Series 27, Episode 3
Ash to ashes
Mary McCormack’s pension plan is disappearing before her eyes. When she planted her 50 acres of ash trees they were destined to reap rewards. But for the past seven years, fungal disease, ash dieback, has been destroying the native stock nationwide and practically wiped out Mary’s crop entirely.
Helen Carroll meets Mary and visits the aptly named Ashtown Research Centre to find out how scientists are breeding resistant strains to save the Irish ash from extinction.
Hurling Hero
Undaunted by a devastating spinal injury in his 20s, Pat Carty has continued to farm with enthusiasm. Adapting his tractor and farmyard in Co Sligo, he can tend his cattle as well as the next man, despite being confined to a wheelchair. It’s also given him the chance to captain his country, as he plays hurling for Connacht and floorball for Ireland.
Darragh McCullough meets this remarkable man and finds out just how challenging wheelchair hurling can be.
A Rare Bog
Could Irish bogs be the solution to our climate crisis? One farmer believes rewetting his 25 acre bog could turn it into the most valuable land on his farm, capturing and storing carbon into the future. Tommy Earley and the local community are working with hydrologist Dr Raymond Flynn, to uncover the optimum conditions for their raised bogs to grow again.
Ella McSweeney visits Mount Allen and asks could our bogs be worth restoring?