RTE viewers blown away by 'breathtaking' documentary Birdsong

RTE viewers were blown away on Sunday as they tuned in to Birdsong, a documentary charting the attempts of Séan Ronayne to record every species of bird in Ireland.

Ornithologist Séan spoke passionately about birds and his quest to find them all, talking viewers through thousands of recordings on his laptop as he chased the calls of our native birds around Ireland.

Often joined by his partner Alba, he travelled to some of the country’s most beautiful and remote locations to capture its most elusive species and soundscapes, including the busy seabird colony of Skellig Michael, a native woodland free from road noise in the Burren and the corncrake stronghold of Tory Island.

A year in the making, director Kathleen Harris's documentary offers a fascinating portrait of Seán Ronayne, whose hypersensitivity to sound has proven both a struggle and a strength. At once inspiring and cautionary, Seán’s journey illustrates the beauty and importance of sound, and what listening can tell us about the state of our natural world.

Viewers were captivated by the show. One said: "Incredible documentary. So calming and yet exhilarating. Such passion by Seán Ronayne. Such amazing and evocative filming by Kathleen Harris... Fragments of hope .... Bualadh Bos"

"I see these places as little fragments of hope" #Birdsong | Sunday at 6.30pm pic.twitter.com/YuY6azVtQY

— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) May 25, 2024

Another added: "That #Birdsong documentary on RTÉ One earlier was just extraordinary. 63% of Irish bird species are on the red or orange list, a reminder that we must work with farmers to #RestoreNature."

A third said: "Can't recommend Birdsong highly enough, absolutely stunning documentary. Had been looking forward to it for weeks and still exceeded all expectations. Well worth 50min of your time."

You can catch up and watch the documentary on the RTE Player.