Following the Irish coast in a clockwise direction, acclaimed ecologist Richard Nairn travels by boat, on foot and sometimes by air to visit the best remaining wild places, including islands, cliffs, beaches and dunes.
The result is a unique mix of nature, history, science and a reflection on the author's personal experiences of exploring Ireland's coast. By viewing the Irish coastline from the sea, Richard gains a unique perspective on the island. And along the way, he recalls a lifetime spent studying nature.
Richard Nairn is an ecologist and a lifetime sailor. During his career, he worked as a nature reserve warden and was the first director of BirdWatch Ireland. Wild Shores is the second volume of his memoirs following the acclaimed Wildwoods, which recounted his experience of managing a small woodland.
"An affectionate and timely celebration of Ireland's richly varied coastline"
– Bryan Dobson
"A great read – whatever part of the coast you visit"
– Éanna Ní Lamhna
"A brilliant and timely odyssey around our precious, precarious shores"
– Professor John Brannigan, University College Dublin
"An exhilarating journey right around our coastline"
– Paddy Woodworth, journalist and author
"An intimate, inspiring and lovely read about Ireland's shorelines: its places and spaces"
– Professor Robert Devoy, lead editor of The Coastal Atlas of Ireland