Michael Moynihan: Forget dog licences — we should need behavioural licences to go out in public
Michael Moynihan: Forget dog licences — we should need behavioural licences to go out in public
It's clear that there is a breakdown in social and ethical skills. That is not catastrophising. The evidence is all around you
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Irish Times
41 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Birdwatching in Ireland has changed remarkably in the past century and a quarter – for good and bad
One hundred and twenty-five years ago this year, a seminal book was published with the simple title The Birds of Ireland. Its authors, Richard J Ussher and Robert Warren, had produced the first systematic account of all birds known in Ireland up to the end of the 19th century. The results of their extensive research show a stark contrast with the birdlife found in Ireland today. The book was published in 1900, when Ireland was slowly recovering from the shock of the Great Famine some 50 years earlier. Poverty was widespread and most people still scraped a living from small patches of farmland. Ussher however, was from the landed class. His family home near Dungarvan , Co Waterford, was at the centre of a large estate that he had inherited from his father. Warren was a keen birdwatcher living in Co Mayo and they were both part of the Victorian craze for recording rare species and collecting specimens. In fact, Ussher had been a passionate egg collector in his youth and his unique collection of more than 4,000 eggs, together with many whole nests, is held by the National Museum of Ireland today. By the late 1800s he had turned to more scientific activities and was carrying on an extensive correspondence with bird enthusiasts, hunters and landowners all over the country, collecting information on every bird species that had been recorded to date. Most of this correspondence Ussher's and field notebooks are in the collections of the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin where they can be accessed online . READ MORE Principally written by Ussher, the book was based on his extensive field research and that of his correspondents. It included, for the first time, tables covering the status and distribution of all bird species in every county of Ireland. It is remarkable how much change there has been in the status of some birds over the period since he undertook this monumental work. [ Identify Ireland's most common garden birds – with pictures and sound Opens in new window ] Farming became increasingly mechanised in the 1950s and 1960s. A switch from haymaking to silage allowed mowing to take place earlier and more frequently in the summer. More artificial fertiliser was applied to farmland to produce faster-growing grass and crops with a higher yield. This permitted much more intensive grazing pressure and higher densities of livestock. A side effect of the more intensive cultivation and the use of chemicals was a decline in the farmland insects and soil invertebrates, with consequent impacts on insectivorous birds. All of this rapid habitat loss was reflected in dramatic changes in the populations of some bird species recorded by Ussher. The corncrake was described as 'common and widespread' in 1900 but had become confined to a few offshore islands and coastal fringes of the northwest a century later. The corn bunting was common right around the coast in 1900 but became extinct as a breeding species in Ireland in the 20th century. The corncrake was 'common and widespread' in Ireland in 1900 Twite, which was breeding in two-thirds of the country in 1900 and described as 'locally common', is now known in just 1 per cent of Ireland. Ring ouzel, now considered to be functionally extinct here, was present in two-thirds of the country in 1900 and seen in 'every quarter of Ireland'. Yellowhammer, now on the red list of birds of conservation concern, was 'very common everywhere' at that time. By contrast, some bird species have markedly increased in Ireland since the time of Ussher and Warren. The fulmar, which was described as 'a rare and accidental visitor' in 1900, first bred in Ireland in 1913 and rapidly spread around the coast, nesting on steep cliffs. [ How to build a bird-friendly garden Opens in new window ] One positive change for seabirds was the cessation of hunting and collecting of eggs from cliffs, which allowed some species, such as gannet, then breeding 'in only two colonies in the southwest', to recolonise numerous areas on the east and west coasts. The buzzard had already become extinct in 1900 when it was described as just a 'casual visitor'. Since the 1970s it has recolonised and gradually spread across the whole country, helped by a reduction in poisoning and persecution. [ Nearly 250 white-tailed eagle chicks released into wild via Kerry scheme Opens in new window ] For the little egret there were 'three records only' in 1900 but this species has become extremely common and widespread today, and often breeds in mixed colonies with the grey heron. Similarly, the great spotted woodpecker colonised Ireland naturally in the early 21st century, having been just a 'rare casual visitor in winter' a century earlier. If Ussher was birdwatching today, he would hardly believe his eyes. Richard Nairn is an ecologist and author whose latest book is Future Wild: Nature Restoration in Ireland. Ella McSweeney returns later this month
Irish Times
41 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Green flowering plants to bring calm to your garden
Colour – especially the use of colour in the garden – is a famously subjective thing. For example, hot pink, bright yellow, deep burgundy, or fiery orange will always be anathema for some, while for others they're supremely joyful and uplifting. However when it comes to shades of green, I think we're all in agreement. Green flowering plants in particular have an unerring ability to be the all-important glue in any planting scheme. Just think of the lime-green blooms of lady's mantle, or Alchemilla mollis as it's properly known, which never puts a foot wrong colour-wise (admittedly the same can't always be said for its propensity to self-seed). Its fluffy, long-lasting flower panicles first appear in early June and look as good combined with the violet umbels of alliums, or with shocking pink roses, as they do with acid-orange geums, or bright yellow trollius, the reason why flower arrangers adore them so much. Alchemilla, Lady's Mantle. Photograph: Getty That same quality of supreme versatility is true of trusty Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii, whose stately, pistachio-green flower bracts effortlessly co-ordinate with pretty much everything else in the garden, no matter how gaudy its neighbours. In bloom from mid-spring until late summer, the celebrated British garden designer Gertrude Jekyll once described it, with good reason, as 'the grandest of plants', but it's also a trooper with the power to tolerate the hottest and driest of soils. Other garden-worthy, green-flowering. floriferous species of euphorbia to consider include the lovely summer-blooming Euphorbia palustris, a hardy herbaceous perennial; and the compact, exceptionally long flowering, evergreen Euphorbia martinii. Euphorbia. Photograph: Getty Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'. Photograph: Getty Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is another brilliant garden mingler, with large panicles of flowers that first emerge in July in the most charming shade of apple-green before gradually fading to cream with soft hints of pale pink as the season progresses. This hardy deciduous shrub does especially well in our mild, damp climate, relishing a rich, moisture-retentive soil that never totally dries out. A staple of the late summer garden, it provides the perfect foil for the zingy blooms of late-flowering perennials such as dahlia, crocosmia, helenium, echinacea, hemerocallis and alstroemeria. For growing in a large tub or container, seek out Hydrangea 'Polar Bear', a very similar but more compact close relative. Just make sure to keep it regularly watered, as drought-resistance is most definitely not its thing. READ MORE Blooming hydrangeas paniculata Polar Bear. Photograph: Getty For a sheltered spot, ideally trained against a wall, nothing compares with Itea ilicifolia or Virginian willow as it's commonly known, a plant I first saw in Helen Dillon's Ranelagh garden many years ago. A glorious specimen, she'd propagated it from a cutting taken from a mature plant growing in a neighbouring garden. The latter was very probably planted by the property's illustrious former owner, the famous Irish plant hunter Augustine Henry, who also first introduced Itea ilicifolia into cultivation. Somewhat reminiscent of amaranthus but more refined, this large evergreen shrub's jade-green, intensely-scented, tassel-shaped flowers appear in abundance on the plant in late summer and are a show-stopping sight. Speaking of which, Amaranthus caudatus var. viridis, or love-lies-bleeding as it's commonly known, is another wonderful green-flowering plant for the summer cut-flower patch. Long, dangling, chenille-like flower tassels appear on this half-hardy annual from July onwards, gradually thickening and lengthening as autumn approaches. Those eye-catching, supremely tactile flower tassels (their large leaves carefully picked off) make a wonderfully sculptural addition to an arrangement or bouquet, one of the reasons why it's become one of the most fashionable of bridal flowers in recent years. In my own little flower farm, I grow it in abundance from seed sown under cover each spring. Another personal favourite is Nicotiana langsdorfii, a supremely graceful member of the tobacco family with tall, slender flower stems adorned with tiny, dangling green bells. A brilliant cut-flower, this half-hardy, summer-flowering annual will often politely self-seed around the place when it's happy, while the ripe seed can also be easily home-saved in late summer for sowing under cover the following spring. For something more long-lived, look to Tellima grandiflora, or fringe cups as it's commonly known. Tough as old boots, I grow this hardy semi-evergreen perennial in a dry, north-facing bed where few things will flourish. In late spring its tall, long-lasting, very slender stems of chartreuse-green, miniature bell-shaped flowers emerge, slowly unfurling like ferns. A generous self-seeder in rich, moist soils, it combines beautifully with other spring flowering perennials and bulbous plants including aquilegia, forget-me-nots, tulips and lunaria. Snowball flower (Viburnum Opulus) or Guelder-Rose. Photograph: Getty Other garden-worthy members of this invaluable green-flowering club include the spring-flowering, shade-tolerant, evergreen perennial known as Helleborus argutifolius or the Corsican hellebore; the spring-flowering, shade-tolerant, herbaceous perennial known as Helleborus x nigercors 'The Rockies Pike Peak'; the large deciduous shrub known as Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' or the snowball tree, whose clusters of pompon-shaped flowers emerge lime-green in late spring before gradually fading to a creamy white; and the shade-tolerant, summer-flowering hardy perennial known as Heuchera 'Goldfinch'. Add just a few of these to your garden and you'll be regularly reminded of the power of green to calm, soothe and enliven even the tiniest of growing spaces like no other. This week in the garden To guarantee the widest choice of varieties, start ordering spring flowering bulbs now from online suppliers for delivery later this year. Recommended suppliers include Dublin-based , which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Cork-based (small selection of organically produced bulbs) and UK-based . Vine weevil is a common pest in many Irish gardens, especially of container-grown plants or those growing in raised beds where a peat-based compost has been used. This month is a great time to apply a nematode-control (Steinernema) as a soil drench, an organically acceptable way of disrupting this pest's life cycle by killing off its destructive white larvae, which live in the ground and feed on plant roots. It also kills the larvae of carrot fly and cabbage root fly. Stockists include all good garden centres. Dates for your diary ISNA Plant Fair Loughcrew Gardens, Oldcastle, Co Meath; Sunday, August 17th. With stalls by many of the country's leading independent small specialist nurseries. Blight & Bounty': Glasnevin in the Famine Years National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9; Saturday, August 23rd and Wednesday. August 27th. Guided tour taking in exotic imports, orchid innovations, symphonies in iron and glass and the discovery of potato blight. Pre-booking through essential, tickets €5. Irish National Vegetable Championships The Showgrounds, Moate, Co Westmeath; Sunday, August 24th (10am-5pm). The annual competition takes place as part of the Moate Agricultural Show and includes a new junior category. See for schedule and downloadable entry form.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Sarah Carey: With Mairead McGuinness out of the race, getting a credible president has just become a lot harder
It was only three weeks ago. I hesitated for ages over the text. I didn't want to cause offence, but instinctively I was worried. I've known Mairead McGuinness for a long time, though I'd see her rarely. In the end, I sent it. I was full square behind her for the campaign, but she looked so thin. 'Eat some spuds and pasta,' I joked. She replied promptly, as she always did, polite and positive.
