Our last flood was so severe that within minutes water was pouring into the electrical sockets a few feet up the wall
Being flooded is a particular kind of hell but pouring more concrete isn’t the solution
Ella McSweeney
A colection of articles by Ella McSweeney
The lakes on our island are treasures in urgent need of protection
Ella McSweeney: Without radical and urgent changes in how we use the land, the future of our most distinctive lakes is bleak
Life without chemical fertiliser is hard for farmers to fathom, but they could be in clover
Clover is a viable alternative for farmers who want to stay in profit and deal with the environmental challenges they face
Angel sharks are now so rare that maritime scientists can go an entire career without seeing one
Clew Bay and Tralee Bay are their last known refuges here, where their numbers are so low it may be too late to help them. Still, scientists refuse to give up hope
Unique insects aren’t in the Burren for the scenery - but add another resplendent layer to an astonishing part of Ireland
The Burren is home to 27 species of moths and butterflies found nowhere else in the country, along with all of our rarest butterflies and half our rarest moths
Once feared extinct in Ireland, the secretive nightjar calls again
The confirmation revives the question of whether nightjars could have a more hopeful future in Ireland than previously believed
Ardnacrusha is an ecological catastrophe that has devastated the Shannon and its salmon
Consecutive Irish governments have sanctioned the plundering of salmon stocks
When a farmer saw a field of dead worms, he started to pay much greater attention to underground life
Farming for Nature is a movement of dairy and tillage farmers towards sustainable practices that respect the land
Mushroom season: On the hunt in Wicklow for the most striking fungi of them all
The mushroom’s striking silhouette resembles a classic toadstool from a children’s story
We have effectively given up hope for nearly half of our rivers, lakes and estuaries
We must move fast to secure clean, healthy water for the future. But to do so, we need three things: ambition, investment and action
Starlings’ unmissable performances mesmerise on dark winter days
About three million starlings breed in Ireland yearly, joined in winter by visitors from all over Europe
Have you noticed that milk bottle caps are now tethered? There is good reason for that
Far from being ‘the worst thing to happen to humanity’, this EU law is a very small step towards combating a huge problem
Building houses can be compatible with the creation of new habitats for wildlife
Ella McSweeney: London and Amsterdam offer good examples, and Bray developers could factor in new research showing the extraordinary array of species in the town
Inside an Englishwoman’s campaign to bring back Ireland’s missing ‘big old trees’
Imogen Rabone came from a farm in Herefordshire in England, and during her years in Dublin felt an urgency to find a way to help people include trees in the landscape
Pond party: just fill a hole with water and watch as an astonishing array of life emerges
Ella McSweeney: Digging a pond, however small, is worth it for the cascade of positive effects it brings
Puffins on the Saltee Islands are thriving again. There’s now an obvious next step
Ella McSweeney: With the rat menace addressed, the question now is how to protest puffins’ nests from another threat - tourists
The recent brutal period of wet weather should not be surprising, the predictions were there
Ella McSweeney: The powers that be would do well to pay more attention to climate scientists
Our urban lives are wrapped up in the swift’s fate. To survive, they need our help
Ella McSweeney: Leaving these gaps isn’t always compatible with insulation projects, but there are alternatives that don’t cost a huge amount
Ireland’s mountains need urgent help to prevent further degradation
Ella McSweeney: Croagh Patrick has long suffered from being one of Mayo’s most valuable natural resources
Killing rhododendrons is not pretty work but is necessary to restore nature
Left alone, this invasive species will form dense dark thickets and outcompete native trees such as oak and hazel
The Dodder could become one of the finest city rivers in Europe, showing what’s possible when we clean up our act
Ella McSweeney: Thanks to the efforts of locals, nature is starting to flourish again in a river that has been blighted and abused for decades
When it comes to nature restoration plans, EU states will look to the Burren Programme. We should do the same
Ella McSweeney: We don’t have time to fail. The Government should use our money to fund what works, then step out of the way
The curlew’s call is giving way to silence but not everyone is giving up
A €25 million project hopes to secure a better future for breeding waders, including the curlew, which desperately need help
When the extreme heat hits Ireland, we’ll be grateful to the trees
Ella McSweeney: Younger kids, older people, outdoor workers, the socio-economically disadvantaged, pregnant women and the chronically ill are all disproportionately vulnerable to heat stress and mortality
Nature is never without drama and noticing it is an active choice
Noticing the richness of life around us is an active choice
Ireland does not have to choose between food and nature
Ella McSweeney: Farmer Patrick McGurk has found a way forward with a system that produces both
A new marine national park in Kerry? Nobody told the fishermen
Within a few years by working with fishers an actively-managed marine park in Co Kerry could become one of the world’s most spectacular sites
Juvenile jackdaws have stunning Cillian Murphy-esque blue eyes
They can recognise human faces and respond to our expressions. Having a ‘bird brain’ is no bad thing after all
The plight of Irish hedgehogs is a cause for concern. It’s been years since I’ve seen one
Ella McSweeney: Since they’re pretty adept at hiding away in prickly places – think mounds of nettles, brambles or hawthorn – I’m hopeful elusive hedgehogs are still around.
The sheer diversity within Donegal’s native woods reminds us they exist as so much more than just trees
A new book by Seán Ó Gaoithín tells the stories of 28 woods in Co Donegal that are deeply complex spaces full of life
We have a golden opportunity to help get our rivers back - we should take it
A growing band of scientists and river advocates across Europe are removing barriers at a record rate, enabling fish to navigate waterways as before
Milder and shorter winters due to climate warming are forcing some bat species to change their ways
Although bats will roost in all kinds of spaces – from rocks, scree slopes and exposed limestone to holes in old oaks – they tend to favour buildings
Just 10% of global land in natural state by 2050 without action, says biodiversity expert
First session of Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss sits at Dublin Castle
Ireland’s waterways face increasing levels of nitrogen pollution
Hard lessons to be learned from Dutch efforts to cut back on pollution levels
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