Season 1 Episode 2
Fighting the banks, taking on the supermarkets and a 19th Century bake-off, on the first episode of the new series of Ear to the Ground.
Ella rescues horses and donkeys in shocking states of neglect, Darragh gets a birds-eye view of machinery magic and Helen enjoys a feast in a field.
Helen Carroll reports on plans to extend the high voltage electricity network across the South, Midlands and West of Ireland; Ella McSweeney meets Ireland's broccoli baron; Darragh McCullough travels to Leitrim to investigate the problem of Ash dieback
The IFA presidency, a Mayo couple from sea water and Darragh is in the Arabian desert visiting one of the world’s largest dairy camel farms.
This week Helen Carroll reports from Tipperary on rural homelessness, Ella McSweeny asks a Roscommon dairy farmer is dairy expansion the next bubble? In this week’s Food Journey Darragh McCullough meets Liam Ryan of Moyleabbey Farm in Kildare.
Darragh meets the farmers who won’t say “I do” until they have a pre-nup, Ella’s not kidding; Ireland faces a shortage of goats cheese and Helen reports on a lifeline for the unemployed.
Ella kills a turkey with her bare hands, Helen visits a community mobilised in the spirit of giving and Darragh’s Christmas comes early at a mini machinery Mecca.
Darragh Mc Cullough reports on the extraordinary success of the Mayo Greenway and on this week's Food Journey Helen Carroll meets Monaghan dairy farmer Donal McDaid who supplies local dairy Linwoods of Armagh and whose milk cannot use NDC's Farmed in the Republic of Ireland label.
Darragh McCullough meets the inspiring farmer who orchestrated his own rescue operation, on this week’s Food Journey Ella McSweeney investigates the phenomenon of micro vegetables, and Helen Carroll visits an enterprising youngster
Ella finds herself in the middle of a row over childhood obesity, Helen visits Killowen Farm in Wexford and Darragh turns his hand to horse ploughing.
This week Ella follows pigs through each stage of life, from farm to sausage roll. Helen Carroll meets renowned American animal scientist Dr Temple Grandin and Darragh McCullough meets a Kilkenny farmer who is in the process of appealing the LPIS review of his land.
This week Helen Carroll meets a group of Irish preppers in a forest in Tipperary and Darragh McCullough meets Mayo farmer, Chris Ginnely, who lost 2 acres of his farm to the sea in the recent storms.
Ella McSweeney reports from Longford on antibiotics in the food chain. Helen Carroll traveled to Offaly and was surprised to witness a resurgence of 'tug of war' among women. Darragh McCullough travels to Laois to ask if we should continue to prop up the beef industry?
Ella Mc Sweeny on building a food fortress, Helen meets a meat family and Darragh on designer cows.
Ella spends a day with the enthusiasts who are working hard to rescue our native breeds from extinction; Helen Carroll meets Tipperary hurler Kieran Bergin who returned to Ireland from America last year to work on the family farm and Carlow tillage farmer Kevin Nolan talks about his futuristic farm.
Last in the highly acclaimed series: an equestrian special, covering the highs and crashing lows of one of Ireland’s foremost sports. Ella is inspired by paralysed former jockey Jonjo Bright, Darragh harvests 100,000 bales of hay on Ireland’s biggest farm and Helen unearths the secrets of Coolmore’s breeding success.
Ear to the Ground is back for a new series. In episode one a community fighting back in the face of suicide, Wallaby steak and a microbiologist cultivating mushrooms in the Galtee mountains.
After a Summer of harrowing farm fatalities, Helen meets a farmer who is lucky to be alive. Ella encounters an ancient bovine breed and Darragh hangs out with a steam head at Stradbally.
This week on Ear to the Ground this week it’s a family affair in Naul, County Dublin. Helen looks at the beef industry exodus, while Ella explores the striking Winterages of old in the Burren.
War on the sea shore threatened in the West. It’s style over substance for Darragh at Millstreet in Cork, while Helen heads to Wexford to visit a man who has gone back to his roots.
Hidden disease in Ireland's wells, Belmullet boys ditch textbooks for the bloodstock market and preserving Ireland's biodiversity and wildlife.
Is cutting down a 6 foot fir tree for Christmas bad for the planet? Raw milk - beneficial to our health or not? Helen visits a raw milk supplier in County Tipperary to find out.
It wouldn’t be Christmas without brussels sprouts, we follow their journey to the Christmas plate. Helen visits a heart warming community that have turned things around in Loughmore County Tipperary and Ella visits a Donkey Sanctuary.
While the Celtic tiger’s gone, the Chinese economy continues to roar. Darragh discovers how Irish food producers are cashing in on a burgeoning middle class. Helen is on hand with vet Donal Lynch in Tullamore.
With many farmers having dived head first into dairy, prices are dropping rapidly. Meanwhile Ballina Mart goes online and Wild Boar are thriving in Co. Cork.
Social farming saves lives, John Murphy tells his story. Darragh explores the Burren Nature Sanctuary and Spring is on the horizon as Ella looks at the future of lambing in County Westmeath.
Broadband is still not available in rural areas, Helen Carroll talks to Minister Alex White to get some answers. Industry takes local reservoir water in the West, while Darragh visits a community with an innovative project in Port Laoise.
Sheep commonage farmers in County Mayo struggle to cope with ever changing EU regulations. Ella explores if we can really trust what it says on the label? While Darragh is in County Limerick checking out some world leading technology.
Munster Family Farm of the year winner Con Murphy talks about depression. We meet one of the first women priests in Ireland and hear how the near extinct hen harrier is resulting in farmers being unable to farm their own land.
The exploding market of gluten free food and the story of 10 year old Joe Kelly from Tipperary at the Special Olympics.
America has lifted it’s ban on beef imports, what will this mean for Irish exporters? Ella looks at a unique Donegal food movement and Helen meets with a farm labourer of old.
Darragh follows Boyne Fishermans Rescue and Recovery Service. High welfare veal makes a comeback in Kilkenny and Ella is in Newfoundland exploring its Irish Heritage.
Pets turn savage as lambing season is in full swing? Innovation at it’s best in County Cork, and with the end of dairy quotas we look to North for a view to the future.
In the first programme of this brand new 16-part series,one of Ireland's Rugby World Cup stars, Mike Ross, invites us along to his home farm in Ballyhooley. The Irish prop helps out with the milking and recalls his formative years piking bails and grappling heifers. Helen Carroll investigates the alarming increase in rural crime that has swept the nation as she speaks to some of the people whose lives have been directly affected by break-ins, thefts and assaults. Darragh McCullough is in the eye of the storm as a rapidly expanding dairy farmer. Ear to the Ground will go behind the scenes on Darragh's farm this winter to see the drama unfolding. Also back this Autumn will be our popular 'Food Journeys' strand where we take an in-depth look at how food makes its way to our plates. Whether you fancy single malt whiskey, elderflower cordial or Comeragh mountain lamb, you will learn its unique food journey from Helen and Ella.
Darragh McCullough meets Esther Walsh, who manages an 800 cow herd in Lismore, Co Waterford, Helen Carroll reports on crime, and Ella McSweeney investigates cordial.
Helen Carroll meets Deirdre Scanlon, a mother of two young children and a Guard based in county Clare, to find out more about the challenges of policing in rural Ireland. Meanwhile, in West Sussex, Darragh McCullough sees how English farmers are harvesting the power of the sun.
Including a look at the journey of malt production, and features on city girl-turned-farmer Leonie Byrne, and Frank Murphy on his Cork farm.
As the UN Climate Change Conference takes place in Paris this week, Helen questions if Irish farmers can cut their carbon emissions, Darragh invites us back to his own farm in Gormanston, Co. Meath and Ella asks what now for the IFA?
Both sides in the construction of the Dublin to Galway cycle path, Ella on craft brewing and the latest in the fight for TB eradication.
Mary Walsh of Kilkenny Free Range Ducks & Geese gets a master class on how to to cook and prepare duck from Michelin-star chef, Garrett Byrne. Also, food wastage in Ireland.
A report on a purpose-built playschool outside St. Margaret's village, Co Dublin, and a young girl from Co Kildare takes her pet kunekune to the Irish Pig Society Show.
During the Summer Darragh McCullough journeyed the Boyne river, catching and releasing salmon, exploring the Neolithic settlement of Newgrange to learn of Ireland's earliest farmers, and he even found himself on a ship bound for the Game of Thrones set!
Co. Laois man, Roland Bradley, talks about his prostate cancer scare, Ella visits Leahy’s Open Farm in Co. Cork and Darragh heads back to driving school for a trailer towing licence
Ella travels to Athlone to assess the damage of the flooding to local farmers, Helen gets to taste some apple gin at a multi-award winning orchard in Co. Kilkenny and Darragh hears from an Irishman intensively farming in Russia.
Helen Carroll looks at the decline of GPs in rural Ireland, Ella explores the methods of protecting nature while farming and Darragh hears a first-hand account from a horrifying farming accident.
Darragh explores the issue of migrant workers in the agriculture sector, Helen is on the Comeragh mountains with sheep and dairy farmer Willie Drohan, and Ella questions whether local abattoirs can survive against large processing plants
Ella in Co. Wicklow reading cow signals, Helen joins one of Ireland’s few female auctioneers at her weekly mart, and Darragh is in Ethiopia to assess the progress of Irish charity VITA.
Ireland if Britain leaves the EU; the Irish Military War Museum in Co. Meath; and is organic farming the way forward for the dairy sector.
Helen Carroll looks back on food and farming in 1916, making parallels between the food that was eaten then, and the superfoods that are popular now.
Topics covered in this first episode include rural resettlement, the plight of tillage farmers, pumpkins and a dig at the Hill of Ward.
The team meet a Westmeath mushroom farmer who fears for his family business after Brexit.
Helen Carroll visits Ireland's only nettle farm in Monamolin, Co Wexford, and Ella McSweeney learns how an organic farm can be sustainable and profitable.
The team meet a Kilkenny man who turned his life around after an horrific farm accident, and encounter a Derry Bat Rescuer.
A two thousand mile harvest, a close look at climate change and a taste of Tipperary apples all feature on this programme.
Topical farming and environmental show. Entertainer Brendan Grace takes a step down memory lane and the team meet the people behind a village dairy in Kildare.
The team see how My Lovely Horse Rescue's two farms in Co Kildare rehabilitate and re-home abandoned and abused animals.
Topical farming and environmental show. The team meet the Leitrim native who has been driving a horse carriage on the streets of New York for over 30 years.
Ella McSweeney visits The Lost Valley in Mayo - a place so remote that after the Great Famine, the land remained untouched by human hand.
Topical farming and environmental show. Includes a visit to the Future Pigs farm in Kildare to see a biodigester at work, and a look at toadlets on their journey from Fota to Kerry.
Helen Carroll meets IFA women looking for more influence in the male dominated organisation.
Ella meets 98-year-old sheep dog trainer Dan Moran, and sets up a competition between his Border Collie and a 2,000 drone.
Ear to the Ground, RTÉ's longest running factual series offers a fresh, new look at how rural Ireland is changing.
Helen Carroll visits Bull Island to count the migrating wildfowl and watch for signs of the latest bird flu virus H5N8. Darragh learns about the latest Agri Environmental scheme GLAS.
The team asks if it is unrealistic for women to run a farm and explore a 3,000-year-old road on a bog in Co Westmeath.
Helen Carroll reports from the Louth/Monaghan border, where custom officers search for drivers using green diesel.
Helen Carroll travels to a farm owned by Niall Walsh in Laois, where small changes have had a positive impact on his work-life balance.
To mark the 25th series, Ear to the Ground revisits three stories from its first episode back in 1993.
The team examine an invasive species on the banks of the River Nore and meet a Cork dairy farmer who now owns an orchard with 21,000 trees.
The team visits a farm in Kilkenny which has hired milkers from the Farm Relief Scheme and check out restoration work undertaken at Coolattin Wood.
Helen Carroll visits the fishing communities of Howth in Co Dublin and Dunmore East in Co Waterford to learn about the impact of Brexit.
Darragh McCullough goes to Aherla in Co Cork to chat to 2017 Farmer of the Year Peter Hynes and his family.
Helen is in Co Wexford to meet Michael Walsh to learn about his salmon smoking business.
The team visit Kildorrery in Co Cork, a rural village kept alive by the tenacity of the local community.
Darragh McCullough sees how a Westmeath family farm has changed since a frightening health scare. Ella McSweeney meets Donegal men saving a rare Irish cattle breed from extinction.
Topical farming and environmental show. Helen meets a Co Laois family starting up a whole new porridge making business.
Ella McSweeney meets one of the longest living transplant recipients in Ireland and his donor brother and Darragh McCullough visits a herb farm in Co. Meath that has grown from two rented acres to a multi-million-euro business.
Darragh MCullough is in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, to find out how farmer Clive Williamson manages to balance his agricultural work with volunteering for mountain rescue.
This week Irish model Thalia Heffernan investigates the growth of veganism in Ireland, we visit Carraig Dúlra a social enterprise that provides education related to sustainable living, and meet a 22-year-old who chose farming over a Pharmacy degree.
Darragh McCullough meets some of the people who discovered horse carcasses in fields in Knocklofty, just outside Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Helen Carroll went to Co Offaly to see the effect of consistent floodings have had on Paddy Towey’s farm in Shannon Harbour.
Helen Carroll reports on attacks on sheep in Lismacaffry, Neil Crossan meets a Co Donegal worm farmer, and Ella McSweeney investigates the demand for organic cattle feed.
Ella McSweeney is in Co Kilkenny to see the impact this summer's heatwave and subsequent drought has had around the country. Helen Carroll visits an alpaca farm in Co Offaly and Darragh McCullough investigates beef industry.
Darragh McCullough looks at Ireland's peat industry, Ella McSweeney travels to Croagh Patrick and Helen Carrol ponders apple imports at the Little Irish Apple Company.
Darragh McCullough meets dairy farmer Andrew Revington as he puts his cows through the milking parlour for the last time. Ella McSweeney follows the production line on a pig farm.
Ella McSweeney meets Wexford farmers losing their land and homes to coastal erosion, while there is a report on ex-footballer Kevin Doyle's return to his family farm
Darragh McCullough asks how the future looks for Irish agriculture as farmers grapple to come to terms with emissions reductions on Irish farms.
Magazine show for farmers and rural residents, focusing on the ever-changing nature of country life and landscape
Presenters Helen Carroll, Darragh McCullough and Ella McSweeney continue to explore the issues, challenges and opportunities facing Irish farmers and rural dwellers.
Magazine show for farmers and rural residents, focusing on the ever-changing nature of country life and landscape.
Helen Carroll, Darragh McCullough and Ella McSweeney explore the issues, challenges and opportunities facing Irish farmers and rural residents.
Farmers Justina & Liam Gavin of Drumanilra Organic Farm in Leitrim are no strangers to new business ventures. Helen O'Carroll joins them as they open their doors & drive thru to see how Irish consumers respond to fast-farm-food.
Helen finds a maize crop in Adare that is taller than she is. The Shine family have come up with a new way to protect it using compostable film. Darragh McCullough goes to a wildlife habitat and Ella is in Leitrim to see how Patrick Bradley is supplementing his income by selling unpasteurised milk.
This week Maeve visits a farming TikToker in Killarney, Darragh meets a Cork dairy farmer whose herd has tested positive for TB and Ella spends the day with a competitor as he vies for the prize at the All Ireland Hedge Laying Championships.
This week Maeve observes a Dispersal Sale, Darragh visits Freeway Poultry and Ella is in Galway.
Maeve participates in a Moth census in West Cork. Darragh meets farmers from Timoleague with water quality issues and Ella's in Dingle where the sun is helping to produce Sea Salt.
Maeve will be in Wexford with Tillage Farmers who are having a year to forget. Darragh will be in North Dublin finding out about a crop that is still a little unusual for these shores, sweetcorn. And Ella is in Waterford meeting a baker using old Irish grain
Darragh is in Donegal with a Farmer who has found a novel way of harvesting his vegetables, Ella is in Roscommon with a woman who bought land to plant a forest and Maeve is in Kerry with a couple introducing a little bit of Australia onto their farm.
Darragh will be spending a busy day with a hoof trimmer in Co Tipperary, Ella will be in Galway meeting some locals concerned about water quality in the Corrib and Maeve meets a man with a story of addiction and recovery in rural Ireland.
Ella will be meeting a Cork farmer who is trying to completely remove artificial fertiliser from his land. Darragh will be at the Club Championships of Tug of War in Athlone. Maeve will be in an Orchard in Cork with 148 different types of apples.
Maeve will be in Achill at the busiest time of year for oyster farmers, Darragh is in Donegal with a family looking to adopt a donkey and Ella is in Wexford with a Postwoman on her Christmas delivery route.
Darragh is in Cork with a farmer who is saying goodbye to his cows and hello to his pigs. Maeve is getting a taste for allotment life in Dublin and Ella is in Westmeath meeting a woman who has returned to the family farm to set up a new fermentation business.
Maeve is Laois meeting people who are grappling with the thorny issue of who will inherit the farm. Darragh is in Tipperary with a man who looks after the hoofs of some of the world's most valuable horses and Ella is in the Mahrees in Kerry meeting a vegetable farmer unsure if he has a future in the business.
Ella will be in Mayo with a farmer who has learned how to live well with Bipolar Disorder. Maeve will be taking a trip back to last September when she spent the day with a Mexican Woman who is now farming in West Cork. And Darragh will be asking if Whitethorn might be next on the list of our native species to be wiped out with disease
Ella is in Mayo with a sheep Farmer who is also one of Ireland's last Coopers, Maeve is in Meath with a farmer who has introduced a breed of sheep from New Zealand and Darragh spends the day in Cork with a farmer who has changed his farming enterprise after surviving a serious illness.
Maeve is in Kerry with a Beef Farmer who is a key member in his local Community Emergency Response team. Ella is in Armagh with a Farmer mining for Bitcoin
Maeve looks at the challenges of pig farming. Ella meets a couple from Roscommon who are growing willow and making baskets and coffins. Darragh is in Waterford to see some calves being born on a dairy farm and have their DNA registered as part of the new National Genotyping Programme.
Maeve visits Michael O’Leary at his Gigginstown Farm near Delvin in Westmeath. Ella speaks with Brid Torrades who tends to her inherited herd of Dexter cattle near Ballyjamesduff, she incorporates their meat into the menu of the café she owns in Sligo. Darragh heads to Shercock in Cavan to interview dairy farmer Gerry O'Reilly on the opening day of the slurry spreading season.
ELLA is in Longford looking at the issues around domestic violence in rural Ireland. DARRAGH is with a farmer who is growing millions of tulips in Armagh. MAEVE is in Laois finding out how our main farming organisation is planning on navigating challenging times ahead.
