RTÉ - CountryWide Podcast

A look at how new rare breed pigs Marjorie, Hattie and Ishpini at Hannah Quinn-Mulligan's farm in Limerick are adjusting to the heat.

Uncertainty and confusion surrounds Dairy farmers on the possibility of adhering to EU's new environmental standards that aim to protect nature sites, including rivers, bogs, sanddunes and estuaries as part of appropriate assessments.

Treasa Bhreathnach went along with Cecil Fitzgerald and his apprentice Noel to visit the yard of Thomas Faherty in Aran Islands where a couple of horses were waiting for their pedicure.

Dairy farmer and vet Hazel Mullins and farmer Martin Conroy from Woodside Farm in Cork tell us how to keep animals cool and calm.

Only a sliver of farms are owned by young people - 7% under 35 years of age. Some of them shared their experiences, frustrations, and hopes.

In the heart of Portlaoise a forgotten patch of land, that was once a forgotten patch of land, has been completely transformed into a place of restoration and community.

There was real excitement during the week on the River Deveron - when a weir that had stood for over 150 years was fully removed, reconnecting the river and giving salmon, trout, eels access to more than 11 kilometres of upstream habitat for the very first time in generations.

To get people out of their cars and into public transport, a small community right on the Kilkenny-Tipperary border have set up a free bus service for tourists and locals.

A total of 43 farmers took part in this project in Cork's Bride valley aimed at reversing nature loss across the valley, which has now come to its conclusion.

We remember founder of Dawn Meats, Dan Browne who passed away this week. Browne was a pioneer in developing Ireland's beef and dairy industries.

Take a trip to village of Killinerin in Wexford where a pop-up museum discusses local folklore and displays amusing artefacts.

Father Denis Brown, the chair of the board of school management shares fond memories of the school, which was among seven other schools across Ireland that closed its doors for the final time yesterday.

Meet Kerry-born chef and oyster sommelier Sarah Browne who wants to expand the market for oysters in Ireland.

There are three and half million sheep in the country – that's a lot of wool every summer – but the price on the international market doesn't even cover the cost of removing the fleece.

To understand how the Solstice – and its companion event St John's Eve bonfire night on Monday - is being marked countrywide Philip speaks to folklorists from Limerick and Cork.

There is apparently an ever increasing demand for willow baskets, panniers, handbags, bird feeders, and obelisks for climbing plants. And only a very small number of people with the skills to make them. Sarah Jenkinson runs her own workshops in Galway.

While we marvel at how clever our ancestors were, we don't talk as much about who they were and how they lived their lives. Associate Professor of pre-history in UCD Jessica Smyth talks about her research shedding light on this topic.

Take a journey into this mosaic of a forest in County Galway that has relics from both the ancient and the modern world.

Two weeks ago the latest set of results showed that if business continues as usual that not only would the climate change target not be met, but that emissions could increase.

There are two thousand retained fire fighters across the country, working from more than 200 local fire stations serving local communities in rural Ireland. They are looking for more members to join their ranks to provide this vital community service.

Mike Consolini loves the sea, and he also creates music reflecting on the way he connects with the sea.

Ella McSweeney travels to Boyne Valley to find out how biodiversity of grasslands is being improved by wildflowers for the soon-to-open national park.

Kevin Wallace of New Leaf Urban Farmers explains how he grew award-winning vegetabes with this unconventional method.

Marine biologists explain how warming of the seas is going to affect Atlantic salmons.

Ahead of World ocean day, Micheál Ó Cinnéide, founder of the Blasket Island Foundation, shares his thoughts on water bodies of Ireland and increasing threat of climate change.

Bloom opened to the public on Thursday, but the show gardeners hoping to win prizes have been here days in advance. And on Tuesday the judges saw the gardens for the first time. Then they saw them again on Wednesday, and on Thursday morning, Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates were awarded.

From next Saturday, Tidy Town judges will start visiting the 900 or so communities who have entered the competition. They will know not the day nor the hour when an incognito judge will turn up. Dr Christy Boylan is a long standing judge and trainer of judges of the Tidy Towns, at Bloom to share some inside knowledge.

Under the surface there is a lot of business being done at Bloom. On the Friday morning of every Bloom, before the gates open to the public, buyers from all the major retailers have breakfast with food producers looking for shelf space for their wares.

Killadoon Milk use the milk from their cross bred jersey cows to supply a network of vending machines in the east of the country. Ella McSweeney visited Martin Donovan at Killadoon Estate near Celbridge in County Kildare in his rotary milk parlour.

Quite a few businesses have approached a mentor for a bit of advice at Bloom.

Countrywide Bloom Special (For copyright reasons the full tracks performed during this programme cannot be made available in the podcast)

We visit the scene of a recent fire bog fire, started by fly tippers, but exaggerated by the dry weather.

It is nesting time for curlews in areas like that bog in Laois and the ones devastated in Roscommon. Clodagh Helen was conducting a survey of curlew nesting sites on Monday night as one of those fires took hold.

Petrichor is the name of the unmistakable earthy, musty scent with a hint of moss, that always comes with freshly fallen rain after a long dry spell.

We meet members of the Bó Riabhach Cattle Society, who are passionate about native Irish breeds. Picture from https://boriabhachsociety.ie/

Dunmore Country School in Durrow, County Laois has created a French 'potager' garden. Picture from https://www.dunmorecountryschool.ie/

Farming would grind to a halt were it not for a skilled, mobile and flexible relief workforce. But who are these men and women? What motivates them if their reward is not going to be a share in, or ownership of the farm they are working on?

Keith Brennan, who regularly shares his observations of life and nature on his family farm, has put the ups and downs of farming life to music.

Countrywide Full Episode 24.05.25

Beef and dairy farmers in Northern Ireland are enjoying the same kind of price boon their colleagues south of the border are getting. And this week just outside Belfast, the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society is running Balmoral Show.

Countrywide visited a 60-acre beef farm in Tullow Co Carlow, which is also a one-stop-shop for everything from Wagyu beef boxes to yoga, and their own country fashion clothing brand. Visit https://coppenaghfarm.ie/ for more information.

Ireland has an official scent, nominated by the government, for inclusion in a project to create a global archive of smells. A quarter century ago, the government decided that our official smell would be 'Burning Turf'. But we are now looking to update our signature scent. Cast your vote on https://worldsensorium.com/