Explores the drystone-wall field-boundary system of the islands that is threatened by change.

A new, compact edition of Sean Scully’s photographs, featuring horizontal and vertical shards of limestone that echo his painted work and reveal a creative process best expressed through abstract shapes. Sean Scully, one of today’s most esteemed painters and an accomplished photographer, spent time on the remote Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, photographing the ancient drystone walls that crisscross the stark and barren landscape. Sean Scully brings together his sensitive images, revealing the unexpected yet monumental beauty of these centuries-old structures that meander across the windswept and rocky islands. In their form and spirit, the photographs shed light on Scully’s own sensibilities as an artist. They also capture the stillness and serenity of this rugged, timeless place on the edge of Europe. This new edition features an evocative text by the award-winning Irish writer Colm To´ibi´n, which conveys the mysterious beauty of the three Aran Islands. This volume is a must-have for Sean Scully fans, as well as anyone with an interest in Ireland or photography.

A guide to some of the best walking routes in the region, with lucid descriptions and additional information to enhance the walkers' enjoyment and appreciation of the place. Each route, prefaced with a quick-reference summary, is illustrated with a clear sketch map.

"Far from being a travelogue, these beautiful black-and-white photographs portray the wall in landscape, the wall as abstract form, and the return of rocks to nature. Cook is fascinated with the juxtaposition of stones and geometric composition, as well as with the resonance betweens walls of different cultures. The walls photographed range from 1600 BC to the present time. With a tribute from Wendell Berry and essays providing a context for the walls of each region, this collection captures something fundamental about the relationship of human beings to the land."--P. [2] of dust jacket.

Dry stone walls – the thousands of miles of stone ribbon stretching across the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, Yorkshire Dales and Cotswolds – use construction methods which have existed for thousands of years. Indeed, dry stone structures in the Orkney Islands and Ireland are even older than the Egyptian pyramids. A dry stone wall is more than a pile of rocks. It is a carefully built combination of specialized stones, each co-operating with the other to create something useful, strong and attractive. No mortar is used. The wall relies on friction and gravity, and the skill of the builder, to keep it together. The basic building principles are easily learned and this book provides step-by-step instructions to develop the skills to build many different types of wall and structure. With nearly 200 photographs and diagrams,

Tim Robinson’s Stones of Aran is one of the most striking and original literary undertakings of our time. Robinson’s ambition is to find out both what it is to know a landscape, know it as extensively and intimately as possible, and what it takes to make that knowledge, the sense of the landscape itself, come alive in writing. It is a project that draws on the legacies of Thoreau and Joyce, to which Robinson brings his own polymathic gifts as cartographer, mathematician, historian, and, above all, shaper of words. In Pilgrimage Robinson walked the entire coast of Airann, largest of the Aran islands. In Labyrinth he turns in to the island’s interior. These two books—parts of an inseparable whole that can, for all that, be read quite separately from each other—constitute a vast polyphonic composition, at once encyclopedic and lyrical, scientific and surprisingly personal. Exploring the illimitable complexity and bounty contained in the seemingly limited confines of a single island, Robinson invites us to look without and within and to see the wonder of the world.

All you need is a shovel, a hammer, small stones, a few feet of land, and this book: master stonemason David Reed guides motivated homeowners through every step of dry-laid stonework. Have a sloped garden? Build a beautiful retaining wall with built-in benches and flowers growing out through the stone joints. Crave the soothing sound of water? Try the dramatic waterfall project constructed with two stone-lined pools. A wealth of color photography offers plenty of inspiration.

An insightful and illuminating discussion of the impact humans have had on Earth In A Primer on Human Impacts on the Environment: The Conceptual Approach, distinguished environmental scientist Liam Heneghan explores the intricate relationships between humanity and Earth in an accessible and engaging style. Replete with real-world examples and drawing from classic and contemporary scholarship, the author adapts the fundamental conceptual models of the environmental disciplines to assess the risks human beings are taking with their home planet. The conceptual approach of this primer challenges readers to think across multiple disciplines to reveal the big picture that is all too often lost in the details of contemporary environmental studies. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to conceptual modeling, showing how systems models can be adapted and applied in a rapidly changing world Comprehensive explorations of the human impact on the Earth, including an examination of possible ecological limits and planetary boundaries In-depth evaluations of environmental risks, especially, though not limited to, climate change and biodiversity loss A guide to contemplating catastrophic risk and the potential for societal collapse without inducing unnecessary anxiety An interdisciplinary focus, emphasizing the role of the natural and social sciences, as well as the arts and humanistic disciplines in safeguarding the future Perfect for students of environmental science and environmental studies, A Primer on Human Impacts on the Environment will also earn a place in the libraries of graduate students working on environmental themes and practicing professionals in the environmental management community.

The remote, rugged, rough country of North West Ulster possesses buildings as varied as its landscape. Monuments of the Celtic church - sculptured cross-slabs, high crosses and round towers - and medieval tower houses survive from its earliest centuries. Fortified houses from the Plantation period are succeeded by Georgian mansions, and the richly varied urban and rural buildings of the Victorian period. In its churches both Protestant and Catholic, North West Ulster shows itself no less diverse.

This succinct, accessible two-volume set covers all aspects of Celtic historical life, from prehistory to the present day. The study of Celtic history has a wide international appeal, but unfortunately many of the available books on the subject are out-of-date, narrowly specialized, or contain incorrect information. Online information on the Celts is similarly unreliable. This two-volume set provides a well-written, up-to-date, and densely informative reference on Celtic history that is ideal for high school or college-aged students as well as general readers. The Celts: History, Life, and Culture uses a cross-disciplinary approach to explore all facets of this ancient society. The book introduces the archaeology, art history, folklore, history, linguistics, literature, music, and mythology of the Celts and examines the global influence of their legacy. Written entirely by acknowledged experts, the content is accessible without being simplistic. Unlike other texts in the field, The Celts: History, Life, and Culture celebrates all of the cultures associated with Celtic languages at all periods, providing for a richer and more comprehensive examination of the topic.