Feather & 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 4: Skylark
Skylark is a charismatic bird of open ground and the uplands, widely celebrated for their impressive singing ability. In this episode, ecologist Anja Murray and musician Brían Mac Gloinn begin with the Skylarks’ fame in poetry, with poet Martin Dyar. The pair also get an insight into the fascinating science of birdsong with John Quinn, behavioural ecologist in UCC, and the physiology that allows these birds to produce such an impressive range of sounds and complexity of song. To compare the way songbirds and traditional singers learn their songs, we hear from Tríona Ní Shíocháin of NUIG about creative transmission and the Irish singing tradition. The role of Skylark in traditional songs and folklore is discussed with Ríonach Uí Ógáin, former director of the National Folklore Collection.
A team of musical collaborators feature in this episode too: The Lark in the Morning is sung by Brían & Diarmuid Mac Gloinn; tunes by uilleann piper Emmett Gill; and Brían also premieres a new song written especially for this episode.
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
Series Producer: Eoin O Kelly
Production Co-Ordinator: Michael O’Kane
(First broadcast 27th October 2024)
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 13th April, 6pm-7pm
