Animals of Irish Name and Origin is my most recent children's book and, so far, my most ambitious publishing project. Written, illustrated and designed by me, it brings together 49 animals with Irish names or Irish origins, exploring the fascinating connections between animals, language, place, and Ireland's cultural and natural heritage.
Published by Natural World Publishing on 12 March 2026, the book was supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and took more than two years to research, write, illustrate and design.
What does an animal's name tell us?
Some of the animals featured are familiar Irish wildlife. Others are breeds and domesticated animals associated with Ireland for generations. Their names can reveal connections with particular places, physical characteristics, traditional uses, folklore, history and the Irish language.
I wanted to explore these connections in a way that would be genuinely enjoyable for children, rather than turning the book into a dictionary of animal names. Each entry combines interesting facts, accessible storytelling, and detailed wildlife illustration, giving young readers plenty to discover while encouraging them to see familiar animals in a new way.
The book is therefore as much about language and heritage as it is about animals. An animal name can contain a small piece of history, and following that clue can lead somewhere quite unexpected.
Forty-nine animals to discover
Across the book, readers encounter 49 animals connected with Irish names and origins.
The selection deliberately brings together different kinds of animals rather than focusing exclusively on wild species. Alongside familiar wildlife are Irish breeds and animals whose names have a particularly interesting connection with Ireland.
This variety was important to me. It lets the book move between biodiversity, agriculture, culture, language, and history, showing that our relationship with animals extends far beyond what we see in the wild.
Each animal has its own story, and the illustrations provide a visual thread connecting these very different subjects.
Wildlife illustration with a sense of place
For each species, I created a detailed illustration designed to capture both its physical characteristics and its individual character.
As a natural-history illustrator, accuracy is always important to me, but I also want my drawings to encourage observation. I enjoy looking closely at an animal, researching its anatomy and distinctive features, and then deciding how best to communicate that information visually.
For this book, the illustrations also had another job: helping create a sense of Ireland as a place.
The animals may have very different origins and stories, but together they form a visual journey through aspects of Irish natural and cultural heritage. The artwork therefore sits alongside the text rather than simply illustrating it literally, helping to establish the atmosphere and rhythm of the book.
A book designed for sharing
Animals of Irish Name and Origin was conceived as a book to be shared between children and adults.
I wanted it to encourage the kind of reading that leads to questions: Why is this animal called that? Where does that name come from? Have I ever seen one? What does this word mean? Why was this breed important in Ireland?
Those conversations are an important part of the experience.
The book is aimed at curious young readers, but many of the stories and facts are meant to interest adults too. It can be read from beginning to end, dipped into one animal at a time, or used as a starting point for further exploration of Ireland's wildlife, language and history.
Two years from idea to finished book
The project took more than two years to complete, involving research, writing, illustration, editing, design, and production.
Because I was responsible for the book from concept through to publication, I could consider the project as a complete visual and editorial experience. My background in graphic design and creative direction has become an important part of how I approach my illustrated books: I’m interested not only in individual images, but in how text, illustration, typography, layout and information work together.
This was particularly valuable for a project with such a wide range of subjects. The book needed to feel cohesive despite moving between wildlife, domestic breeds, language, history, and cultural references.
Bringing together illustration, design and publishing
This book brings together many strands of my work in one project.
I’m a wildlife illustrator, but my background also lies in graphic design, art direction, and publishing, so I have been able to develop books where these disciplines can work together from the very beginning.
Animals of Irish Name and Origin is perhaps the clearest expression of that approach so far: a book where illustration is used not only to make the subject attractive, but to help communicate information, create connections and encourage curiosity.
It also continues my interest in making Ireland's biodiversity and natural heritage more accessible to younger audiences. Whether through wildlife books, biodiversity publications, information boards or other forms of visual communication, I’m interested in finding ways to make the natural world feel relevant, fascinating and worth paying attention to.
Published by Natural World Publishing
Animals of Irish Name and Origin was published by Natural World Publishing on 12 March 2026 and is available from bookstores across Ireland.
You can find the book on the Natural World Publishing website or buy a copy directly from my online shop.
If you're interested in Irish wildlife illustration, natural-history books, children's publishing or projects connecting nature, language and cultural heritage, I hope you'll enjoy exploring the artwork and discovering some of the stories behind Ireland's animals.
