Shipwrecks, sea birds and whale spotting: exploring Ireland’s first marine park
A vast swathe of the rugged Kerry coast and its Atlantic isles is now a protected haven for wildlife, and the occasional Jedi knight
I’m crouching in a windowless stone cell, peering at a ball of fluff stuffed into a crack in the floor. The cell is a beehive hut, or clochán; 1,400 years ago, it offered sleeping quarters to monks. The fluff is a baby seabird – to be precise, the chick of a European storm petrel. As my eyes adjust, I make out the glint of a tiny eye. After dark, the parents will return with food. For now, the chick sits tight.
Storm petrels nest only on remote, uninhabited islands, so seeing a chick is a rare privilege. I give the bird its privacy and crawl back outside – gasping anew at my surroundings. I’m high on a vertiginous rock outcrop in the Atlantic, just south-west of Ireland’s south-west corner.
Continue reading...Date: |
Topics
-
Top stories - BBC News
Does Chinese investment benefit or damage Ireland?
Ireland is home to 40 Chinese firms, which some critics say harms the country's reputation.8 hours ago -
Top stories - BBC News
Ireland stun world champions New Zealand in WXV1
Ireland secure a sensational last-gasp 29-27 win over world champions New Zealand in their opening match of the WXV1 tournament in Vancouver.2 hours ago - New Zealand -
Business - Financial Times
Marine Le Pen goes on trial over EU expenses scandal
French far-right leader is accused of paying European parliament staff for party work back home4 hours ago - European Union -
World - The Guardian
Spotted on the catwalks: leopard prints roar back into fashion for autumn
Beloved of Kate Moss, Bet Lynch and a host of others, the style stalwart has been having a new moment in Paris . Associated with everyone from Bet Lynch to Mel B, and sometimes dubbed a ...20 hours ago -
Top stories - BBC News
McDonald’s and big supermarkets failed to spot slavery, BBC finds
Red flags went undetected as victims worked at a restaurant and a supermarket supplier, BBC finds.9 hours ago -
Sports - ABC News
Raley rallies Mariners twice, Raleigh homers in 7-6 win over A's in 10 innings
Leo Rivas scored on Justin Turner’s fielder’s-choice grounder to lift the Seattle Mariners over the Oakland Athletics 7-6 in 10 inningsYesterday - MLB -
World - The Guardian
Marine Le Pen and others from RN party to stand trial over EU ‘fake jobs’ allegations
Far-right French presidential hopeful, who will go on trial on Monday, allegedly embezzled money from EU. The French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen and a slew of fellow National Rally ...23 minutes ago -
Sports - CBS Sports
2024 MLB playoff picture: Baseball standings, bracket with Braves, Mets set up for crucial doubleheader Monday
The 2024 MLB regular season has two more games: a pivotal doubleheader in Atlanta7 hours ago - MLB -
World - The Guardian
Liam Delap’s ruthless Ipswich double denies Aston Villa share of top spot
. They may have to wait for their first win of the season but, on this evidence, Ipswich are not far off. They denied Aston Villa the chance to move level on points with Liverpool at the Premier ...16 hours ago
More from The Guardian
-
World - The Guardian
Middle East crisis live: Hamas says its leader in Lebanon has been killed; Israel accused of central Beirut strike
Hamas said Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin was killed in an Israeli attack in the south; Beirut’s Kola district hit in what may be first Israeli attack on the centre of Lebanon’s capital since 2006 . ...20 minutes ago -
World - The Guardian
Austria’s far-right Freedom party wins most votes in election – latest updates
The pro-Kremlin, anti-Islam FPÖ, led by Herbert Kickl, won 29.2% of votes, beating the ruling ÖVP of the chancellor, Karl Nehammer, into second place. Academic Cas Mudde has written of the ...19 minutes ago -
World - The Guardian
Russia-Ukraine war live: Blasts heard in Kyiv as Russia mounts overnight drone attack
The Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 67 out of 73 drones and one of three missiles launched by Russia. We are restarting our live coverage of Russia’s war on Ukraine and will give you ...24 minutes ago - Russia -
World - The Guardian
Baby Reindeer was wrongly billed by Netflix as a ‘true story’, judge finds
Fiona Harvey, the inspiration for Martha, can proceed with defamation lawsuit after judge agrees the show suggested she was convicted for stalking creator Richard Gadd. A US judge has ruled that ...5 hours ago - Netflix -
World - The Guardian
Top Republicans disavow Trump’s ‘mentally disabled’ attacks on Harris
Lindsey Graham pushes back on ex-president’s remarks as Minnesota’s Emmer says ‘we should stick on the issues’. Senior Republicans distanced themselves Sunday from comments made by Donald Trump at ...10 hours ago - Republican Party