EAR TO THE GROUND (Series 22, programme 10) Tuesday, 20th January 2015 RTÉ One 8.30pm
Social Farming saving lives
John Murphy was labelled as ‘slow’ and diagnosed with learning difficulties while still a child, and for years he struggled to cope and even contemplated suicide. Last year his life was completely turned around by a social farming project when he met Richard and Jackie Moeran, farmers from Mount Nugent in County Cavan.
Social farming offers work on family farms, as a form of social support for people with learning difficulties,brain injury or mental health issues.
When John started social farming he couldn’t have a conversation or even make eye contact and he openly admits that without social farming he would be locked up in hospital or dead. John tells Helen Carroll his story in the hope that it will benefit others.
Creating Jobs in the Burren
While beautiful,The Burren is tough land to farm. One couple have turned this challenging landscape into their trump card and have succeeded in establishing a thriving business.
Prior to the recession Mary and Roy Bermingham both worked outside the farm, and faced with job loss and the prospect of emigrating, they turned back to the land as a last resort.
There are several different habitats unique to The Burren – turloughs, disappearing lakes, burren flowers, woodland, bohereens and paths. These unique habitats were already in place on their farm, and they decided to build a sanctuary around it. Today in a part of the country that has high unemployment they are not only sustaining themselves but employing 18 people seasonally.
Lambing Live
Ella McSweeney visits Sheep Farmer of the Year Gordon Johnston and his wife Yvonne as they deliver triplets on their farm in Co. Westmeath. The couple have 540 ewes on their 52 hectare farm, and produce lambs for the export market. Ireland is the largest net exporter of sheep meat in Europe and demand for Irish lamb has been buoyant in Europe over the past few years. In Ireland the picture is different, as younger consumers turn towards less expensive, easy to cook meats like chicken and pork, leading to a decline in demand for lamb at home. What is the future for sheep farming in Ireland, Ella McSweeney explores.
Ear to the Ground is produced for RTE by Independent Pictures.
Series Producer John Cummins
Presenters Darragh McCullough, Helen Carroll, Ella McSweeney Directors Paula Williams, Liam Lavelle Executive Producer for RTE Ray McCarthy
The National Dairy council proud sponsors of Ear to The Ground
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