Book excerpt: Spun from the author's first-hand experience as an underwater cameraman and filmmaker, from memory, natural history and the culture of Ireland's coastal communities, Stories from the Deep is a profound exploration of Ireland's ocean waters through narrative and poetry. From encounters with its rarest and most striking fauna, like the blue whale and basking shark, to the broader considerations of its impact on language and our shared sense of place, this genre-defying work is an eloquent and urgent tribute to the enduring beauty of our natural heritage and a moving elegy to our magical connection with the sea.