Our utopian coastline

Nature expert Richard Nairn's new book on Ireland's beautiful coastline will make readers pack up their bags, buy a map of Ireland and head for the shore.

We are a maritime people, dependent on the seas around us for much of our existence. Richard Nairn's new book on Ireland's coastline is a successful attempt to celebrate the diversity and beauty of the Irish coastline. It shows the importance of the seaboard to Irish people. For over a millenium, the Irish have made their living on the sea and through the coastline. The sea has influenced the nation's people, literature and drama. Unprecedented in its outlook, this book details the history of the Irish seacoast with words and a vast array of illustrated pictures.

The production is a feast for the eyes from Donegal's Trawbrega Bay down to Lough Hyne in Co Cork.

All aspects of the coastline are explored; rocky, shingle and muddy shores; the islands and the open sea; living, respecting and enjoying the coast; and harvesting the sea.

Nairn stresses how we can preserve the island's coastal treasures, how vital it is that we "design our developments to accommodate change and that we heed the abundant warnings from history about overexploitation of coastal resources."

For lovers of nature and history or those just wanting to discover the seaboard's rich heritage, Ireland's Coastline provides everything needed. Be warned however, after reading you may be sorely tempted to pack up your bags, buy a map of Ireland and head for the shore.