In praise of the Irish wild orchid

IN the past amateur naturalists have contributed a huge amount to our knowledge of flora and fauna.

Even today many of the people who add to the sum of information about Ireland’s plants, birds and animals have a day job that has nothing to do with natural history.

The clergy, both Catholic and Protestant, have always been strongly represented in this group. I suppose it’s not surprising that highly educated people, often living and working in rural areas, should take a keen interest in their natural environment. There may also be theological reasons for their interest in God’s creation — I’m not really qualified to judge that.