This week Nationwide visits the Mountain View Village Market in Kilkenny, tours the new Sea Louth Scenic Food Trail and features stories of communities where volunteers are making a big difference to life in the small towns of Kilmeedy in County Limerick and Trim in County Meath.
MONDAY 29TH MAY
Presented by Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh. All over Ireland there are many country markets which operate at the weekends and this evening Nationwide visits the Mountain View Market near the village of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny which draws people from all over Ireland to enjoy sustainable food, artisanal products, and social connections. Amongst the many stalls at the Mountain View Market is a Milliner from Wexford whose extravagant hats are inspired by the fashions of the 1960’s. Reporter Zainab Boladale went to Wexford, to meet this hat maker in her studio workshop.
WEDNESDAY 31ST MAY
Tonight presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh takes a journey along the beautiful coast of County Louth to learn about a new initiative that brings the best of seafood and scenery together on a tourist trail called “Sea Louth Scenic Food Trail”. We meet some of the producers who reap the bounty from their local areas and we’ll be tasting some of the fabulous produce that this little county has to offer. Bláthnaid also recently visited the village of Annagassan to spend a day with John and Michelle Kirwan from Fisherman’s Catch, which is well known throughout Louth for its fish and chips.
FRIDAY 2nd JUNE
Anne Cassin presents a special programme featuring stories of communities where volunteers are making a big difference to life in the small towns of Kilmeedy in County Limerick and Trim in County Meath.
Ahead of the visit this weekend of President Higgins to Ireland’s Tidiest town, Trim in County Meath, Nationwide looks at the town’s historic past, visits the Castle and the Black Friary to see some of the archaeological work going on there and see how these contributed to Trim winning the Tidy Towns award.
While some villages in rural Ireland have lost their shops, post offices, and Garda stations in recent years, a number have fought back, establishing community shops, tea rooms and hubs to bring life back into their villages. Reporter Marian Malone met with one such community in Kilmeedy in County Limerick, where they’ve taken revitalisation to a whole new level.