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The CountryWide team feature the events, people and happenings that bring colour and life to communities, towns and villages across Ireland. Listen live Saturdays at 8am on RTÉ Radio 1.
2039 Episodes
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Writer Neil Hegarty reads an excerpt from his essay ‘Klondike’ which explores the watery geographies of the River Foyle. The essay appeared in a collection entitled ‘Impermanence’, published by the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, to reflect on one hundred years of partition in Ireland.
Kathy Donaghy visits Moville Pier to find out about the history of emigration from that very point throughout the ages. With historian Seán Beattie and retired local GP Don McGinley. This segment also includes Don McGinley's live rendition of 'Moville along the Foyle'.
Della Kilroy meets angler Damien Devine on the River Deele, a tributary of the Foyle, where he is teaching a group of young people how to fish as well as about the importance of preserving biodiversity around the river.
Philip meets Dr Sarah McLean from The Loughs Agency, the body tasked with managing and protecting Lough Foyle, to talk about the significant wild native oyster population of the Lough.
Countrywide Full Episode 04/04/2026
Philip meets geographer and author Liam Campbell at Derry’s Peace Bridge to talk about the history of the River Foyle and what it means to the city of Derry. For a farmer’s perspective, he travels to the farm of Richard and Leona Kane, producers of Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil.
A sleepless time of year for sheep farmers, made easier on many farms by taking on students to help. UCD Ag Science students Aoife O’Brien and Sarah Ronayne were in the middle of a difficult breach birth when Suzanne Campbell arrived on Patrick Nuttal’s farm in Wicklow.
Farmers and environmentalists have agreed an ambitious plan to restore nature. The only open question now is will government give it the funding it needs.
The Heritage Council runs a Heritage in Schools scheme giving pupils a chance to experience farm life. Della Kilroy went on Vincent O’Sullivan’s tour of his farm with the pupils of Cullahill National School, Co Laois.
Regan Hutchins reports from a greenway outside Clonakilty Co Cork on how digging three ponds saved the local newt population from being trodden on or ridden over.
Countrywide Full Episode 28/03/2026
In the current oil crisis, which the International Energy Agency this week called the ‘worst in history’, fluctuating prices on fuel and fertiliser will have a severe impact on farmers. Philip meets farmers and contractors at the forefront of this, including one farmer who has found a way to function without using chemical fertilisers.
Lorna Siggins attends a demonstration of the search and rescue dogs of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team in Killarney.
This week, an Israeli registered Livestock carrier left Ireland heading to Israel, with a large shipment of cattle on board. But with the port of Haifa under threat in the current Middle East conflict, it's unclear whether the ship will be able to land and unload these animals. Philip talks to journalist Lilach Laila Ben David in Haifa.
Following the news of the collapse of carrot producers Hughes in Kilkenny last week, Philip talks to another horticulturalist, Kenneth Keavey of Green Earth Organics in Co. Galway about the issues facing procuders like him and possible solutions.
Treasa Bhreathnach joined Mountain Meitheal West, in the Galway Clare area a few weeks ago, while they were out clearing hazel from the trails on the Carren Loop in County Clare.
Agriculture minister, Martin Heydon, announced Carina Roseingrave as Ireland’s Female Farming Ambassador for the International Year Of The Woman Farmer. We visited her on her farm in Crusheen, Co Clare.
Should we even be using the term female farmer in 2026? Is it naive to not recognise that more women farmers fall by the wayside than men? How a female perspective makes farms more productive, profitable and safe. Aileen Sheahan, Dairy farmer. Ciara Stanley, Beef farmer. Ailbhe Gerrard, mixed farmer.
Unlike Ireland New Zealand has nearly entirely eradicated Bovine TB. Kiwi veterinary epidemiologist, Dallas New, visited Ireland recently. Back at home she reflects on what we could do differently.
Women are very visible throughout the bloodstock and racing industries, except in on role. There are only four female farriers in the country. Suzanne Campbell meets Abby O’Donnell who is training to become the fifth.
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