A new Irish Language series looks at life on the farms in Ireland
Date Posted: March 6, 2023
Saol na Feirme is a brand new Irish Language Broadcast Fund series that takes us into the lives of eleven very different Irish farming families across four seasons. Viewers get to know the men and women who are growing and producing the food we all eat and providing income and employment in our rural communities. The six-part series produced by Strident Media begins tonight (Monday 6th March) at 8pm on RTÉ One.
The series charts their lives from spring through to winter, how they cope with everything that nature has to throw at them and how more than ever they are affected by environmental responsibilities. Our local farming industry is also a global concern, impacted by price fluctuations across the world, natural disasters thousands of miles away and even war in Ukraine.
Saol na Feirme cameras have been out in all weathers capturing the stories of the people who live and work the land, giving an insight into modern Irish rural life in counties Antrim, Armagh, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Waterford and Kerry. Farms featured include arable, hill and lowland sheep flocks, dairy, beef and vegetable enterprises. Some farmers are high-tech and cutting edge while others are keen to preserve traditional methods.
This series is filmed in some of Ireland’s most stunning locations. There is the contrast of the beauty of the land with the practicalities of making a living in these places. As many a farmer on the west coast says, “You can’t eat the view”. But would they or could they ever leave it?
Saol na Feirme gives viewers a timely insight into one of our oldest industries, showing the journey of our food from field to fork and celebrates the custodians of our countryside. Our farmers are always racing against the weather; managing unpredictable animals and temperamental machinery – there’s plenty to keep them busy.
Episode One begins on the Waterford coast with brother and sister Jamie and Mairéad Costin who each farm in their own distinct ways. Mairéad runs a vegetable enterprise while Jamie is a progressive dairy farmer. We visit Piaras Ó Lorcáin, a young beef farmer in Armagh, and join Seánie Ó Baoill and his sheep flock in the hills of Donegal.
Episode Two takes us to Mayo where Niamh Seoighe is raising sheep and Connemara ponies. We meet Briain Ó Doibhlin on the scenic shores of Lough Neagh, while Blatnaid Gallagher is in Galway spreading her passion for the Galway sheep and its wool.
In Episode Three Briain Ó Doibhlin is having a challenging first cut of silage in county Antrim – the sun is shining but where there is machinery, there is always the risk of breakdowns. In Donegal, Seánie Ó Baoill is treating his sheep ahead of their return to the mountain – it’s a time of year that he loves. In Kerry, Rónán Ó Siochrú is a progressive young farmer; this episode sees him putting plans in place for future cows to join his herd.
Tugann sraith úr Gaeilge léargas ar shaol comhaimseartha na tuaithe ar fud na hÉireann
Sa tsraith úr ón Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge, Saol na Feirme, tugtar spléachadh ar shaolta theaghlach feirmeoireachta déag éagsúil thar cheithre shéasúr. Cuireann an lucht féachana aithne ar na fir agus na mná atá ag fás an bhia a ithimid go léir, agus atá ag soláthar fostaíochta agus ioncaim i bpobail na tuaithe. Tosaíonn an tsraith sé chlár atá léirithe ag Strident Media anocht (Dé Luan 6ú Márta) ag 8 i.n ar RTÉ One.
Leanann an tsraith a saolta ón earrach go dtí an geimhreadh, ag fiosrú conas a théann siad i ngleic le gach rud a chuireann an nádúr os a gcomhair agus conas mar a théann freagrachtaí timpeallachta i bhfeidhm orthu níos mó ná ariamh. Is ceist dhomhanda í ár dtionscal feirmeoireachta áitiúil, ar a mbíonn tionchar ag luaineacht praghasanna ar fud na cruinne, ag tubaistí nádúrtha na mílte míle ar shiúl, agus fiú ag cogadh san Úcráin.
Bhí ceamaraí Shaol na Feirme amuigh ag taifeadadh beag beann ar an aimsir, le scéalta na ndaoine a shaothraíonn an talamh a fháil, le léargas a thabhairt ar shaol comhaimseartha na tuaithe i gcontae Aontroma, Dún na nGall, Ard Mhacha, Gaillimh, Maigh Eo, an Mhí, Pórt Láirge agus Ciarraí. Tá feirmeacha caorach chnoic agus ísleáin, curaíochta, déiríochta, mairteola agus glasraí i measc na bhfeirmeacha ar an tsraith. Tá cuid acu ar thús cadhnaíochta agus cuid eile a dhíríonn ar mhodhanna traidisiúnta a chaomhnú.
Tá na háiteanna is áille in Éirinn i measc na suíomhanna sa tsraith, agus tá codarsnacht idir maise na tíre agus an taobh praiticiúil de bheatha a shaothrú sna háiteanna seo. Mar a deir feirmeoirí go minic ar an chósta iarthair, “ní féidir an radharc a ithe”. Ach an bhfágfadh siad ariamh é?
Tugann Saol na Feirme tuiscint thráthúil ar cheann de na tionscail is ársa dá bhfuil againn, agus léiríonn sí aistear ár mbia ó pháirc go forc, ag ceiliúradh caomhnóirí na tuaithe. Bíonn ár bhfeirmeoirí i gcónaí ag rith is ag rás in aghaidh na haimsire, ag bainistiú ainmhithe guagacha agus innealra taghdach – bíonn neart ann lena gcoinneáil gnóthach.
Tosaíonn Clár a hAon ar chósta Phórt Láirge le deartháir agus deirfiúr Jamie agus Mairéad Costin a bhíonn ag feirmeoireacht ina mbealaí éagsúla féin. Tá Mairéad i mbun fiontair ghlasraí agus tá Jamie ina fheirmeoir déiríochta forásach. In Ard Mhacha Theas, tugaimid cuairt ar Phiaras Ó Lorcáin, feirmeoir óg mairteola, agus i gcnoic Dhún na nGall casaimid ar Sheánie Ó Baoill lena thréad caorach.
Go contae Mhaigh Eo a théimid i gClár a Dó, áit a mbíonn Niamh Seoighe ag tógáil caorach agus capaillíní Chonamara. Casaimid ar Bhriain Ó Doibhlin ar bhruach álainn Loch nEathach, agus tá Blatnaid Gallagher i nGaillimh, ag scaipeadh an scéil faoi chaora na Gaillimhe agus a paisean dá holann.
I gClár a Trí, tá sraith deacrachtaí roimh Bhriain Ó Doibhlin agus é ag iarraidh chéad sadhlas na bliana a thabhairt isteach i gContae Aontroma – tá an ghrian ag spalpadh, ach ní féidir i gcónaí brath ar an innealra. I nDún na nGall, tá Seánie Ó Baoill ag tabhairt leighis dá chaoirigh sula bhfilleann siad ar an sliabh – am den bhliain a bhfuil grá mór aige dó. I gContae Chiarraí, tá Rónán Ó Siochrú ina fheirmeoir óg forásach. Sa chlár seo, feictear Rónán ag déanamh pleananna do thodhchaí a thréada.
