Seán Ronayne
Ornithologist
Seán Ronayne (he/him) is an ornithologist, wildlife sound recordist, and environmental activist hailing from Cork, Ireland. With degrees in Zoology, Marine Biology, and Ecological Impact Assessment from University College Cork (UCC), Seán's lifelong passion for nature was instilled by his mother and flourished into a professional career studying birds and their vocalizations.
In Barcelona, Seán embraced a new avian landscape, sparking his venture into sound recording. Upon returning to Ireland in 2021, he embarked on a mission to document the vocalizations 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 utilizes his recordings and narratives to advocate for nature's preservation, sharing the beauty and urgency of Irish biodiversity. His portfolio boasts over 11,000 recordings encompassing 194 Irish bird species, alongside engagements with documentary crews and parliamentary presentations, amplifying his conservation message nationwide.
session description
Ornithologist, activist and sound artist Seán Ronayne joins The Conference 2024 with a presentation on how listening to the sounds of our pasts and presents can propel us into wild and wonder-full futures. Connecting this year’s conversations around rewilding and the futures of sound and song, Seán will share his mission for capturing the beauty of birdsong and the wilds we still have, and inspire us to listen deeply to what sound can tell us about the state of our non-human world. Seán talked about the transformative power of listening deeply in a captivating interview, and is at the heart of the recently-released documentary about him entitled, Birdsong.