Seán Ronayne – Now What?
“How do we protect something we do not love and do not understand?” Seán Ronayne is the ornithologist who came up with the idea to sound-record every bird in Ireland, to show the world what beautiful and unique creatures they are. He is also the main character in the documentary Birdsong. With his extraordinary projects capturing soundscapes and imagery from nature’s most precious wildlife, he urges people to come together and protect the nation’s birds, as 63% of them are at risk of extinction. His collections are representations of the physical loss that are a consequence of the exploitation of Irish nature. He uses music and sound as a way of connecting with people and making them feel and understand the importance of preserving biodiversity. Birds’ mimicry of each other and other species is a symbol of the worlds’ interconnectedness. As Seán points out, extinction is not just happening in the Amazons but “here on our doorstep”, and “the actions that we take in Sweden and Ireland have a ripple effect on the world.”
