43) Ear To The Ground (NEW – series 24, programme one)
Thursday 27th October 2016
RTÉ One
8.30pm
Ear to the Ground, RTE’s popular farming and rural affairs series, returns to the screen this Autumn with a brand new 17 part series.
With its eclectic mix of country characters, food journeys and farming issues, the long running and hugely popular magazine series still draws a big audience, both urban and rural.
Presenters Helen Carroll, Darragh McCullough and Ella McSweeney are equally at home tackling issues such as global warming, rural crime, and falling commodity prices, as they are exploring the enduring charm of country life – the rich landscapes, engaging characters and enterprising communities.
Programme one:
RURAL RESETTLEMENT
Rents are rocketing up to Celtic Tiger era levels and there are thousands of people on housing lists in Dublin. Meanwhile there are 260,000 vacant properties in the country.
Helen Carroll travels to meet Susan Morgan in Labasheeda, Co. Clare who, two years ago, made a leap of faith and left Dublin behind in her rearview mirror, heading west. Now well settled in County Clare, Susan reflects on her big move, a move that was facilitated by Jim Connolly and his charity Rural Resettlement Ireland.
Founded in 1990, Rural Resettlement Ireland has helped to find homes for more than 800 families in the country. Ear to the Ground also accompanies another couple viewing what could be potentially their new home in the West.
IRISH HARVEST
This year has been a disaster for Irish tillage farmers especially those west of the Shannon. As it stands now, the Irish Farming Association estimates losses of €50m have been suffered by its members. The weather has played a huge part in their woes, but worldwide grain prices have fallen and there have been bumper harvests abroad.
Darragh McCullough travels west of the Shannon where he meets Maurice Gannon from Roscommon who is in danger of losing 200 of his 350 acre crop and who estimates he has already lost €100,000 on his current crop.
Darragh asks Maurice and some experts whether or not farming these crops in the wet west of Ireland is viable in the future.
PUMPKINS
Ear to the Ground visits the famous Hill of Ward, to the site of the first ever bonfire, and it was here that the origins of Halloween began.
When young farmer Thomas Dillon asked his father Ben for two acres of land to grow pumpkins for Halloween he thought he’d lost the plot. Three years later, Thomas is proving them all wrong. He now grows 13,000 pumpkins a year. Ella McSweeney travels to Girley, Co. Meath to meet Tom as he opens up his pumpkin patch to sell this years harvest for Halloween.
When young farmer Thomas Dillon asked his father Ben for two acres of land to grow pumpkins for Halloween he thought he’d lost the plot. Three years later, Thomas is proving them all wrong. He now grows 13,000 pumpkins a year. Ella McSweeney travels to Girley, Co. Meath to meet Tom as he opens up his pumpkin patch to sell this years harvest for Halloween.
Ear to the Ground is produced for RTÉ by Independent Pictures.
Series Producer – John Cummins
Presenters – Darragh McCullough, Helen Carroll, Ella McSweeney
Directors – Paula Williams, Liam Lavelle
Executive Producer for RTÉ – Michael Hughes
Press enquiries:
TVPR
Ann Coughlan 00 353 87 6778045
Pauline Cronin 00 353 87 2629967