Éamon de Buitléar facts for kids
Éamon de Buitléar (Irish pronunciation: [ˈeːmˠən̪ˠ dʲɛ bˠətʲˈlʲeːɾˠ]; born January 22, 1930 – died January 27, 2013) was a famous Irish writer, musician, and filmmaker. He was known for making films and TV shows about wildlife. He ran his own company, Éamon de Buitléar Ltd., which focused on these nature documentaries.
Éamon grew up in Wicklow, Ireland, in a home where everyone spoke the Irish language. His father worked for the President of Ireland at the time, Douglas Hyde. Éamon started his career selling fishing gear and shotguns. This is where he first met Seán Ó Riada, who would become important in his music life.
Today, there is a special walking path called Slí de Buitléar or The De Buitléar Way on Bray Head. This 4-kilometer path celebrates his life and work. It points out interesting plants and animals in the area. His wife, Lailí, officially opened the path in May 2014.
Filming Nature and Wildlife
For many years in the 1960s, Éamon de Buitléar was one of the few people making independent films in Ireland. He worked with Gerrit van Gelderen to create wildlife programs. A very popular series he made was Amuigh Faoin Spéir, which means "Out Under the Sky," for the Irish TV channel Telefís Éireann.
In 1986, Éamon won a special prize called a Jacob's Award for his program Cois Farraige leis an Madra Uisce. This award was given for excellent TV and radio work in Ireland. He directed films based on his own books and was asked by big TV channels like RTÉ (Ireland), BBC (UK), and others to make programs for them.
In 1987, Charles Haughey, who was the leader of the Irish government (the Taoiseach), chose Éamon to be a member of the Seanad. The Seanad is like a second house of parliament in Ireland. Later, in 2005, he was also asked to join the Central Fisheries Board, which helps manage fishing in Ireland.
Music and Irish Tradition
Éamon de Buitléar was very involved in Irish traditional music. He worked closely with Seán Ó Riada, the person he met when he was selling fishing gear. Éamon helped start two important traditional music groups: Ceoltóirí Chualann (which was active from 1960 to 1969) and Ceoltóirí Laighean. These groups helped keep Irish traditional music alive and popular.
Films and TV Shows
Éamon de Buitléar made many popular films and TV series. Here are some of them:
- Amuigh Faoin Spéir – a TV series for RTÉ;
- The Natural World and The Living Isles – for the BBC;
- Exploring the Landscape – a TV series for RTÉ;
- Ireland's Wild Countryside – a TV series for RTÉ;
- A Life in the Wild – a TV series for RTÉ;
- Wild Islands – a show made with RTÉ, S4C (Wales), and STV (Scotland);
- Nature Watch – for ITV (UK);
- Éiníní and Ainimhithe na hÉireann – for TG4 (Irish language channel).
