New Irish Language Broadcast Fund series Madraí is here to help with all your canine capers
Date Posted: January 30, 2023
What do you do with a Bulldog who won’t budge? A Retriever who won’t retrieve? Is it ever ok for your pup to chew shoes? Or what about the dog who likes walks…but only in a buggy?! Never fear, new Irish Language Broadcast Fund series Madraí is here to help! Produced by Big Mountain Productions the 6-part series will begin airing on RTÉ One at 8pm from Friday 3rd February.
The pandemic puppy boom brought a whole heap of canine cuteness through our doors – but with puppies come problems. While filming for the hit show Peataí! in 2020, vet Ellen Hegarty and behaviourist Paula Doohan heard the howls for help from the nation’s dogs (and their owners!) and decided to do something about it.
RTÉ got behind it, and a national callout was launched last summer to invite families who were finding it hard to cope with their canines to get info and advice from our animal experts. They were inundated with videos and pleas for help from all over the island detailing every type of dog distress from separation anxiety to lead-pulling; non-stop barking to furniture-chewing; food allergies to medical anomalies.
They selected a variety of different cases which span a range of common – and not-so-common – dog issues. On a case-by-case basis, our experts observe the behaviour, diagnose the cause of the problem, and give advice and recommendations for the dogs – and often their owners too!
And in the weeks and months after Paula and Ellen have worked with each family, we do catch ups with them to find out how things are working out with their madraí – and what may have changed for the better, or worse!
Along the way Paula meets Belfast’s Broony, a rescue dog with a taste for blankets and towels, who’ll soon have to adjust to the twins his owner is expecting.
Ellen meets Cabríní and her trio of Chihuahuas, all competing for the title of ‘Madra Top Model’ as they overcome their eating issues.
Meanwhile Paula helps owner Siobhán get a grip of Fred, a dog who loves his walks so much he’s pulled his owner into oncoming traffic.
With its cast of loveable canine rogues and easy-to-follow tips and strategies to cope with a range of pooch problems, Madraí is the paws-itively perfect series to get tongues (and tails) wagging this Spring!
Madraí begins on Friday 3rd February on RTÉ One at 8pm.
Sraith úr nua ón Ciste Craoltóireachta Gailge, Madraí, a dtabharfaidh comhairle dóibh siúd a bhfuil madaí acu
Cad a dhéanann tú le Bulladór nach mbogann? Nó aimseadóir nach n-aimsíonn? An bhfuil sé riamh ceart go leor do choileán bróga a chogainn? Nó cad faoin mhadra a thaitníonn siúlóidí leis…a fhad is go bhfuil sé i mbugaí?! Cuirfear tús leis an tsraith nua de sé pháirt seo Madraí arna léiriú ag Big Mountain Productions ar an Aoine 3ú Feabhra ag 8.00.i.n. ar RTÉ 1.
Spreag an borradh madra paindéimeach carn iomlán de ghleoiteacht tríd ár ndoirse – ach le coileáin, tagann fadhbanna. Agus anois, tá cabhair ar fáil le sraith úrnua 6 pháirt, Madraí!
Nuair a craoladh an clár iomráiteach, Peataí! i 2020, chuala an tréidlia Ellen Hegarty agus an t-iompraí Paula Doohan na béicigh chun cabhair a thabhairt do mhadraí na tíre (agus a n-úinéirí!)
Thug RTÉ tacaíocht don chlár, agus chuaigh glaoch náisiúnta amach an Samhradh seo chaite do theaghlaigh le deacrachtaí dul i ngleic lena gcuid madraí teagmháil a dhéanamh linn le heolas agus comhairle a fháil ónár saineolaithe ainmhithe. Tháinig borradh iarratas isteach ó gach cearn na tíre ag cur síos ar gach cineál ciapadh madraí – ó scaradh imní go tarraingt éill; tafann gan stad go coganta troscáin; ailléirgí bia le haimhrialtachtaí leighis.
Roghnaigh siad roinnt cásanna éagsúla a chuimsíonn raon saincheisteanna a bhíonn ag gnáth madraí – agus madraí neamhghnáthach. Cás ar chás, déanann ár saineolaithe cúis na faidhbe a dhiagnóisigh, agus clár oiliúna agus moltaí a ordaigh do na madraí – ach níos minice ná a mhalairt, is iad na húinéirí a chaithfidh a n-iompar a athrú freisin!
Thar na seachtainí agus míonna de Paula agus Ellen ag obair leis na teaghlaigh, déanaimid teagmháil leo le fáil amach conas a oibríonn rudaí amach lena madraí – agus cad a d’fhéadfadh a bheith athraithe chun feabhais, nó níos measa fós!
Ar an mbealach, buaileann Paula le Broony ó Bhéal Feirste, madra tarrthála a bhfuil blas aige do phluideanna agus tuáillí, a chaithfidh dul i dtaithí ar chúpla atá le teacht chuig an teach go luath! Buaileann Ellen le Cabríní agus a triúr Chihuahua, iad go léir san iomaíocht don teideal Madra Top Model agus iad ag sárú a gcuid fadhbanna beathú! Cabhraíonn Paula leis an úinéir Siobhán greim a fháil ar Fred, madra láidir a tharraingíonn a úinéir isteach sa trácht!
Leis an fhoireann aoibhinn, cainíneach rógaire, agus leideanna agus straitéisí éasca le leanúint chun déileáil le raon fadhbanna madraí, is í Madraí an tsraith is dearfach atá foirfe chun teangacha (agus eireabaill) a chur ag caitheamh an tEarrach seo!
Tosóidh Madraí, Dé hAoine, 3 Feabhra ar RTÉ1 ag 8.00.i.n.
