Nature Magic
Episodes
80 Dr Debbie Saunders fights biodiversity loss with tech
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Debbie Saunders is a Conservation Ecologist & Nature-Tech Innovation Dr Debbie Saunders has a PhD in Conservation Ecology from the Australian N...
79 Jim and Mark are birds of a feather
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Birds of Ireland, Jim Wilson with photography by Mark Carmody –Today Mary is talking to Jim Wilson and Mark Carmody.Jim Wilson in a wildlife wri...
78 Anna Murphy is requesting legal rights for nature
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Anna Murphy. Anna moved to Kinvara in 2001 and raised her three children here, and works in the village. Her main passion is ...
77 Time to hibernate!
05 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Bermingham wraps up the year with a short report on 2023 at The Burren Nature Sanctuary and a poem inspired by native Irish Trees. The Song of Og...
76 Victoria Beeler The Butterfly Lady
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Victoria Beeler. Victoria is a butterfly enthusiast and enjoys gardening, wildlife, nature, and learning. She and her family ...
75 Lorraine Fletcher is painting foxes
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Galway based artist Lorraine Fletcher. Lorraine's wildlife-inspired prints and giftware showcase the beauty and strength in a...
74 Isabella Tree is rewilding with hope
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Isabella Tree. Isabella is an award-winning journalist and author, and lives with her husband, the conservationist Charlie Bu...
73 Eoghan Daltun loves an Irish Atlantic Rainforest
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Eoghan Daltun. Eoghan is a sculpture conservator, a High Nature Value farmer and, above all, a rewilder. Originally from Dubl...
72 Richard Nairn loves Ireland's Wild Waters
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Richard Nairn.Richard is an ecologist and writer. His latest book is Wild Waters which is the third title in a trilogy which ...
71 Ambrose and Brid let the tree live on
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Ambrose and Brid, master wood turners.We talk about the craft and the philosophy behind the creative arts. Ambrose began wood...
Episode 70 Jethro Sheen is carving a badger
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Jethro Sheen.Jethro runs a stone carving business, Sheenstoneworks in Gort, South county Galway. He grew up in the countrysid...
Episode 69 Emma Rushworth is creating a giant dragonfly
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Emma Jane Rushworth.We are very excited that Emma is in the process of making a giant dragonfly for Burren Nature Sanctuary a...
Episode 68 Davin Butler is building a copper orchid
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the 2023 season of Nature Magic.It is hard to believe we are on episode 68 and have spoken to all those incredible nature advocates. This y...
Episode 67 Time to hibernate!
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A thank you to all our wonderful guests this year and a Christmas gift The Song of Wandering Aengus by William Butler Yeats
Episode 66 Minister Malcolm Noonan's good news for nature in Ireland
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Minister Malcolm Noonan.He is a TD representing the Carlow Kilkenny Constituency and was appointed Minister of State for Heri...
Episode 64 Jack O Donovan Trá is fighting for Fair Seas
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Jack O’Donovan Trá. Jack is the Communications Officer at Fair Seas. Jack is blending the art of good comms with marine sc...
Episode 63 L K Howells is creating Stories of Change
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Laura Kate (LK) Howells. LK designs and delivers environmental education programs inspired by nature, led by creativity, driv...
Episode 62 Neil Campbell is saving seeds
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Neil Campbell, an ecologist living in Galway and helping Dr Colin Kelleher from the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin wit...
Episode 61 Gavin Pretor-Pinney appreciates clouds
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Gavin Pretor-Pinney. Gavin is founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, which has over 58,000 members in 120 countries. He i...
Episode 60 Doug Allan is talking to Belugas
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Doug Allan.Doug is an Award-winning natural history photographer, documentary filmmaker, diver, author and public speaker. Do...
Episode 59 Ruth Hanniffy is protecting the Pine Martin
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ruth Hanniffy is a Conservation Biologist with Vincent Wildlife Trust. For the past 17 years, she has worked across disciplines including geomorpholog...
Episode 58 Mary Bermingham describes The Burren Nature Sanctuary
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After various requests this week's episode is a brief description of The Burren Nature Sanctuary; it's vision and mission. Mary paints a picture of th...
Episode 57 Dr Stephen Newton is birdwatching in Ireland
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dr Stephen Newton. senior Seabird Conservation OfficerStephen is responsible for managing the long-term conservation projects...
Episode 56 Éanna ní Lamhna is passionate about Our Wild World
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is speaking to Éanna Ní Lamhna.Éanna is an Irish biologist, environmental consultant, radio and television presenter, author and educato...
Episode 55 The National Biodiversity Conference 2022 Act Now for Nature
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary gives a brief outline of her experience at the National Biodiversity Conference in Dublin Castle that took place over two days in June 2022...
Episode 54 Féidhlim Harty is simply cleaning up Ireland's water
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Féidhlim Harty is an environmental consultant and writer. His company, FH Wetland Systems, established in 1996, offers designs and guidance on waterw...
Episode 53 Harrison Gardner is building a more sustainable Ireland
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Harrison Gardner. Harrison is a builder, teacher and co-founder of Common Knowledge, the non-profit social enterprise focused...
Episode 52 Janet Jones explores the equine brain
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Janet Jones. Janet applies brain science to the training of horses and riders. She earned her Ph.D. from UCLA and taught the ...
Episode 51 John Carrig speaks up for the Barn Owl
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to John Carrig. John set up The Barn Owl project in January 2019 to help with conservation of Barn Owls in Ireland. Johnis a pu...
Episode 50 Elaine Butler is zeroing in on fast fashion
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Elaine Butler. Elaine runs the website Living Lightly in Ireland. This website is a sustainable living guide with all the inf...
Episode 49 Lisa Tully is speaking to animals
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to Nature Magic after our winter hibernation! Today Mary is talking to Lisa Tully. Lisa is professional animal healer & communicator She ...
Episode 48 When The Bald Eagle rode the Gulf Stream to Ireland
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The nature magic podcast is taking a short break - We wish you all a very happy holidays and for the final episode of 2021 Today Mary is reading a sho...
Episode 47 Conor Ruane is giving a voice to Irish rivers
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Conor Ruane. Conor is a Community Water Officer with the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) covering Galway and South ...
Episode 46 (Nature Educators No 6) Nancy Striniste is designing a natural world
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Nancy Striniste, as part of our mini series of nature educators. Nancy has a lot of amazing advice to offer. She is Director ...
Episode 45 We need more wildlife warriors like Matilda
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is speaking to Wildlife warrior Matilda. Matilda moved from Australia to Ireland a couple of years ago. Matilda is a conservationist and ac...
Episode 44 Nikita Zimov is turning back time in the Arctic
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Nikita Zimov, director of Pleistocene park. Nikita is a Russian scientist at the cutting edge of the fight against climate ch...
Episode 43 Professor Martin Bunzl wonders if viruses have rights
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Professor Martin Bunzl. Martin taught Philosophy at Rutgers University in New Jersey for 40 years Much of his work has revol...
Episode 42 Joe Slattery is healing with horses
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Joe Slattery. Joe is an Experienced Addiction counsellor and coordinator of the NorthStar Family Support Project, a communi...
Episode 41 Randal Plunkett 21st Baron of Dunsany is making haste slowly
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Randal Plunkett, 21st Baron of Dunsany Castle, in County Meath. The Plunkett family motto is: Make Haste Slowly and through R...
Episode 40 Geeks in suits are fighting for the planet
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Kushal Jayakumar and Anees Ali from the Ecology department of Christ Junior College, Bangalore on their new podcast Geeks in ...
Episode 39 Dr Karen Bacon is topping up your plant awareness
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dr Karen L. Bacon. Karen is a plant ecologist and palaeoecologist based in Botany & Plant Sciences at the National University...
Episode 38 Aga Grandowicz's remarkable disappearing animals
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Aga Grandowicz. Aga is a multi-award winning art director, graphic designer and wildlife illustrator.Aga studied graphic desi...
Episode 37 Gearóid McEvoy is reforesting the nation
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Gearoid McEvoy, a 21-year-old Irish Wildlife Biology graduate and the founder of Reforest Nation that has just hit it's goal ...
Episode 36 Conor W O Brien and the woolly mammoth
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Conor W. O’Brien, author of Life in Ireland- A short history of a long time. Available to purchase athttps://irishacademicp...
Episode 35 Dr Joseph Bruchac beats a drum of hope
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dr Joseph Bruchac, proud Nulhegan Abeneki citizen and respected elder of his tribe. For over forty years Joseph Bruchac has b...
Episode 34 Dan Donoher is helping WRI build a Wildlife Hospital
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dan Donoher Animal Manager of Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland’s brand new Wildlife Hospital.Dan is amongst a group of admir...
Episode 33 Ramiro Crego is face to face with a wild puma
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Ramiro D. Crego. Ramiro is a conservation biologist from Argentina, living on the farm at Burren Nature Sanctuary with his wi...
Episode 32 Janie Chodosh meets the Elephant Doctor of India
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Janie Chodosh, author of 'The Elephant Doctor of India'. She is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan and majored in...
Episode 31 (Nature Educators No 5) Dr Claire Warden is mending the planet with golden glue
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dr. Claire Warden. Claire is an advocate for outdoor learning. Among many achievemnts she is Founder of Living Classrooms, th...
Episode 30 Warwick Schiller - What horses teach humans
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is speaking to Warwick Schiller. Warwick is a You tube superstar with over 20 million views of his horse training videos. Warwick moved fro...
Episode 29 (Nature Educators No 4) Professor David Sobel is otterly delightful
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Professor David Sobel as a contributor to the nature educators series within Nature Magic. David is a Professor in the Educat...
Episode 28 Professor Temple Grandin on the bovine mind
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Temple Grandin is professor of Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University. She is a prominent prop...
Episode 27 (Nature Educators No 3) Professor Jan White makes a mud kitchen
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Professor Jan White. Jan is a leading thinker and writer on outdoor play and advocate for nature-rich outdoor provision for s...
Episode 26 Sy Montgomery has the soul of an Octopus
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to New York Times bestselling author Sy Montgomery. Sy is a multi-award winning nature writer and author of 28 books including ‘...
Episode 25 (Nature Educators No 2) Dr Paddy Madden speaks up for the woodlouse
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Dr Paddy Madden."How far we adults have retreated from childhood" Paddy worked as a primary school teacher for three decades ...
Episode 24 (Nature Educators No 1) Michelle Lawton stretches the imagination
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 2021 and a Happy New Year to our listeners!Today is the start of a series of Nature Magic podcasts talking to inspirational people who are ...
Episode 22 Brigid Barry is farming for nature
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is talking to Brigid Barry. Brigid coordinates Farming for Nature since its inception in 2018. This was set up to encourage and inspire fa...
Episode 21 Melanie Croce is saving seals
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today I am speaking to Melanie Croce, Melanie is the executive Director of Seal Rescue Ireland. Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a charity organisation t...
Episode 20 Edward Dee speaks up for the badgers
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is chatting to Edward Dee. This was the hardest interview to set up as Eddie was not keen to get in front of the microphone!Eddie is the p...
Episode 19 Susan Kerwin builds a bat hospital
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is chatting to the inspirational Susan Kerwin. Susan is a wildlife Rehabilitater based in County Limerick with a special focus on bats. She...
Episode 18 Irene Graham and the magical Irish hare
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is chatting to the super talented, Kinvara local, Irene Graham. Irene is a writer, story editor and photographer. From 1998 to 2008 she was...
Episode 17 Dr Jenny Lloyd-Strovas loves the horny toad!
21 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mary talks to Jenny Lloyd-Strovas about getting children off their devices and outside learning about nature. Dr. Jenny is a biologist, researcher and...
Episode 16 Raquel Noboa is allergic to single use items!
07 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today Mary is chatting to Raquel Noboa from Fifty Shades Greener. Raquel has worked in the Hospitality industry for the past 23 years, working in hote...
Episode 15 Mary Bermingham on the Nature Magic book
24 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Bermingham, cofounder of Burren Nature Sanctuary and host of the podcast Nature Magic- A positive voice for nature from Ireland- talks to Simon C...
Episode 14 Gordon Darcy asks us to treat the planet as a gift
10 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We talk to Gordon about treating the planet as a gift, planting trees and his recent book The Breathing Burren.Gordon is a civil engineer but has spen...
Episode 13 Sean McCormack is jumping off his lawnmower!
27 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today I am talking to Sean McCormack. Sean is a life long naturalist, a vet by profession and a self-confessed nature nerd. He studied Animal Science ...
Episode 12 Patrick McCormack on preparing the ground
13 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick McCormack is an organic farmer from the Burren, Co Clare, in the West of Ireland. If you are lucky you can join one of his occasional guided w...
Episode 11 Gonçalo Santos - in love with wild orchids
29 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Gonçalo Santos is a 27-year-old chemist and amateur botanist from Portugal. His passion for plants started in 2014 when he created a garden from wast...
Episode 10 Catherine Farrell is accounting for conservation
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine talks about the INCASE project, (Irish Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Environments) her love of bogs and her new novel The Easte...
Episode 9 Laura Powers- lessons on lockdown
08 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Laura talks about lessons from lockdown, being nice to spiders and the intelligence of plants. As well as being a nature lover, Laura is a celebrity p...
Episode 8 Professor Jane Stout on awesome ants, solitary bees and Ireland's Pollinator Plan
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Jane Stout talks about her love for ants and solitary bees and her role in setting up the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. Jane is a professor i...
Episode 7 Eamon Ryan on snorkelling off Inishbofin and meeting poets in The Burren
25 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Eamon talks about snorkelling and kayaking in Inishbofin, writers and poets that inspired him, finding nature along the River Dodder and connecting to...
Episode 6 Pádraic Fogarty fights for whales and wolves
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pádraic talks about loving the Humpback Whale and the controversial concept of reintroducing Wolves to the Island of Ireland. Pádraic is an ecologis...
Episode 5 Joshua Styles is the cure for plant blindness!
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joshua talks about being ‘a plant obsessive’ and taking over his mother's back garden at an early age to grow wildflowers.Joshua is a 24 year old...
Episode 4 Dr Noeleen Smyth- mad about Moss
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Noeleen talks about the tricks plants play, her love of moss and its importance in controlling flooding. She speaks about being deeply connected to ...
Episode 3 Jonathan Porritt on loving the Lorax
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about his love for rainforests and Slime mould! He is an environmental activist, and has been fighting for nature since the 1970s. He ...
Episode 2 Costas Christ putting the eco back in the economy
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Costas Christ talks about sea turtles, organic blueberry farming and how we need to reframe our relationship with nature.Learn more about ecotourism a...
Episode 1 Mary Reynolds on building an Ark
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Reynolds talks about meeting plant spirits in her childhood in rural Ireland, her inspiring project 'We Are The Ark', her magical book 'The Gard...