Feather and Flock
Anja Murray and Brían Mac Gloinn present this six-part series delving in to the ways of six iconic native Irish birds. Each episode combines ecology, folklore and history to uncover the incredible lives and journeys of these wild creatures. A key theme is conservation, and we hear from those who are at the forefront in ensuring that these bird’s songs will continue to be heard. Each programme is soundtracked with immersive on location recordings, avian themed folk and traditional music and an original composition from Brían Mac Gloinn. The series was the winner of the Best Factual Series at the 2024 IMRO Irish Radio Awards.
Episode 2: Jay
Jays are colourful, vocal, and highly intelligent woodland birds. In this episode, ecologist Anja Murray and musician Brían Mac Gloinn meet ornithologist Seán Ronayne in an autumn woodland to listen to stories these birds’ incredible capacity for mimicry. Jays’ accolade of being among the smartest birds in the world is explained by Professor of Comparative Cognition at the University of Cambridge, Nicola Clayton. Brían also sources some Catalan folk associations and a song that brings these stories to life.
Commissioned by RTÉ lyric fm and funded by RTÉ Independent Radio Productions and Coimisiún na Meán from the television license fee.
Presenters: Anja Murray and Brían Mac Gloinn
Produced by: Anja Murray
Original score and songs by Brían Mac Gloinn
Sound Design & Editing: Brían Mac Gloinn
Producer for RTÉ lyric fm: Eoin O Kelly
(First broadcast 12th May 2024)
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 30th March, 6pm-7pm
