Saturday, October 06, 2007

Ireland Flora & Fauna

Ask About Ireland's illustrated Introduction to the Flora and Fauna of Ireland, by Michael Viney is an enjoyable, informative read. Topics covered include:

  • Howth Peninsula
  • The Birds of Ireland
  • Selected Wild Flowers of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
  • The Flaming Wheel nature essays about the countryside of Wicklow and Dublin
  • The Tobacco Growing Industry in Meath
  • The Wildflowers of Bull Island: The Grassland Dunes
  • Wild Plants of the Burren
  • Wild Wicklow
  • Wildlife of the Parks of South Dublin County
  • Trees of Woodstock Arboretum, Kilkenny
  • Flora and Fauna of Wexford Sloblands
  • Flora and Fauna of Wicklow
  • Flora of Wicklow
  • Habitats of Carlow

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The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.