Ardal island-hops on TV, and he drops into Cork too

FROM Rathlin in the north to Cape Clear in the south, the islands off the coast of Ireland have long been a source of inspiration and of myth.

But they’re home to a rich diversity of wildlife too - and a wide range of people.

In a new series, Inis na nIontas, starting on TG4 on Wednesday at 9.30pm, actor and comedian Ardal O’Hanlon takes us on a fascinating journey, unearthing the history, observing the wildlife and meeting the islanders trying to live sustainably within their extraordinary environment.

This is Ardal’s first Irish language show. His mother, Teresa, is a native Irish-speaker and, in this series, he fulfils a longstanding ambition to practise and improve his Irish and promote its use to a wider public.

The first episode focuses on the north, beginning on Rathlin Island, famous for its countless seabirds and, unique to the island, the golden hare.

Here, Ardal learns how an astonishing archaeological find has rewritten Irish history, and he tastes some noodles made from kelp, sustainably farmed on the island.

From Rathlin, Ardal travels to remote Tory Island off Donegal, where he learns of its musical tradition and its mystical past, and we see how farming practices are being fashioned to encourage the endangered corncrake.

Next, Ardal heads to Arranmore, the largest island of the north. Here, he learns how the islanders are encouraging new residents, while on a beautiful, small islet the threatened little tern has found a welcome sanctuary.

In the second episode, Ardal continues down the west coast to the Aran islands, and also visits the abandoned Great Blasket Island, Valentia, and Skellig Michael.

In the final episode, he is in the far south, where he visits beautiful Garnish Island. By kayak, Ardal sees its thriving seal colony, before heading further south to Sherkin Island, where he’s ntroduced to a playful pod of dolphins.

A local historian tells us of the island’s piratical past and a resident artist explains why Sherkin has become a painters’ paradise.

A short hop takes Ardal to Cape Clear, Ireland’s southernmost island, where he’s taken on a tour in one of the island’s electric buses - the only in Ireland.

We meet the island’s resident ornithologist, who explains the huge importance of the island for migratory birds, and visit a gin distillery that uses foraged kelp. A climactic clifftop view, out across the Atlantic, marks the end to an unforgettable journey.

“It was remarkable for me to witness the extraordinary diversity of our islands,” says Ardal.