On April 9th at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2
Vienna (OTS) – Far from the Guinness-soaked wooden floors of pubs and the green landscapes that characterize the island of Ireland, there also exists a very different Ireland. It is a harsh land – a land of vastness, wilderness and wonder. “Universum” takes the TV audience on a journey to a region that seems so close and yet so foreign on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2. The new production “Ireland’s Wild West – Green Island, Gray Desert” by multi-award-winning director John Murray celebrates a part of Ireland that rarely gets the attention it deserves with exciting animal stories and spectacular images. The film was created as a co-production by ORF, Crossing the Line Production, Skyland Productions, ARTE, The WNET Group, WDR & TG4 in collaboration with CPB, PBS, SVT and ORF-Enterprise.
It is not for nothing that Ireland is often called the “Emerald Island”. Large amounts of rain ensure lush vegetation and attractive lakes. Over thousands of years, rainfall and wind have created spectacular rock formations, especially along the coast. But people have also helped shape the landscape here since the Stone Age. One of the most impressive creations is the Burren, a large, desert-like karst landscape in the west of the Irish Republic. Once covered by pine and hazel forests, the Burren is now, at first glance, largely an inhospitable, lifeless world.
But only at first glance. Here, in this rocky environment, various habitats have formed and some fascinating animals have nested – including the pine marten, which was almost wiped out in Ireland and has been given a second chance in the Burren. In the small remaining forest areas, the pine martens raise their young in tree hollows. Even at a young age, omnivores feed on mice, rabbits and birds. And there are many of them in the west of Ireland. More than 100 different species of birds have been spotted here, including blue tits and goldfinches. During the day, jackdaws, kestrels and peregrine falcons compete for air supremacy. At night, however, the sky belongs to bats. Among the various species is the water bat, which ambushes its prey near rivers and ponds.
In winter or after particularly heavy rain, lakes often appear in the landscape and disappear again within a very short time. The so-called “turloughs” form in depressions and then dry up in the limestone. They can leave a very thin layer of algae on the surface. Although the lifespan of the lakes is often short, they are of great importance for the local flora and fauna because the soils here are particularly nutritious. Basking sharks cavort in the Atlantic off the coast. The world’s second largest fish may look fearsome, but they feed exclusively on plankton. The sea giants have to filter up to 2,000 tons of water per hour through their gills in order to be able to consume enough food. The fin whales that do their rounds here also feed on small sea creatures. For thousands of years, this island paradise has been home to many peoples – and they have all left their mark: from pagan monuments reminiscent of Stonehenge to small fields separated by ancient stone walls and monastery ruins that today provide refuge for the wild inhabitants of this area.
For Irish director John Murray, making this film was a labor of love: “As a nature filmmaker you are often looking for the exotic. Sometimes you can lose sight of what’s right on your doorstep. I have always been fascinated by the Burren and now the opportunity has finally arisen to give this incredibly diverse landscape and its inhabitants the attention they deserve.”
From the blooms and insect diversity of the Aran Islands to the imposing rock formations and wildlife that find a home in this seemingly barren environment, as well as the ruins of long-vanished civilizations, Ireland’s Wild West – Green Isle, Gray Desert is a thrilling one Travel through a remote, unique area on the edge of Europe.
The program and other editions of the nature film series “Universum” are available on ORF ON and in the TVthek app.