Rathlin: Nature And Folklore

Product Description

Rathlin is Northern Ireland's only permanently inhabited offshore isl&, sitting like a stepping stone in the narrow & turbulent Sea of Moyle between Ireland & Scotl&, straddling cultures, habitats & peoples. It is a busy, vibrant & beautiful place with a resident population of around 100 islanders who look to the future with complete confidence but can also hark back to a past of massacres, famine & emigration. Peopled for about 7, 000 years, the island's rich natural resources on land & in the sea supported a population that rose as high as 1, 200 souls in the 1780s. Today, Rathlin's landscape & nature & the islanders' stories reveal rocks & wildlife with global connections & a culture linked to Irel&, Scotland & the natural world. This is the first combined guide to Rathlin's natural & social histories. The book

Includes:: a map of the island & suggested walks. There are two sections of stunning colour photography. Ecologist & writer Philip Watson has been going to Rathlin for fifty years, spending lengthy periods there studying birds & sea fisheries, engaging in wildlife & conservation projects & collecting folklore. In this lively & personal guide to the isl&, the author combines nature writing, memoir & a trawl of tales to share his enthusiasm for this unique isl&.