats of brown hair

Thu, 09 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

Stroudwater Canal otters

Anja Murray: How community-driven conservation action can help Irish otter populations

Right now, otters are birthing their tiny cubs in sheltered, underground natal dens, sometimes near the waters where they normally live, though natal dens can be as much as a kilometre away from the waterway

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Night Map of Ireland with City Lights Illumination

Sky Matters: Artificial light at night is adversely affecting our planet

Despite a growing awareness of the issues around artificial lighting, there is no sign that action is being taken on the scale at which it needs to occur

Sat, 04 Apr, 2026

Portrait of an American Mink ((Mustela vison) in the Rain

Being cruel to be kind: Rathlin Island finally a ferret-free zone

Introduced to the island to control the rat population there, the alien ferrets became more rat-like than the rats and took to killing seabirds

Fri, 03 Apr, 2026

Underwater coral bleaching of critically endangered species Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis)

Hot topic: The impacts of El Niño in a warmer world

El Niño years tend to push global temperatures higher, not because they cause climate change, but because they amplify it

Fri, 03 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

Curled Octopus in a Rock Pool, Wicklow, Ireland

Unfurling the changing fate of octopuses in Irish waters

In recent years, the less frequently encountered common octopus has been showing up more in Irish waters, an influx that may spell changes in Ireland’s marine areas

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Young tabby domestic cat hunting in the green grass at summer

Paws for thought: Cats might just be the purr-fect predator

Cats are not just companions; they are, ecologically speaking, small but highly effective predators and we need to take their impact seriously

Fri, 27 Mar, 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

Hedgehog

Spike in numbers: Sounds good for hedgehog survival rates

Hedgehog numbers are falling all over Europe. But new research shows there’s a ray of hope for this ancient beast

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Bumble Bee

The many ways to be a wild bee — and what we can do to help them

Taking action for wild bees and other wildlife is a powerful way to engage with the wondrous world of wildlife all around us

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Humpback whales take more mature approach to mating

Humpback whales take more mature approach to mating

Researchers have found that humpback whales clearly exhibit 'age-related sexual selection', with older males fathering more offspring than younger aspirants

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Uluru Road Sign

What’s in a place name? Lots of human fingerprints as it happens

Place names on maps are not fixed truths. They are human decisions, shaped by language, power and, quite often, misunderstanding

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

wetland scenery

For peat's sake: We cannot afford to let the damage to our wetlands continue

Amid widespread calls for extensive peatland restoration, that horticultural peat mining is continuing unabated in Ireland is a baffling scenario and one which cannot be allowed continue, writes Anja Murray

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Want to see the Northern Lights? Meet the Mayo man behind Aurora Feed

Want to see the Northern Lights? Meet the Mayo man behind Aurora Feed

As we enter a period when the Northern Lights may be visible again in Ireland, Jenny McEntegart talks to a Mayo man who wants to unite fans of the phenomenon

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Step back in time to explore the island stronghold of Mayo’s warrior queen

Step back in time to explore the island stronghold of Mayo’s warrior queen

Check out Clare Island’s many defensive structures and its harbourside castle while taking in expansive views over a pristine wilderness dotted with picturesque lakes

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Close-up image of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) perched on seaside black, hard plastic dumpster refuse bin, scavenging fish a

Same species, different city: Is nature losing its local accent?

Human activity is reshuffling biodiversity globally, allowing a relatively small group of adaptable species to spread widely, while more specialised species decline

Sat, 14 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

Undervalued and overlooked: Scrub is nature’s way of rewilding — here's how

Undervalued and overlooked: Scrub is nature’s way of rewilding — here's how

Whatever the type of landscape, scrub habitats are just as significant as more celebrated hedgerows, offering a similar suite of benefits

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Winter weather Feb 16th 2026

Ireland’s seasonal identity crisis — what is it and how can we adjust?

It’s March. The daffodils are out, the evenings are getting longer, and winter is officially over. Or is it ...?

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Cainism may help restore eagle numbers in Ireland — here's how

Cainism may help restore eagle numbers in Ireland — here's how

Eagles can’t afford to raise two siblings here and so a form of siblicide observed in youngsters may ironically help Irish restoration

Thu, 05 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

Country Diary Archive : Western European hedgehog

Hedgehogs are waking up from their long winter slumber but they cannot move about as they need

In March, hedgehogs are waking up from hibernation and will soon begin venturing out from their cosy nests in search of food

Wed, 04 Mar, 2026

Google Sky launched

Sky Matters: The universe still challenges our understanding of it as we get to know it

We should not despair that we live in a universe which is beyond our understanding. We can in fact be confident that we do understand much about how the universe works

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026

Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors on this cliffwalk along an old railway track with views over Dublin Bay

Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors on this cliffwalk along an old railway track with views over Dublin Bay

Today, Howth is mainly a tourist area, offering a fine selection of accessible walks, beginning conveniently from Howth Railway Station. One of the best of these is the Tramline Loop

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026

Nesting woodpecker

The percussion of the great spotted woodpecker — a forgotten sound after such a long absence

The woodpecker’s place in Ireland isn’t a closed chapter with a neat conclusion. It’s an unfinished story

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Winter weather Jan 26th 2025

Lack of urgency identified in preparing for weather crises

A recent survey found that one-fifth of EU homes do not have any household measures to protect against extreme weather

Thu, 26 Feb, 2026

Inishbofin makes a marvellous place to explore

Inishbofin makes a marvellous place to explore

With a developed infrastructure for welcoming tourists, Inishbofin island is well worth a visit, boasting unmatched coastal vistas and pristine white sand beaches

Sat, 21 Feb, 2026

An undated handout photo made available

River fishing ban seen to reverse biodiversity decline

In response to biodiversity collapse in the Yangtze river, China dramatically implemented a 10-year, full commercial fishing ban across the entire river basin

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026

Meowing a tool cats use to control their keepers

Meowing a tool cats use to control their keepers

A feline companion is a calming presence, especially if it’s a regular purrer

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

Finding frogspawn still stirs some excitement

Finding frogspawn still stirs some excitement

Common frogs are not especially fussy about where they lay their eggs, but they do follow the same routes to get to spawning areas that have been followed by many generations of their predecessors

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

barn swallow flies fast

Changes in nature aren’t always that predictable

The natural world is not bound by dates on the calendar. Such matters are dictated by changes in temperature and lengthening daylight

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

Climate change of The Planet Earth and environmental awareness concept

S Pádraic Fogarty: Ecosystem collapse is real and is happening here now

Ireland can breeze through the collapse of our own ecosystems because of the stabilising effect of much larger ecosystems elsewhere. Now those ecosystems too are at risk of collapse, due principally to livestock farming and industrial fishing but supercharged by the burning of fossil fuels and the pollution of waterways, writes ecologist Pádraic Fogarty

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Crabs on the road traffic sign - Christmas Island

A monopoly win isn't always good — what happens when one species takes over

Snake Island, Christmas Island, and Ireland's Saltee Islands, all show what happens when ecological balance tips and a single organism becomes just a little too successful

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026