THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY IS IRELAND'S LEADING BODY OF EXPERTS IN THE SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann champions research. We identify and recognise Ireland’s world class researchers. We support scholarship and promote awareness of how science and the humanities enrich our lives and benefit society. We believe that good research needs to be promoted, sustained and communicated. The Academy is run by a Council of its members. Membership is by election and considered the highest academic honour in Ireland.

Read more about the RIA

Darwin Praeger and the Clare Island Surveys

by  Roisin JonesMartin Steer
€ 5.00

Book Details

Published by Royal Irish Academy

September 2009

Paperback / softback

Number of pages: 48

ISBN: 9781904890560

This book comprises a series of essays on Darwin and his impact on Ireland. Darwin’s ideas migrated to Ireland when in 1909-11 Robert Lloyd Praeger brought a group of 100 eminent European scientists to Clare Island to map the flora, fauna, geology and archaeology of the small, exposed Atlantic island. The gathering led to the publication of the path-breaking ‘Clare Island Survey’. Praeger and his peers investigated areas at the heart of Darwin's work, 'throwing light on the question of island life and the problems of dispersal'. A century later the survey was repeated as the 'New Survey of Clare Island' (1992-2009) and both works are published extensively by the Royal Irish Academy. This modern, 48-page illustrated volume celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first ‘Clare Island Survey’ and the 150th anniversary of the publication of 'On the Origin of Species'. The authors consider the relevance of the first survey's findings, highlighting the insights gained into the increasingly important issues of turnover of species, climate change and loss of habitat.

About the authors

Roisin Jones

Martin Steer

Martin Steer MRIA is Professor Emeritus in the School of Biology and Environmental Science at University College Dublin. His research interests are genetic mechanisms involved in the formation of the Arabidopsis root hair and the selection and breeding of birch to develop commercial timber quality birch for Irish forestry. He is the co-editor of Darwin Praeger and the Clare Island Surveys (2009).