As the spring washes over the country at long last, RTÉ has announced an exciting new season of natural history programming which will air across each Sundays in spring on RTÉ One.
Fronted by passionate wildlife champions, the season will celebrate our stunning surrounds through ambitious programming of scale, and encourage the public to take part in a variety of ways through online and social media.
The campaign launches today (Friday 6 April), giving viewers their first taste of what scenic delights to expect, as well as a look at some faces from the new shows.
The season kicks off on 22 April on RTÉ One with the much-anticipated Ireland’s Deep Atlantic, which sees underwater cameraman Ken O’Sullivan embark on a series of voyages out into the open North Atlantic in search of large whales, sharks and cold water coral reefs 3,000 down on Ireland’s deep sea bed.
The two-part series will for the first time in any TV programme delve into the lives of these creatures and their behaviours, and investigate the health of our deep Atlantic waters.
This is an area inhabited by the largest animals ever to have lived on Earth, by some of the most beautiful, strangest looking, resilient and fascinating life forms on the planet and ecosystems that may transpire to a dominant impact on the Earth’s climate.
Ken O’Sullivan said: "I spent the summers of my youth on Fenit Island, Co. Kerry fishing with my father, swimming, gathering carrageen and periwinkles, anything just to be on the shore and in the water. I love exploring and learning about our natural world, discovering new areas and trying to understand how creatures behave, how eco-systems function."
Aside from the visual majestic of it, the documentary series has become a partner in ground-breaking scientific research, sharing resources and collaborating with research scientists, which, to date will result in five scientific research publications, an unprecedented number for a TV documentary.
On Sunday May 6, Our Wild Island goes international as Ireland hosts EBU Nature LIVE, broadcasting live to Europe from the banks of Dublin’s River Liffey. It will be anchored by RTÉ presenter Derek Mooney, with wildlife film-maker Colin Stafford-Johnson presenting from the Blasket Islands.
This one-hour television programme hosted by RTÉ will feature some of Europe's extraordinary wildlife, from Polar Bears in the Norwegian Arctic to flamingos in southern Spain, and from Basking Sharks off the west of Ireland, to wolves in Slovenia.
Viewers can take part by sharing their own pictures and videos of nature and wildlife using #naturelive from wherever they live in Europe.
The day kicks off with the Dawn Chorus, which will air on RTÉ Radio 1 from 12am through to 7am. Millions of birds will join in nature’s symphony broadcast live from over 20 locations across Europe.
Speaking about the Dawn Chorus, Derek Mooney said: "Europe’s nature is spectacular.It’s only right that we celebrate it and I’m delighted that RTÉ is hosting this unique event which will be viewed by millions of people throughout the world on TV and online."
And on May 13, a new four-part series A Wild Irish Year offers perfect Sunday evening family viewing with each show featuring the glories of wild outdoor Ireland through one beautifully filmed season.
From wildlife to weather, from farming cycles to nature’s ancient rhythms the series features the changes sweeping across our green island throughout one year.
Produced by Crossing the Line for RTÉ (who have also made the acclaimed Wild Ireland, The Farthest and The Secret Life of the Shannon), across each episode the presenting team of Tara Shine, Rob Gandola and Eoin Warner showcase some of our most spectacular natural events and meet a diverse range of people whose livelihood depends on the natural rhythm of the seasons.
Dr Tara Shine said: "Ireland’s nature is wild, unpredictable and constantly surprising.
"You just never know what is around the next corner and finding hidden wildlife is always a thrill."
