Immersed in Nature Seán Ronayne and Ruby Free in conversation with Ella McSweeney
Join us to explore two immersive nature books, both a celebration of the beauty of nature and a call to action to safeguard it. In Nature Boy (Hachette Ireland) ornithologist Seán Ronayne charts his experience recording the sound of birds throughout Ireland, revealing a journey of self-discovery and connection, and the extraordinary healing power of nature. In Rathlin: A Wild Life (Blackstaff Press), conservation biologist Ruby Free charts her thrilling experience working in one of the wildest and most biodiverse corners of the UK and Ireland. charts her thrilling experience working in one of the wildest and most biodiverse corners of the UK and Ireland. The authors join food and farming journalist Ella McSweeney in conversation.
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© Chris Maddaloni
Seán Ronayne is a Cork-born ornithologist and naturalist who has spent a life immersed in nature. Following a childhood spent exploring the fields and woods of his hometown, Seán went on to study Zoology at University College Cork (UCC), as well as a Master’s in Marine Biology, also at UCC. After graduating, he worked at a seabird sanctuary in the UK, and then returned to Ireland to enroll in a Master’s in Ecological Impact Assessment, specialising in ornithology. He secured his first professional ornithologist job in 2017, and in 2018 he moved to Barcelona with his partner Alba, a Catalan native, where he began recording birds and wildlife in earnest. And following their return to Ireland in 2020, he embarked on his project to sound-record all of Ireland’s regularly occurring birds, bringing him all over the country in search of rare and elusive species, some of which were on the cusp of extinction. He has now just three species left to record, out of almost 200, and has amassed a collection of over 12,000 recordings of Irish birds and other wildlife. In spring 2024, Birdsong, a documentary about Seán’s recording project, which won an audience award at the British and Irish Film Festival Luxembourg. Birdsong is directed by Kathleen Harris and produced by Ross Whitaker and Aideen O’Sullivan for True Films. Seán lives near Cobh, County Cork, with Alba and their dog Toby. Nature Boy is his first book.
Ruby Free is an award-winning Campaigner, Writer and Conservation Biologist based in County Antrim. Passionate about saving nature and reconnecting people to it, she’s worked and volunteered in the environmental conservation sector since she was 16 and has been named one of the 100 most influential Environmental Professionals in the UK on the ENDS Power List. Ruby’s best-selling book Rathlin A Wild Life, is a memoir about living and working on Rathlin Island was published by Blackstaff Press in 2024. She also writes a nature and climate column for the Irish News and has recently pursued an MSc in Ecological Management and Conservation Biology. She is now working as a Policy Officer for a leading eNGO and manages @BallyconnellyFarm with her partner Craig, restoring biodiversity and reconnecting people to nature. Alongside her passion of nature-writing, these days any spare opportunity to unwind is spent adventuring with her dog Isla, surfing, growing food or illustrating.
Ella McSweeney is an Irish food and farming journalist and reporter. She has worked for BBC, RTÉ (Ireland’s national broadcaster) and the Guardian newspaper. She graduated from Trinity College, Dublin and is a post graduate student in food policy at City University, London. Ella studied science at Trinity College, Dublin, specialising in zoology and has a masters in food policy from City University, London.
