A campaign group in Northern Ireland is helping to develop a major European walking trail – The Columban Way – which traces the pilgrim routes of the 6th century Irish monk, Saint Columbanus. But they say that public sector bureaucracy is frustrating their progress by denying access to a short stretch of the river Quoile in County Down. Kathleen Carragher met campaigners, Cadogan Enright and...
Read More
The River Quoile meanders through the drumlin countryside in County Down. In the past it was a busy thoroughfare for Viking long boats and steam ships. Flood defences kept it at bay from the nearby county town of Downpatrick – until they failed in last winter's storms. Helen Mark reports on the colourful life of the River Quoile. A 25 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's...
Read More
Karen Patterson visits a unique sheep farm project which is helping to rehabilitate young prisoners in Northern Ireland. A 20 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's On Your Farm Broadcast February 2024 ...
Read More
When Kerry Glass got married eight years ago she never expected to become a full time farmer. Her husband, James worked alongside his father on the family farm and she was a hairdresser in the nearby town of Garvagh in Co Londonderry. But the family's fortunes changed dramatically when James' father lost his eyesight in the space of just 12 months. Kerry told Kathleen Carragher...
Read More
Kathleen Carragher visits the Stranraer Oyster Festival to find out how Scotland's last remaining wild native oyster fishery, in Loch Ryan, has survived and why numbers are now flourishing. A 20 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's On Your Farm Broadcast November 2023 Presenter: Kathleen Carragher Audio Archive: Lorna Young, Indigo Words Audio Engineer: Suzy Robbins Producer: John Deering [audio mp3="https://www.yamal.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/On-Your-Farm_Loch-Ryan_TX-121123-v2_.mp3"][/audio] ...
Read More
Ever since Syrian refugee Wejdan Ghazal and her son, Hussain, moved to Northern Ireland, she's dreamed of having some land of her own to grow fruit and vegetables. She's from a rural background and misses working on a farm. Recently she's come a bit closer towards fulfilling that ambition through the help of a charity which has established, Seedbed, a community vegetable project, near Strangford...
Read More
Helen Mark hears how ancient Irish stone circles have inspired 21st century star gazers. A 25 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's Open Country series Broadcast August 2023 Presenter: Helen Mark Audio Engineer: Ilse Lademann Executive Producer: John Deering Producer: Kathleen Carragher [audio mp3="https://www.yamal.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OC-Stone-circle-tx-bounce-v2.mp3"][/audio]...
Read More
Sheila Dillon meets a celebrity game chef, a deer stalker and a group of high school burger makers who are promotiong wild venison as a sustainable, affordable meat choice. A 30 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme Broadcast July 2023 Presenter: Sheila Dillon Audio Engineer: Suzy Robbins Executive Producer: John Deering Producer: Kathleen Carragher [audio mp3="https://www.yamal.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FP-Venison-Long-Mix-01.mp3"][/audio] ...
Read More
Karen Patterson finds out how a Northern Irish farming couple are reviving and investigating new uses for the flax plant – once, one of Northern Ireland's most important crops. A 20 minute documentary for BBC Radio 4's On Your Farm Broadcast May 2023 Presenter: Karen Patterson Audio Engineer: Suzy Robbins Executive Producer: John Deering Producer: Kathleen Carragher [audio mp3="https://www.yamal.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OYF_A-Future-for-Flax-Mix.mp3"][/audio] ...
Read More
Helen Keys is a farmer of many parts. She and her husband, Charlie, are trying to revive NI's flax growing industry on their farm in County Tyrone. She's Northern Ireland's vice chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network; she's an entrepreneurial adviser to agricultural students and she's also the creator of a website called Source Grow. She told Karen Patterson how it works. A report for...
Read More