Catherine Duigan

@cduigan

Environmental consultant, researcher & non-fiction writer; water & nature; heritage & natural history; women in science; biographer of Dr. Kathleen Carpenter; Ireland & Wales connections; accepts commissions.

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Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jul 10

#Postcard from Pwll Seimon/Simon #Aberystwyth - an alternative #promenade, #seaside tourists could walk along the Afon #Rheidol to pond where Kathleen Carpenter @aberdlsagb.bsky.social recorded its aquatic invertebrates in the 1920s #Wales #envhist - #image discovered by @sarahdavies.bsky.social

Tinted postcard of small pond with overhanging tree on one side; visible diversity of emergent aquatic plants; blue sky; church in background

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jul 3

Yesterday & Today - #Abergele and its coastal suburb #Pensarn grew into a Victorian seaside resort after the #railway arrived in the 1840s. #NorthWales #seaside #holidays #tourism #beach #landscape #photography #Wales #envhist 🍦

Collage of two images: Black and white Victorian of women and children on beach with bathing machines; colour image of empty beach except for two deck chairs

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 30

Peak #orchid season at Cors Bodeilio National #Nature Reserve - Epipactis palustris, the marsh helleborine #wildflowerhour #Anglesey #YnysMôn #Fen #wetland #botany #Wales @bsbicymru.bsky.social

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 30

"Now we come to one of the most delightful playgrounds in #Ireland, one that I have known and loved since childhood - the #Antrim coast". Robert Lloyd Praeger 1937 #naturalhistory #envhist #landscapes #NorthernIreland #fields #glens #agriculture #geology #basalt #chalk #heritage #DiscoverIreland

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 27

Presumably there is a collective noun for Bronze Age stone hammers in a cardboard box? #nest - great afternoon @antiquariansmon.bsky.social & #GeoMôn at #ParysMountain #Anglesey #geology #archaeology #YnysMôn #Wales #UNESCO

Rounded stones on fabric in cardboard box.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 23

Located in Porth yr Ogof Bay, #Cemaes Lifeboat Station ( est. 1872, costing £182) has largely disappeared except for #concrete slipway #Anglesey #YnynMôn #WalesCoastPath #walking #envhist #RNLI #boathouse #landscape #history #seaside @angleseyhistory.bsky.social

Collage of historic image and recent photograph of small bay illustrating the former presence of a large lifeboat station; white building with long slipway.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 23

"To the natural philosopher there is no natural object unimportant or trifling." Sir John Herschel (1792-1871) Captured as #Victorian ideal of #scientist in photographic portrait by Julia Mary Cameron #photography #historyofscience #naturalhistory #badhairday #nature #historyofphotography #envhist

Sepia image of head of John Herschel with very untidy hair and eyebrows.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 14

Eternally surrounded by honeysuckle and cherry blossom - Celtic crosses mark the graves of the Vivian family of Plas Gwyn #Pentraeth #Anglesey #YnysMôn #standingstonesunday #Sunday #YnysMôn #Cymru #Wales #wildflowerhour #ChurchyardFlowers @caringforgodsacre.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Cluster of 4 highly ornamented carved stone crosses in Celtic style; low iron chain fence around plot draped with honeysuckle; cherry blossom on ground.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 12

Model #sailing boats made from the staves of #herring barrels were raced on Lough #Foyle - from Maritime #Museum #Greencastle #Inishowen #Donegal #Ireland #envhist #fishing #heritage #fishfriday #recreation #woodwork #boatbuilding @projectfishistory.bsky.social

Two large wooden model sailing boats with white canvas sails in museum

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 11

"By 1746 out of a total acreage of 3500, cultivated land comprised 203 acres of oats, 54 acres of barley and 53 acres of potatoes." A History of the Island of #Rathlin 1851 #agriculture #crops #foodsupply #envhist #RathlinIsland #NorthernIreland #LazyBeds #islandlife #ThrowbackThursday

Linear wide ridges and narrow depressions on grassy field surface consistent with the structure of "lazy beds" for crops.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 10

#RathlinIsland: "The whole island is a delightful open breezy place, inspiring and invigorating, and one can stay there in as much comfort as a lover of #nature needs." Robert Lloyd Praeger 1937 #naturalhistory #envhist #NorthernIreland #Ireland #islandlife #geography #walking

Colour image with blue sky; view across reedbed towards small white house below a ridge.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 9

Bullet holes & blood stains - Be prepared to wipe your tears away @museumfreederry.bsky.social #Derry for the powerful stories of the #CivilRights Campaign and #BloodySunday #NorthernIreland #U2 #SavilleInquiry #Bogside #peaceprocess #museums #highlyrecommended

Wall mural of iconic black and white image of Fr. Daly with white handkerchief leading men carrying a victim of Bloody Sunday

Central photography of Jackie Duddy, Bloody Sunday victim, which was owned by Bishop Daly alongside his handkerchief.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 7

#Thalassa #tallship #Ballycastle in evening sun 📸 C. Duigan #photography #landscape #seascape #adventure #sailing #NorthernIreland #sunset #stunday

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 5

Hay rake horizon - Disposal of obsolete machinery is a challenge on every island but also a reminder of historic agricultural methods. #RathlinIsland #NorthernIreland #agriculture #meadow #FlashbackFriday #plough #haymaking #farming #envhist #islandlife #conservation

Plough and hay rake in foreground of coastal view

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 4

#AdoorableThursday #Rathlin #NorthernIreland

Simple blue painted door with central knob and hinged fence half door.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 4

"Like any island there was always fishermen..." Resilient by #Nature - Stories of Self-reliance and Sustainability on #Rathlin Island. #oralhistory #envhist #AHRC @projectfishistory.bsky.social

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 4

Living in the Manor House, Catherine Gage (1815-1892) painted over 100 illustrations of the #birds of #Rathlin Island #NorthernIreland #ornithology #womeninscience #naturalhistory #sciart #islandlife #creativity #historyofscience

Watercolour illustration of black guillemots, with puffins, seastack and gannets in flight.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 3

#Rathlin is a soft place where #chalk dissolves into the crystal blue-green sea. #RathlinIsland #NorthernIreland #nature #geology #seaside #beachlife #seaweed #walking #writing #IrishSea #envhist

Seaweed on white beach cobbles, crystal clear blue water; blue sky with clouds; white houses in distance

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· Jun 2

#Thalassa #tallship #Ballycastle in evening sun 📸 C. Duigan #photography #landscape #seascape #adventure #sailing #NorthernIreland #sunset

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 31

#Cats #snakes & a #crucifixion- Weighed down with early Christian and zoomorphic imagery the massive Muirdeach's #HighCross #Monasterboice #geology #zoology #SundayMorning #Ireland #heritage #religion #Celtic

Cemetery location with massive stone Celtic High Cross covered with carved panels depicting Old and New Testament scenes and associated abstract and zoomorphic art. Central crucifixion figure.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 27

Capturing the zen of stones in #water - "Dwr Daear" #Groundwater at Oriel Môn - Jeremy Yates & Keith Bowen 🎨 #WelshArt #landscapes #highlyrecommended #Anglesey

Painting of river flowing through gorge.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 24

About to pop like a #pink #champagne #cocktail at #ChelseaFlowerShow2026, #Umbilicus on the rocks #CapeClear #Ireland #navelwort #botany #WildAtlanticWay #Pennywort @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #wildflowerhour 🌹🍸🍾🍹

On black rock, flower stalks arising from fleshy green/pink round leaves

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 23

Living on the edge - the rare and beautiful #Menai #Whitebeam, Sorbus arvonicola, trees of Nantporth #Nature Reserve @northwaleswt.bsky.social #conservation @treborthbg.bsky.social @fossilplants.bsky.social #woodland #Wales @bsbicymru.bsky.social #WalesCoastalPath

Collage of images showing growth form, leaves and flowers of Menai Whitebeams growing on the edge of the Menai Strait

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 22

Eye catching @storielbangor.bsky.social "The #Fish Princess" "Y Bysgodes" by Casia Wiliam & North Wales #Africa Society @ylolfa.bsky.social - a new legend that intertwines #Wales & #Ghana #bilingual #FishFriday #folklore #BookSky #childrensbooks #Kidlit

Blue and yellow book covers with inset image of fish and Crown sinking in water

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 19

Lough #Hyne #Cork #Ireland - designated 1981 as Europe's 1st marine #nature reserve. Once described by Praeger as "a gigantic marine aquarium". #historyofscience #envhist #conservation

Sea pink flowers on margins of saltwater lake; submerged plant growth and substrate visible in water.

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 17

#Sedum on Cape Clear #Ireland #wildflowerhour #tinyplants #botany

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 17

The blinding #green of Irish Spurge, #Euphorbia hyberna, Bainne caoin, with white sap like milk or bainne - locally common in SW #Ireland, especially Cape Clear, Oileán Chléire #botany #wildflowerhour 😎

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 17

Bóthar #botany - walking the roads of Oileán Chléire into a botanical postcard #CapeClear #Ireland #foxglove #wildflowerhour #boreen #Gaeltacht #landscape #photography #Atlantic #island

Rich botanical vegetation on the edge of narrow lane, with house in background; blue sky with clouds

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 13

Stout in your spout - Not true in #Youghal #Ireland where whales expire drinking Murphys apparently! Opening scenes of "Moby Dick" movie with Gregory Peck were made here. 🎬 🎞 🎥 #MobyDick #heritage 🐋 🐳

Catherine Duigan@cduigan· May 12

A shared heritage - Hook #Lighthouse #Wexford #Ireland where St. Dubhán from #Wales lit the first beacon as early as the 5th century. #IrelandWales #IrishSea #Atlantic