The Collins Press: 82 books

An essential companion for bird lovers and gardeners alike since it was first published, this highly successful guide to identifying garden birds has now been fully updated with the latest information and statistics. Highlighting a range of plants and planting schemes that support wildlife, it provides...

Birds have been part of our culture for thousands of years. They have inspired poets and painters, and feature in many legends and place names. Here Niall Mac Coitir provides a comprehensive look at the mythology, legends and folklore of Irish birds, both wild and domestic. He presents various aspects...

Modern Ireland may be dominated by American culture, but Irishmen also helped to shape America. They fought in every important action in the American Civil War, a war with which many Irish are not familiar. Irish participation is woven into and highlighted in this account of the war, emphasising the...

As a young girl Alice Carey came to realise that ‘home’ can mean different things. The only child of Irish immigrants to New York in search of a better life, her isolated and sometimes violent childhood was transformed when her mother started working as maid to legendary Broadway producer Jean...

River and canal walks can have special appeal, the scenery always changing due to flowing water, weirs, locks and the changing countryside. Ireland's rivers and canals are rich in wildlife, history and folklore, and many can be explored on mostly flat, little-used trails. These hidden corridors of...

Sea swimming is the great leveller; we’re all the same in a pair of togs. No one minds who you are or what you’ve done; the question is ‘are you getting in?’ Popular for centuries, sea swimming has had a recent surge in interest, with a growing community now taking the plunge. Brendan Mac...

‘What’s so special about Thomond Park? The crowd. Simply the crowd. The atmosphere is electric.’ Donal Spring, one of Munster rugby’s greatest. Since the first game played there in 1934, Thomond Park has become one of the world’s iconic rugby venues. It is a magnificent stadium, famous...

Scrambling is a hands-on sport and, without the stop-start of rock climbing, the joy of it can be appreciated more freely. Here, Alan Tees guides mountaineers to exhilarating scrambles in some of the most beautiful parts of the country. All abilities are catered for in these graded routes, from straightforward...

With routes spanning the province, this guidebook is all you need to explore the highways and byways of Munster – on two wheels. Each route is prefaced with summary information and illustrated with a custom-drawn map and gradient graph. Routes are arranged by difficulty, from the gentlest, shortest...

With some of Ireland’s most beautiful and untamed scenery, 400km of rugged coastline and enticingly peaceful roads, what better way to explore County Kerry than by bike? These scenic cycles will guide you along popular routes and bring you to hidden gems. In a county famous for its climbs, some...

DIrish construction workers in post-war Britain are celebrated in song and story. Donall MacAmhlaigh kept a diary as he worked the sites, danced in the Irish halls, drank in Irish pubs and lived the life of the roving Irish navvy. Work was hard, dirty and dangerous, followed by pints in the Admiral...

Hillwalking is one of Ireland’s most popular leisure activities today. Rock climbing has developed to a level of technical excellence with crags in almost every county and numerous indoor climbing walls. Irish mountaineers have completed winter ascents in the Alps, scaled the highest Himalayan peaks...

K2 is one of the world’s most difficult and unpredictable mountains. At 8,611 metres/28,251 feet, the world’s second tallest mountain is regarded by most climbers as the ultimate achievement in mountaineering. On 1 August 2008 Ger McDonnell became the first Irish person to reach the summit of...

On 27 May 1993 Dawson Stelfox became the first Irish person to reach the summit of Everest, following the route first attempted by Mallory and Irvine in 1924. This updated edition of the 1994 account recalls that groundbreaking success. It also chronicles many achievements since, including the first...