Series 29, Episode 1
RTÉ’s popular farming and rural affairs programme, Ear to the Ground, is back for its 29 th . season on
Thursday, 28th October at 7pm on RTÉ One.
In Episode 1 Darragh McCullough looks askance at Ireland’s Peat Industry, Ella McSweeney travels to a
weary Croagh Patrick and Helen Carrol ponders our level of apple imports as she visits the Little Irish
Apple Company.
Peat Imports
It’s an Irish solution to an Irish problem: with peat harvesting now significantly reduced in Ireland, peat
processors have found it necessary to import thousands of tonnes of peat to fulfil the needs of Irish growers.
Transported by lorries and ships the carbon footprint of imported peat appears at odds with the savings of
our now quiet bogs. Darragh McCullough visits our imported peat mountains and asks if we’re failing industry
and our climate targets.
Croagh Patrick
Ella McSweeney visits Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s most famous mountain, but also her most damaged one.
Croagh Patrick has suffered very significant degradation over the years. But what can be done? Should
Croagh Patrick be closed to the public in order to save it? Or can a balance be struck? Ella travels to Mayo
and spends the day with people working to save the mountain stone by stone as part of a scheme run by
Mayo County Council to repair the damage done.
Apples
Irish consumers spent €31m on apples in 2019 (Bord Bia). That should be good news for Irish apple growers.
Incredibly, some 95% of those apples were imported. Helen visits the Little Irish Apple company whose
apples go to Aldi, Bulmers and local markets. With the apple harvest in full swing we look at a successful
small-scale grower doing everything by hand.
This season we continue to explore the issues, challenges and opportunities facing Irish farmers and rural
dwellers.
Ear to the Ground is produced by indiepics for RTÉ and is broadcast from the 28th of October
through until mid-February.
For more information contact Production Manager, Sylvia Lynch. sylvia.l@indiepics.ie / 01 708 8188