The lizard, called a viviparous lizard as it gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs - an adaptation to colder northern climates, is Ireland's only native reptile. 

Saint Patrick is so closely associated with banishing snakes from Ireland that he is seen very often in images with snakes scurrying off from his feet. A Google search brings up dozens of such images.

I first spotted these lovely creatures when I was young, walking along a coastal path on the chalk and basalt rocks of the Antrim Coast. I had already learned of his holy snake-banishing incident and like most people had no knowledge of lizards. This is only my third sighting of Irish lizards in many years wandering the landscapes of Ireland photographing its wild beauty. I have seen many more on my travels including being bitten by a snake in Italy.

Whether it was Saint Patrick banishing them or rising sea levels at the end of the last ice age preventing their arrival, there have been no snake bones found in the fossil records; however, snake bones are more fragile than those of mammals and don't preserve well. In addition, Ireland's geology is not one typical of fossil hunting zones. The Jurassic Coast in Dorset is the pinnacle in Britain or Ireland. The Antrim Coast does has some good quality finds but tertiary geological processes have destroyed much of the potential there.

The snakes in relation to Saint Patrick may well be an allegorical reference to the heathen druids that were prevalent in the country.

Whatever the origin, the little lizard that is most usually seen basking in the sun is actually native to Ireland. Although as I mentioned in this post there hasn't been a lot of warm, bright sunshine so far this summer.

Notice the very short tail that looks truncated, this is a defence mechanism employed to help the lizard escape predators. It can shed its tail and make a quick exit although it does take time and energy to regrow a new one.

Nonetheless it was warm enough on this day for the lizard to move from its habitat in one of Ireland's many stone built walls to take it easy on open ground before dinner that mostly consists of insects. More lizards means fewer midgies, flies, spiders and mosquitoes, great! According to biology.ie's website they are common throughout Ireland although most sightings come from around the coast.