‘Nature Boy’ Seán Ronayne Starts a Podcast!
HeadStuff are delighted to announce that The Seán Chorus, a new weekly podcast hosted by Cork-born ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist Seán Ronayne is joining the network.
Following a five-year journey to record all of Ireland’s birds, Seán has built an extraordinary archive of over 40,000 recordings. From farting seals to vibrating leafhoppers, and of course plenty of birdsong, if it’s natural and makes a sound, Seán has it.
Now, with his new podcast, Seán has found the perfect way to bring these sounds to life and tell the personal stories and adventures behind them.
A sanctuary of calm from the madness of daily life, the show blends unscripted field audio, studio reflections, and conversations with nature lovers.
“I’m beyond ecstatic to finally be bringing a podcast into the world. I have amassed an enormous wealth of Irish wildlife sound recordings over the last few years, with the collection nearing 40,000 saved audio files, now. All of these come with unique adventures, stories, curiosities and learnings. And to weave these into a story format is something I adore doing. This is a pure passion project. I have adored working on the episodes so far and I really cannot wait to share this with everyone. To get the platform to talk about the very thing that makes my world spin is just the most immeasurable pleasure to me.”
Seán Ronayne – Podcast Host
“Bringing this podcast to life has been an absolute joy, and I’m so excited to get it out there. Seán’s passion and dedication to nature is incredibly inspiring and infectious, but also calming and meditative, something we need a lot more of in today’s chaotic world. I hope this show inspires people to get outside and reconnect with the beauty of the world around us.“
Hilary Barry – Network Coordinator
More about Seán
Seán Ronayne is a Cork-born ornithologist, wildlife sound-recordist, award-winning author, and environmental activist who has spent a life immersed in nature.
In 2021, Seán embarked on a mission to document the vocalisations of every Irish bird species, a daunting task revealing the precarious state of Irish ecology. With 63% of its birds at risk of extinction and minimal native woodland, Seán utilises his recordings and narratives to advocate for nature’s preservation, sharing the beauty and urgency of Irish biodiversity. He has now just three species left to record, out of almost 200, and has amassed a collection of over 12,000 recordings of Irish birds and other wildlife.
In spring 2024, Birdsong, a documentary about Seán’s recording project, was released to great acclaim. Birdsong is directed by Kathleen Harris and produced by Ross Whitaker and Aideen O’Sullivan for True Films. Seán has also made appearances on several shows, including The Tommy Tiernan Show, The Blindboy Podcast, and A Note for Nature.