“…Eco green is the best of Ireland’s already famous forty shades. This guide will have you donning your hiking boots, packing your panniers, wriggling into a wetsuit, and galloping across beaches. Green places to stay include lakeside lodges, yurt camps, island retreats, eco-castles, grand houses with more than just grand green gestures, yoga retreats, community-run hostels, switched-on hotels and activity centres throughout the island of Ireland, North and South of the border. You can also find out how to get to all these places using public transport, encouraging car users to think again. Going green on holiday is not about having a guilt trip, it’s about discovering a real Ireland, meeting great people, eating fine local food and seeing all the gems that Ireland has to offer, not just the emeralds…”

…so says the introduction to this new app available now from the iTunes store. This App has been developed by the well known green tourism journalist Catherine Mack.

More details may be seen at the following link…

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ireland-green-travel/id427184283?mt=8

ENDS

An evening with Sea Shepherd Ireland

On Monday 28 March

@ 7:00 Beginning with the Film “First 30 years of Sea Shepherd”

Followed by the Quiz Night with spot prizes and finger food

A Good Night with the film and quiz open to students and general public.

Location NUIG, Corrib Room, College Bar

For further details contact Sue Anthony on 086 067 9933

ENDS

Reports coming in from the pelagic fishing boats off the west coast of Ireland indicate large numbers of Pilot Whales (almost certainly Long Finned Pilot Whales) around 50-60 miles off the southwestern coast and exhibiting the classic spyhopping behaviour so characteristic of the group of large dolphins known as the “blackfish”.

Further reports from the mackerel boats operating off Donegal out of Killybegs have encountered large numbers of Orca feeding off the mackerel as they are being hauled. Some of you may remember this behaviour being recorded for Orca groups in the North Sea and documented on the TV programme Autumnwatch in 2010.

It is possible that this behaviour is being widely learnt by Orca groups around the British, Scottish and Irish coasts and we may hear more reports of this opportunistic behaviour.

What I wouldn’t give to be there and see it first hand!

ENDS