ORF-E
English, German
1 x 52 minutes, 2 x 50 minutes
Available worldwide except for Germany, France and Ireland

Wild Connemara will take viewers on an enthralling wildlife journey through one of the most dramatic and untamed corners of Ireland – a land of huge skies, endless mountains and vast boglands on Ireland’s wild, western fringe. Featuring enchanting natural history sequences that reveal the intimate lives of the region’s wild creatures, the challenges facing them and the wild spaces they depend on; all interwoven with awe-inspiring panoramas, timelapses and aerial photography of this untamed landscape which for centuries has bewitched travellers from all over the world.

Episode 1 & 2:

An enthralling wildlife journey through one of the most dramatic and untamed corners of Ireland – a land of huge skies, endless mountains and vast boglands on Ireland’s wild, western fringe. Featuring enchanting insights into the intimate lives of the region’s wild creatures, the challenges facing them and the wild spaces they depend on. Often called one of the world’s most spectacular wild regions. Connemara is an ancient Celtic kingdom nestled on the unforgiving Atlantic coast of Ireland. For centuries, it has stood apart, preserving the native language, culture and natural heritage that has disappeared from much of modern Europe. With a harsh beauty like almost nowhere else, Connemara has starred in Hollywood classics like The Quiet Man and The Field – with artists drawn from all over the world trying to capture what writer Oscar Wilde famously called the ‘savage beauty’ of the place.

Connemara’s vast boglands, lost valleys and wave-washed coasts may seem desolate at first glance, but look closer and Connemara is a treasure trove of natural secrets waiting to be discovered. Crystalline rivers provide sanctuary to struggling Atlantic Salmon and the legendary Freshwater Pearl Mussel. High crags and sweeping valleys are the home and hunting grounds of soaring falcons and some of Ireland’s most beloved mammals – the Pine Marten and the Red Deer. Red Squirrels are making a comeback in Atlantic Rainforests rescued from the loggers. Offshore squadrons of Basking Sharks have been appearing in recent years, while Connemara’s islands provide countless sanctuaries for some of the very greatest world travellers – Manx Shearwaters who arrive every year from waters off South America and Antarctica.