(07)Ear To The Ground (Series 24, Programme 15)
Tuesday 14th February 2017
RTÉ One
8.30pm
Who gets the family farm?
The role of women in rural Ireland has been a hot topic is recent discussions on the radio. Is it really that unrealistic for women to run a farm?
What happens when there isn’t an immediate ‘next generation’ to pass it onto?
Geraldine Power’s bachelor uncle passed his farm onto her 15 years ago – a decision that was regarded as being remarkably advanced at that time.
Now Geraldine, who is farming full time and also doesn’t have children, is considering who in time, will take over from her.
Helen Carroll went to see Geraldine in Kilbeg in Co. Waterford to talk about farming and the need to have the hard conversations about inheritance and making wills.
Losing sight of an ancient heritage
Bog roads are very much part of Ireland’s Ancient Heritage. These were stretches of wood laid down across bogs to be used as roads for Iron Age man.
The bogs in time consumed them and preserved them, but what happens when one of these roads is unearthed as part of a commercial peat harvesting operation? In the case of a 3000-year-old road on a bog in County Westmeath, discovered over 10 years ago, the outcome is looking bleak.
Ella McSweeney asks why has nothing been done to protect this archaeological treasure.
Farm Machinery
Farming and the need to have the hard conversations about inheritance and making wills. Losing sight of an ancient heritage in County Meath.
The Farm Machinery Show in Punchestown.
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