Thomas O’Connor farms 25 acres in the Gleann na nGealt valley near Camp, Co. Kerry, and sells his fresh organic produce in a farm shop, Manna Organic Store, in nearby Tralee. He talks about how fungi is the basis of everything he produces on his land.By Farming for Nature

Bruce Thompson is an intensive dairy farmer from Laois. He has a particular interest in reducing animal remedies through prevention, and is a strong advocate for the urgent need to protect our dung beetle populations.By Farming for Nature

Brigid speaks to Kim McCall about why and how he makes biochar. Kim and his wife Mireille own a 214-acre mixed livestock stock farm in Calverstown, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare with a herd of 75 pedigree suckler cows, a flock of 80 sheep, as well as a few pigs in the summertime.By Farming for Nature

James Gilmartin is a 7th generation mixed farmer. He keeps a suckler herd and a small herd of Dexters, as well as a small flock of sheep. Part of his farm is commonage and a very important High Nature Value habitat for various species, including the endangered Marsh Fritillary butterfly.By Farming for Nature

Finn Boylan is an Irish filmmaker from Bray in Co. Wicklow. He has always had a strong interest in the history of wars and conflicts around the world, feeling a fascination with places of unrest. When the war broke out in Ukraine in 2022 he had just started filmmaking and felt a strong urge that he had to travel to Ukraine and capture what was happ…

Maurice Deasy farms 120 acres in northwest Tipperary. He grows heritage Irish grains to preserve their genetic diversity, and uses them in his own brewery on the farm. He also has 20 acres of mixed woodland and wetland through his farm. He tells Brigid how he farms with nature in mind.By Farming for Nature

Aonghus Ó'Coistealbha is a market gardener from Connemara Co. Galway, and he owns 'An Garraí Glas', a 1-acre farm where he grows chemical-free vegetables including lettuce/salad leaves, onions, tomatoes, radishes, herbs and more. A tremendous amount of vegetables are grown from a small space, not to mention a challenging landscape with plenty of st…

David Harper is a broadcaster from the UK, working with networks like the BBC World Service. In fact, his voice can often be heard reading news live to millions of people around the world. He also covers a wide range of stories for other TV and radio networks in the UK. He has a passion for what he does! But his job can be very demanding and high-p…

Gearoid Maher farms 80 cows on 80 hectares in Co.Limerick. He tells Brigid how he manages to operate an economically successful farm while restoring nature on his land.By Farming for Nature

The name Lucy Letby has now become a name associated with pure evil. The story that has shocked and horrified England, and people all over the world is something you wouldn’t find in even the worst horror movies. A young nurse murdering tiny babies while working in the neonatal unit of a UK hospital. Instead of caring for the most vulnerable, she w…

Growing up in a dysfunctional family in the UK, Lucy Barnes felt lost and unloved as a child. Her mother wasn't able to be the kind of mother a child needs, and Lucy had five siblings from five different fathers. So the concept of a solid loving family was something she never experienced from a young age. Men were constantly coming and going in the…

Jordan Pulmano is a filmmaker from California who specialises in shooting music videos and festivals. His work has brought him all over the United States, and to other parts of the world. But back in 2017 he got a call to film a music festival that would go down in history, but for all the wrong reasons. 'Fyre Festival' was billed as a glamorous, e…

Emily Mais is a writer and an author who, after losing her mother to cancer, decided to reevaluate her life and change the things that didn't make her happy. Like so many other people her age, she was at a point in life with a steady long-term boyfriend, a good job, and a nice apartment in Toronto, but ultimately wasn't happy. It took losing her mo…

All his life Tanner Charles has been running towards the very thing that people most people run away from, Tornadoes! Since he was a teenager he has been a passionate storm chaser, constantly trying to get closer and closer to the danger. From Minnesota, Tanner now produces Youtube videos where he follows violent and destructive storms, sometimes d…

Louise Cooney is one of Ireland's most successful social media stars, with almost a quarter of a million followers on Instagram alone. But behind the seemingly always glamorous lifestyle online, in this episode of the Colm Flynn podcast, Louise talks about the hard work that goes into building a brand and business. She talks about the pros and cons…

Jim has a 16 acre hill farm in Clare where he intensively grows vegetables and fruit. He tells Brigid why homemade compost is the backbone to his farm, and how it works with nature to boost fertility.By Farming for Nature

In this episode of the Colm Flynn Podcast, I chat to Irish social media influencer and reality TV star, Cormac Murphy. Living in New York City, Cormac featured in the first season of 'Love Island' on CBS and also appeared on the E4 show of 'Celebs Go Dating' in the UK. But behind the chiselled instagram pictures and seemingly perfect life in the US…

Colm talks to Brigid as part of Farming for Nature's "Ask the Farmer" series. Here he explains in detail how - and why - he changed from an intensive farm, now farms with nature in mind. (Please rate, review and share this pod!)By Farming for Nature

James Ham of Moyvore, Co. Westmeath is one of the last farmers in his county to use traditional technique of hedge laying. He farms 128 acres with his wife Martina, and their land is 50% woodland, with the rest grass and spring barley. He talks to Brigid about trees, coppicing and hedgerows. James Ham's profile here. Farming for Nature website here…

Eoghan has a farm of 73 acres (including 40 acres of mountain commonage) overlooking the Atlantic near Eyeries on the Beara Peninsula, West Cork. For the last 12 years he has given 30 acres over to nature, mostly in the form of highly species-rich native Atlantic temperate rainforest. Please rate & review the pod, and spread the word! Eoghan - http…

Aoife Reilly of Glasraí Farm owns a 7.5-acre farm in Hollymount, Mayo, with her husband, Joe. They employ seven people, and nature is intrinsic to what they do. The farm is highly productive not only in terms of food production but in terms of soil health and wildlife. There are three ponds, mixed hedgerows and a variety of trees, all of which prov…

Cathal Mooney owns Heather Hill Farm in Donegal, where he produces pasture-raised turkey, pasture-raised chickens, lambs and eggs and wildflower honey. He says, "Our goal is to produce local food for the community. We want our customers to become friends and come to the farm to see how their food is produced.” Guest - Cathal Mooney Presenter - Brig…

Donna Mullen has a 43-acre farm in Meath, and she's found different ways to make her farm a magnet for seven bat species. She explains what she's done and how any farmer across Ireland can do the same... Guest - Donna Mullen Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature Contact - info@farmingfornature.ie Twitter @farmfornature…

On 29th October, the annual Farming for Nature awards took place in Corofin, Co. Clare. Brigid Barry spoke to the winner, Sean Condon, who is a dairy farmer from Limerick. Guest - Sean Condon, Templeroe Dairy, Limerick Presenter, Brigid Barry, Farming for NatureBy Farming for Nature

Tommy Earley has a 25 acre bog on his farm in Roscommon, and a few years ago he started the process of restoring it. What did he do? And how did he do it? Guest: Tommy Earley, beef farmer Presenter: Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information visit https://www.farmingfornature.ie/nominees/tommyearley/…

Bláithín Ennis is an incredibly talented Irish fashion designer, specialising in jewellery and accessories. Her work is sold in some of Ireland's top retail outlets, and has been worn by celebrities around the world. From Wexford in the south east of Ireland, in this episode, Bláithín tells Colm about where her love of fashion and creating came f…

Welcome to season 2 of the Colm Flynn Podcast! Dara Tah is an Irish Youtuber and Ticktocker who has shot to internet fame in recent months. But overnight success has come after years of hard work, and in this interview Dara tells Colm about some of his more daring YouTube videos like visiting Area 51, staying the night in a haunted castle, being bu…

With a 200 acre beef farm in Kildare, Anthony Mooney knows that he has a vital role in attracting bird species to his land. He explains how he does it. Guest - Anthony Mooney, beef farmer Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information visit https://www.farmingfornature.ie Contact Brigid - info@farmingfornature.ie Twitter @farmfor…

Nicholas Redmond has a 50-acre farm in Gerry, Wexford. He talks about his diverse beef & sheep farm, which includes species-rich meadows (from which he makes hay), oak woodlands and mixed-species grasslands. Guest -Nicholas Redmond, mixed farmer Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information visit https://www.farmingfornature.ie …

Where you see bats, you'll find insects and bats on a farm are a good sign that nature is being supported. Tommy Earley, a beef farmer from Roscommon, explains how he encourages bats to his land in the West of Ireland. Guest -Tommy Earley, beef farmer Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information visit https://www.farmingfornatu…

Kevin Briggs has stood, sometimes for hours late at night, in the freezing cold mist on the Golden Gate Bridge. The routine became all-too familiar for Kevin. Talking to someone who had climbed the barrier of San Francisco's iconic bridge and who was about to jump to the choppy waters below. With no formal training in negotiation, or how to handle …

Gearoid is a dairy farmer from Limerick with 197 acres and 80 purebred Friesian cows. He explains how and why he works with nature on his farm. "“The old rule of thumb was a cow to the acre – and that has been my ethos all along. If I can farm a cow to the acre without pressure then that’s what I'll do.” Guest - Gearoid Maher, dairy farmer Presente…

Sinéad farms 27 acres with her partner Mick. She explains why they decided to set up an organic microdairy, and how it benefits her business, the wild life and the land. Guest - Sinead Moran, dairy farmer Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information visit https://www.farmingfornature.ie Contact Brigid - info@farmingfornature.ie…

Shaun Doherty was, for 30 years, a hugely successful broadcaster in Donegal, Ireland. Every day he presented the main talk show on Highland Radio. Over three decades he became a household name in the region and won multiple awards for his work. But one day, he announced live on air, that he would be leaving his job in radio, and pursuing something …

Hedgerows are the green veins of our countryside, but poor management can leave them all but lifeless. Tipperary's Sean O'Farrell describes how farmers can ensure their hedgerows pulsate with wildlife, to the benefit of the farm - and the farmer. Guest - Sean O'Farrell, mixed farmer Presenter - Brigid Barry, Farming for Nature For more information …

What does it take to farm the uplands in a way that both provides an income and restores nature? Nia O'Malley farms 150 acres in the Slieve Aughty Mountains in Co. Galway, in the west of Ireland. She explains how her beef farming works to support - not diminish - the wild species who make the uplands their home.…

Brooke Brodack was once the most subscribed YouTuber in the world but suddenly deleted her channel and disappeared from all social media. It was 2005 and YouTube was still a new website. Then a 19 year old girl from Holden, Massachusetts, created a channel called 'Brookers' where she uploaded videos of herself hanging around the house, doing funny …

Mimi owns a 28 acre farm in Tipperary with her husband Owen. They have a micro-dairy and sell raw organic cream, butter and buttermilk, and they also farm beef, chickens, pigs and ducks. (They've also just had their first baby, which you can hear gurgling behind the scenes here. Congrats Mimi & Owen!)…

Roscommon beef farmer Tommy Earley has created 15 ponds on his farm in the West of Ireland. They attract a spectacular array of life, and he explains why every farmer - and gardener! - in Ireland should create a watery space for nature.By Farming for Nature

BONUS MATERIAL Marty Cooper is nothing more than a living legend. Back in the early 70's, he and a small team of engineers at Motorola changed the course of history forever when they developed the first every handheld portable cellphone. Motorola wasn’t a big company at the time and was up against the biggest company in the world, AT&T, who were pu…

The founders of Farming for Nature, Brigid Barry and Brendan Dunford, explain what the initiative is, and how and why farmers across Ireland should get involved.By Farming for Nature

Can you imagine living on a tropical island in the south Pacific Ocean? A paradise on Earth where life moves at a slower rate. That's where my guest for this episode lives and works. Sanya Ruggiero is a consultant communications advisor who works with the UN and other organisations. She is now working on a UN project to provide Covid relief to smal…

Norman Dunne owns a 400-acre tillage farm near Maynooth. Five years ago he transformed the way he farms, in a way that has benefitted nature and his own mental health.By Farming for Nature

They're known as "the farmer's friend" because they eat rodents such as wood mice, pygmy shrews and rats. But barn owls are struggling in Ireland - there's been a 50% decline in the last 25 years. How can farmers help to restore barn owls to their land? Wildlife expert & tillage farmer, Paul Moore, explains how he brought them back to his 140-acre …

Lisa Murphy is 31 and from Cork in the south of Ireland, and if you met her you would be taken by her warm and bubbly personality. On the face of it she looks like a 'normal' happy young woman, living in Ireland's capital, Dublin, and having recently started a new job. But under the surface Lisa has been battling a debilitating and life-threatening…

After the catastrophic disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine in 1986, around 50,000 people were evacuated from the nearby city of Pripyat. The residents were told to take just the clothes they were wearing along with their passports, and reassured they would be allowed to return soon after. However as radiation levels were so h…

BONUS MATERIAL On Easter Sunday in 1964, one of the strongest earthquakes in North American history struck Alaska with the city of Anchorage being horst hit. Amidst the destruction and despair, a voice emerged over the crackling airwaves that would go on to become one of the unlikely heroes of the disaster. Genie Chance was a local radio journalist…

Thomas is an arable farmer with 84 acres in north Co. Cork. He farms speciality crops such as grain-lupins, linseed, lentils, sunflowers, as well as the standard grain crops.By Farming for Nature

Stephen began to realize something wasn't right when noticed parts of his memory was missing. He would go for a walk with his girlfriend during the day and then realize he couldn't recall the last ten minutes - anything. He put it down to stress. But when it continued and became more frequent, added with severe headaches, he went to the doctor. Aft…

Imagine being paid to lie? Imagine having to live a lie for most of your professional career? If you forget your lies, or get them mixed up, you could be killed. This was the life that Marc Ruskin lived as a secret undercover FBI agent for almost 20 years. The FBI generally has about 100 UC agents working full-time in the field. In the 1990s and 20…