Aged 40 and gainfully employed in a secure, pensionable job, Eric threw it all away to follow his passion for birdwatching and set off on the adventure of a lifetime.
He is now recognised as one of Ireland’s leading bird experts and is a professional guide, speaker, wildlife photographer and writer.
When he’s not off travelling the world in search of Victoria’s Riflebirds and Tibetan Snowcock, he is found enjoying and photographing our native Irish birdlife in Co. Wicklow, where he now lives with his wife Hazel.
In his remarkable memoir he recalls innocent childhood days in Dublin spent looking to the sky, instructing his parents not to die in autumn (it’s the best time for birdwatching) and mad-cap adventures that would see him getting caught in army fire and cheating death on ‘the roof of the world’ in Tibet – all in pursuit of rare birds.
Eric spoke to The Last Word, listen back here:
