Journalists

We can't see wood for trees when it comes to thinnings 

When viewing hardwood thinnings stacked ready for haulage at roadside, how often have you heard the statement "It's only fit for firewood".

Opinion: 'We are starting to lose the run of ourselves yet again' 

Christmas, with all the associated lunatic shopping, is now long over.

'Even the pubs are shut, so where do you go for company?' - Why we should keep an eye out for the elderly this Christmas 

A number of years ago I saw Michael when driving along one of the many byroads of Co Leitrim. He was walking slowly, with a stick in his right hand, and on his left shoulder he carried, with obvious difficulty, a large branch.

Increasing numbers of city-based people seeking to buy forestry 

Small outlying farms can be a hindrance as well as a help. Anyone who has to travel daily to check on livestock or move them to and from land that is perhaps 10 miles from their home farm will know what I mean.

The value of broadleaves goes far beyond hard cash 

Occasionally I find myself fortunate enough to attend an event that will remain in my memory for decades.

Analysis: New investment deal for forestry is welcome but the devil will be in the detail 

Good news has been a scarce commodity in the agricultural sector in recent months but the announcement that the European Investment Bank, along with others, is to support a €200m investment in Irish forestry confirms that the industry here has finally come of age.

An argument against draining rivers - 'Demanding ever more drainage is not the solution' 

Here in the east of Ireland, we have been enjoying an unusually dry winter with relatively high temperatures.

An interesting life through the eyes of a slave driver 

Books on self-help and business management have always been popular and many of them make useful reading, but one I picked up recently comes from a very different angle.

Life's negative conditions shouldn't rule our actions 

It is only as we grow older that we understand fully the truth of the saying: "The more we know, the more we realise how little we know". We never stop learning and every day is a school day. Almost regardless of age, the career opportunities available nowadays are greater than ever, but how many make the most of them?

Growing holly could be a lucrative resolution for 2017 

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. That has never stopped me making New Year resolutions, however, even if many of my aspirations fail to reach fruition.

Taking the broader view when it comes to trees... 

During autumn and early winter broadleaved trees are a stunning sight.

Opinion: Public sector has no right to hold country to ransom 

We should hold yet another referendum to decide, for once and for all, who actually runs the country. Is it the Government or the trade unions?

Why wood burning stoves beat out open fires on chilly nights 

Winter is upon us so once again we have to contend with those long, cold, dark and damp nights that chill the bones unless we have a decent heating system installed to keep us warm.

Sensible financial planning is worth its weight in gold 

Young people are being constantly advised to save a portion of their income on a regular basis. This is, of course, wise and sensible as it can then grow into a worthwhile amount to use as a deposit on a house, a pension or just to provide security for those inevitable rainy days that affect most of us at some point in our lives.

Literary account of city life makes farming attractive 

Two books, both of them recollections of childhood during the 1940s and 50s, came my way recently.

Restoring the 'Long Acre' is an idea worth chewing on 

We all get strange ideas from time to time and yet when we think them through, sometimes they are not so odd after all. Who would have thought we would ever be purchasing bottled water, yet fortunes have been made from its sale.

Size matters not when it comes to the great gardens 

A recent visit to some well-known gardens in Co Wexford made me ponder on what truly deserves the term "great".

Disgruntled forestry critics barking up the wrong tree 

'There's nowt so queer as folk" is an old saying that I always understood had been written by Robbie Burns, the famous Scottish poet who composed 'Auld Lang Syne'. I was mistaken, however, and apparently it is of Welsh origin. It obviously means that people sometimes behave in a very strange way and is of little importance other than I was reminded of it while reading newspaper reports highlighting outbursts by a few individuals who were demonising forestry in Leitrim.

How status anxiety fuels protests and poor decisions 

The recent referendum in Britain has thrown up more questions than answers. While a small majority voted to leave the EU, no one seems to quite know why.

Crossovers? I'm sticking to my trusty all-terrain steed 

For the majority of farmers, choosing the right car can be challenging as it is difficult to justify owning a comfortable and reliable family car and also a jeep-type vehicle for towing.

Get your memories down on paper before it's too late 

An amusing email I received recently describes a conversation between an elderly man and a young man concerning life during the older man's youth.

EU membership has transformed our country 

Asking the question "What the EU has ever done for us?" is a bit like that famous moment in the Monty Python film The Life of Brian when a group of Judean revolutionaries, led by that brilliant comedian John Cleese (pictured), belligerently asked: "What have the Romans ever done for us".

The wordsmiths who bring distant landscapes to life 

While reading Paul Theroux's latest book Deep South which relates his experiences during four seasons spent wandering through the Southern States of America, I realised that I drive almost every day, along lovely country roads but frequently fail to notice the finer aspects of the landscape.

Bureaucracy is crippling forestry sector's potential 

Forestry conferences can be tiresome affairs with the only benefits being the opportunity to meet with fellow timber growers and share ideas during the breaks.

Commonsense the first casualty in gender wars 

Gender equality or sex equality, is the view that both men and women should receive equal treatment and not be discriminated against based on their gender.

Marching to the beat of a different drum 

While having what little is left of my hair trimmed recently, the barber, an affable and courteous young man began with the standard conversation opener "Are you doing anything nice for the weekend?"

An essential experience for budding gardeners 

Gardening is such a huge and wide-ranging subject that it leaves us all in need of advice and inspiration. I can think of nowhere better to get both than at the upcoming Bloom festival. Now known as Bord Bia's Bloom, the festival takes place in the Phoenix Park Dublin over the June Bank Holiday weekend.

Countryside looks its best and landscape comes to life in sun 

What a difference a day makes. In Ireland, when the sun shines, our rural landscape comes alive.

Why are so many of our sports grounds such awful places? 

Have you ever spent a freezing evening standing on the edge of a football pitch, proudly watching your son or daughter competing with the under 10s, or maybe just loyally following your local club playing an away game?

The real cost of our consumer free-for-all 

When I was in my early twenties a friend and I got the bright idea of running a mobile discotheque. I mention this because it was so successful we found ourselves earning more money than we ever had before in our young lives. There wasn't much competition then and like so many things in life that succeed, timing was everything.

No easy solutions to flooding in the west 

The floods that hit many farms in the West last winter made compelling viewing on the TV news at that time. There is nothing however to compare with seeing something at first hand and when in Kinvara recently, a friend took me on a tour of some of the worst affected areas around Ardrahan in Co Galway.

A small town fighting back against decline 

My local town of Kilcock no doubt mirrors hundreds of similar towns throughout Ireland which were formerly prosperous and then began to fall in to a long, slow and seemingly inevitable decline.

How to become wealthy - the ancient way 

There are many ways of getting rich and some say one of the easiest is to write a book on that subject.

Not so much a generation gap as a chasm 

There is much soul searching taking place in Ireland these days regarding who we are, what we have achieved and how society is to be managed for the coming decade.

Climate change and the weevil in our midst 

We are in grave danger from the imminent arrival of a bewildering new range of pests and diseases. Year round rises in temperature have already facilitated an increase in the numbers of insects that prey on our trees.

Intelligent land use is a win-win situation 

Whenever the legendary American investor and billionaire Warren Buffett speaks, it is always worth listening.

Nostalgia that's blind to reality of the past 

Despite some who would look at the past nostalgically, Joe Barry argues that we are one of the most equal and prosperous nations on earth.

Why I wouldn't mind being treated like a dog 

Have you ever wondered at the difference between the service the veterinary profession provides and that which we humans receive when we are ill or injured?

A salutary tale from the streets of London 

A recent TV programme showed a startling experiment in human behaviour being carried out on the streets of London.

The books that convinced me to go organic 

While writing this I found myself returning again and again to the reasons why I now try to consume only organic produce, either from my own garden or from the nearby organic markets in Trim and Naas.

Banana disease is a symptom of greater ills 

Bananas are one of the most popular snack foods available. They are tasty, full of healthy vitamins and minerals and arrive conveniently self-packed in their own bio degradable wrapping.

The magical aura of the whitethorn tree 

No one believes in fairies anymore, do they? Of course not. Ask most people and they will say that it's all old superstition that has no place in the modern world of the 21st century.

Optimism is as infectious as pessimism 

As often as possible, I try to visit Dublin on a Sunday. It's nice to stroll around town, have lunch in one of the numerous good restaurants and spend an hour or two in the book shops and then head home again.

Forestry is one of the best investments I ever made 

The recently launched d 'Land Availability for Afforestation' document is welcome and has appeared following a lot of time and study spent on the issue. It confirms there is too much marginal land lying semi idle at the moment and the owners of such land could greatly benefit from planting it.

How did we ever get by without mobiles and the web? 

My phone line was down recently thanks to one of those many winter storms which we will all just have to get used to.

In defence of the much-maligned 'landlord' 

It is difficult to turn on the news these days without hearing mention of the housing crisis.

Climate change demands a change of mindset 

Even the most sceptical among us must by now be convinced that our climate is changing. We might argue over the causes but the effects are dramatic.

Books: A shepherd's tale that looks set to endure 

Every cloud has a silver lining. Sceptics might laugh at this but in general, if we have the right attitude to life, we can always turn difficulties to our advantage in some small way.

'The Green Man' and the spirit of Christmas 

Like many adults, I tend to view Christmas time with mixed feelings. While I abhor the commercialisation of this holiday period and the pressure it puts on parents and others to spend lavishly on family and friends, I cannot forget the magic it brought to my own childhood.

Daydreaming about the simple life 

Whenever I visit the Burren or pretty much anywhere in the West, my thoughts always turn to the attractions of moving to a small house with perhaps an acre or two.

A far cry from the Black Fridays of old 

Perhaps this comes from leading a sheltered life but up to very recently, I had no idea what Black Friday was or what it meant.

Intrepid traveller and a master storyteller 

Sometimes one picks up a book with a touch of apprehension and a slightly heavy heart. You know that feeling, when you cannot help but think, this is a book I know I really should read but do I want to?

Meat sensationalism is bad for our health 

If we are to believe what we are told through the media, eating meat has the potential to kill us. Funny one that. I seem to recall also being told some time back how dairy products were lethal.

Ancient and modern marvels by the Shannon 

The Irish Timber Growers Association held a field trip recently and for once we gathered in a place which was easy to find, had good car parking and actually contained excellent pubs and cafes.

Parking mayhem is choking our small towns 

Do you live near a town or village in a rural area and within the commuter belt of any of our large towns or cities? If so then you will no doubt share my outrage at the way that town centres are being allowed to wither and die.

Squeaky Irish bulls and the origins of rugby 

Didn't our team's performance in the Rugby World Cup make us all feel proud to be Irish despite the disappointment of last Sunday's exit to Argentina? There we are, right up there among the best in the world, showing far larger nations what can be achieved in international sport.

The Garden County's best kept secret 

Wicklow is frequently referred to as the garden of Ireland. It is a place of great natural beauty and also contains some of the finest gardens that are open to the public, which include Avondale, Kilruddery, Mount Usher, Powerscourt, and many others.

Why I have joined my local Men's Shed 

While on my way to our local post office recently, I ran in to a friend who mentioned he was about to visit the Men's Shed. "The what?" I said. "Our new men's shed" he replied, "Follow me, we can have a cup of tea there"

The art of low maintenance gardening 

One of the few good things about the darkening autumn evenings is that they remind us it is time to plant spring flowering bulbs.

It's the second mouse that gets the cheese 

When producing meat, milk or corn nowadays, the margins over costs are tiny and any saving or benefit can make the difference between profit and loss.

The terrible price we pay for cutting corners 

Farmers are notorious for ignoring issues relating to their general physical wellbeing.

A life less ordinary in the Lake District 

I have been taken to task in the past for writing too fulsomely about the books I review. This would be fair comment except for the fact that I only write about those I really enjoyed. The hundreds that I pick up and read a chapter or two of and then discard are simply not worth wasting time on.

A journey through the real wild west 

There is no break in the empty silence save the whimper of the winds. Not a bird voice is upon the air. Nothing but pasture and sheep and stone walls and the western wind and loneliness." So wrote Michael Bulfin as he passed through Connacht on his famous cycling trip round Ireland in the early days of the 1900s.

The bright idea with income potential for many farmers 

Standing in the bog of Allen near Lullymore recently, I was struck by the vast potential on the cutaway sections for the installation of solar panels.

A bittersweet feeling as autumn beckons to us 

The onset of autumn always brings with it a bittersweet feeling.

Cruising the high seas is a viable alternative to the nursing home 

At this time of year businesses tend to shut down and like our politicians, many people take time off and maybe enjoy a lengthy holiday.

A truly awesome part of our heritage 

The recently published figures from Failte Ireland for last year's most visited Irish tourist attractions make interesting reading.

They're tough mudders in Tipp 

Being an avid reader, I frequently write on what I consider are the best of the many books I have acquired. Occasionally I get taken to task for mentioning one that is long out of print but readers should take note that there are excellent internet bookstores such as Kenny's bookshop, Alibris, AbeBooks and others who stock a huge range of both current and out of print literature, frequently at very reasonable prices.

A trip to Wexford sent me travelling down memory lane 

Given the good weather we are enjoying and the ever-improving standard of our guest houses and restaurants, a holiday at home in Ireland surely beats travelling abroad.

The rambler who hightailed it out of Meath's plains Meath's 

In the early 1900s, William Bulfin cycled throughout the length and breadth of Ireland and wrote in detail of the people and places he encountered on his travels.

A whole new dimension to woodland management 

Harvesting and chipping entire trees is a woodland management system that is new to most of us but given the current demand for wood chip it appears to be a useful option. Everything, including the branches gets used up, so it really is only appropriate on dry sites that don't require brash mats for heavy equipment.

Concept gardens stole the show at marvellous Bloom 

At 7.45am on the opening day of the Bloom show in the Phoenix Park, I made my way from the already busy car park to view the show gardens before the main crowds arrived.

An eye-opening tour of the grand gardens of Donegal 

As I gazed out of my hotel window, a gale blew in from McSwyne's Bay bringing with it bursts of hail and stinging rain.

Bliss or blight? The jury is still out 

There are many differing opinions regarding what type of building design is appropriate for the Irish countryside. A clean, simple, unfussy look is generally accepted as best but residences of all appearances, shapes and sizes continue to spring up along our minor roads and lanes, often in the most unlikely places.

The hidden history of our landscape 

When walking through the countryside, it is not uncommon to come across rows of daffodils or a line of fine beech, oak or lime, unconnected with any buildings or earthworks and surrounded only by open pasture. It can be fascinating to ponder on their origin for they are often all that remains of what was once a fine garden or estate.

The spring cleaning has revealed mixed fortunes in our woods 

April was a wonderful month, especially given the great spell of fine weather in the latter few weeks. The ground had dried up well and we were kept busy drawing out the thinnings from the winter felling. It is important to remove these promptly and stack them in an airy, open place.

Why I will be voting 'yes' for same sex marriage 

The referendum on May 22 will decide if people of the same sex should be allowed marry. We are also being asked to vote on whether or not we should reduce the age barrier for people standing for President from the current 35 years down to 21 years.

We need to make more of alternative forestry enterprises 

The announcement by British firm Center Parcs of its plans to develop a holiday village in Coillte woods near Ballymahon, County Longford is great news for the rural economy.

An energising experience 

There was a remarkable range of products on view at the recent Energy Show, a popular event now held annually at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin.

A charismatic genius who spurned wealth 

Our concept of poverty has changed dramatically over the centuries. Being poor used to be almost a prerequisite for admittance to heaven, but somewhere along the line, attitudes changed.

Forestry: Twenty years a-growing 

It is now 20 years since I first planted trees under what was then a new and innovative afforestation scheme. After much lengthy planning and research, I eventually planted approximately 150ac. Happily, this proved to be an excellent investment.

The hidden costs of soulless supermarkets 

I wonder how many others share my intense dislike of shopping in large supermarkets.

Checking out the benefits of GLAS 

The REPS scheme has been one of the best and most innovative farming initiatives I have been involved in to date.

A journey into our rural past 

Most of us will at some point in our travels have seen the lovely thatched cottages that partially line the main street in Adare, Co Limerick. They make a striking tourist attraction, as do the equally quaint cottages at Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford.

The cliffs were majestic - pity about the carpark! 

There are so many wonderful places in Ireland to visit that I feel time may be running out if I am to get to them all before I die.

A milky wave of products on our shelves 

When I was a child, regardless of the main farm enterprise, virtually every farmer kept a cow.

Planting trees makes sense on many levels 

It is widely believed that you can't buck the markets.

Taking the tourist trail to the ancient landscape of Tara 

It is a well-known phenomenon that people like to travel abroad to view ancient monuments and sites of great historical importance.

Binoculars have opened my eyes to woodland wildlife 

Cold hard weather is great for the sale of wood fuel but not so welcome for our wildlife.

It's farewell to the whiskey, stout and sausage rolls 

Hardly A week goes by without our reading some article on food related health issues.

The therapeutic powers of the farmyard hen 

In his memoir What the Curlew Said , the late John Moriarty described how when he was a young boy growing up on a small farm in Kerry, a broody hen would be kept in safety sitting in a butter box under the kitchen table.

Remembering the Famine's ravages in Connemara 

Towards the end of November I spent a few days driving through Connemara to view at first hand the landscape described in a fascinating book titled 'Connemara after the Famine". Written after the Famine, it contains the records of a survey carried out in 1853 to assess the value of the Martin estate which had recently been put up for sale.

Economic forecasters invariably get it wrong 

Over the past 50 years we have seen periods of both inflation and deflation, along with decades of economic stagnation.

The post brings tidings of banks and squirrels 

"Let's Connect" was the cheery heading on a letter I received recently from my local bank.

Pump up the volumes: an old solution to current woe 

While listening to news of the protests against the installation of water meters I had what is often nowadays described as a 'light bulb' moment.

The winds of change have started to blow 

Forest Research Ireland (FORI) has recently published a report announcing a draft of measures to expand on and improve forestry research in Ireland. Initiatives such as this have to be warmly welcomed in these rapidly changing times.

A walk in the woods stimulates both body and mind 

Walking in the great outdoors is well recognised as being one of the best possible tonics for both our physical and mental well-being.

The more we learn, the more we can earn from trees 

The benefits that flow from having a large group of farmers gather under one roof to talk about forestry and timber should never be underestimated.

Combining forestry with other land uses is well worth exploring 

There has been some lively discussion since the launch of the Draft Forestry Programme 2014-2020. Surprisingly, many of the comments have been negative and because of this and having welcomed the programme initially, I felt I should study it in further detail.

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us 

Autumn is perhaps our loveliest season of all, especially when the weather is as kind as it has been this year.

We cannot afford to have high-cost production systems 

One wonders where it will all end. If the current prices for beef, lamb and corn tell us anything, it is that any farming system that is not losing money is probably only operating on a shoe-string.

Are our children being smothered by regulations and nannyism? 

The following is an amended version of an email I received recently. The original made me think of how much the experience of childhood has changed in 60 years.

Why are we screwed on borrowing rates in Ireland? 

An Irish homeowner with a new mortgage of €200,000 is currently paying almost €4,000 more in interest per year than his or her Eurozone counterpart. This startling fact was revealed recently by Brendan Burgess on the financial advice website Askaboutmoney.com.

At last an Irish kit that targets private woodland 

At last we have a machine that is designed specifically for farm forests and mixed species woodland. It has been a long time coming but finally, after two decades of the current afforestation scheme, we now have a forwarder available that is specifically designed for Irish woods and Irish conditions.

The humble bat is one of the farmer's best friends 

On summer evenings just after sunset, when the swallows and house martins are heading for
their nests, hundreds of bats emerge and take over the task of patrolling around my home, helping to keep the flies and midges under control.