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Upland Voices Podcast - ACRES Donegal
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Upland Voices Podcast - ACRES Donegal

Author: Aileen Collery

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The Upland Voices Podcasts


Upland Voices is a podcast series focusing on Upland Farming in the West of Ireland with a greater emphasis on Co. Donegal. It is produced by ACRES* Donegal and presented by Aileen Collery. The first episode is a special episode featuring conversations with Sean Cadden (Historian), Catherine Keena (Countryside Specialist) and Martin Gavin (Upland Farmer). This episode delves into understanding what the Irish Uplands or the ‘Hills’ as they are more commonly known looked like and how they were managed before and after the great famine. It reveals the consequences for hill vegetation and structure following a significant shift in markets after the second world war and into the 1950s. During this period the demand for mutton and wool declined. Farmers responded to the change in market and a new system of hill farming was born. This episode aims to set the pace for every other episode.


From the hills to the fields, ACRES Donegal is championing practical, on-the-ground solutions — and Upland Voices is here to share those stories. The podcasts aim to shine a light on how some farmers have already taken on-farm actions, exploring their motivations and their experiences. We highlight their stories of conservation farming, the use of alternative farming methods, drystone walls on the farm and much more.

 

 *ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) is an action-based payment scheme built on a simple but powerful idea: the right action in the right place. Through this approach, it supports farmers to adjust their practices in ways that help tackle climate change, protect water, enhance biodiversity and promote truly sustainable food production. 

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2 Episodes
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Upland Farming - ACRES Donegal

Upland Farming - ACRES Donegal

2026-02-1139:17

Lesley Taylor is a sheep farmer in Cloghan, Co Donegal. She grew up on the family farm but later moved to London for work. On her return some 20 years ago, Lesley embarked on her own enterprise of hill farming close to her native Finn Valley. Lesley describes the type of animals she keeps and why they are most suited to her farm and her lifestyle.She discusses the challenges of start-up farming and describes how she navigated her way through the ups and downs, learning valuable lessons along the way. She shares with us the changes in nature she has seen over the years and has come up with some novel ideas to keep her environmental impact down, which in turn keeps her farming costs down. Farming community is very strong in Donegal and Lesley tells us that she has had the support of many of her neighbouring farmers over the years. Lesley’s story is inspiring to all farmers but most especially to female farmers and new entrants.Visit our website https://www.acresdonegal.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Upland Farming - ACRES Donegal in conversation with Sean Cadden, Catherine Keena and Martin Gavin

Upland Farming - ACRES Donegal in conversation with Sean Cadden, Catherine Keena and Martin Gavin

2025-12-1045:39

In this episode we speak to Sean Cadden, Catherine Keena and Martin Gavin who share with us the history of upland farming in Ireland.Sean Cadden worked as a Teagasc Agricultural Advisor in West Mayo from 1964 for almost 40 years. He recently published a book entitled ‘Seventy Years in the Wild West – The Rise and Fall of Ireland’s Largest Sheep Farm’. His story of the history of hill farming provides a valuable insight which will add to the current conversation on our uplands. Catherine Keena is the Countryside Management Specialist at Teagasc with particular focus on biodiversity on our farms and Martin Gavin is a fifth generation hill farmer. Martin has been involved in the Freshwater Pearl Mussel EIP which as he says himself "opened his eyes to the plight of these fascinating creatures". Martin is an ACRES farmers.ACRES is the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme, the latest agri scheme from the Dept of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and aims to deliver significant long-term environmental improvement through two approaches – ACRES Co-operation and ACRES General.Visit our website https://www.acresdonegal.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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