Birdsong

At once inspiring and cautionary, Seán Ronayne's journey reveals the beauty and importance of sound, and what listening can tell us about the state of our natural world.

Birdsong — Plot

Ornithologist Seán Ronayne from Cobh, Co. Cork is on a mission to record the sound of every bird species in Ireland – that’s nearly 200 birds. Often joined by his partner Alba, he travels to some of the country’s most beautiful and remote locations to capture its most elusive species and soundscapes: the busy seabird colony of Skellig Michael; a native woodland free from road noise in the Burren; the corncrake stronghold of Tory Island; a solitary nest in the Donegal uplands. Along the way we get to know Seán, whose hypersensitivity to sound has proven both a struggle and a strength. At once inspiring and cautionary, Seán’s journey illustrates the beauty and importance of sound, and what listening can tell us about the state of our natural world.

• Release date
• February 25, 2024
• Runtime
• 52 min
• Genres
• Documentary
• Director
• Kathleen Harris

Birdsong — Cast

Seán Ronayne Self