Conservation and Science

We had such a great time recording this episode of the podcast! I wish all the recording sessions were as relaxed, open and enjoyable as this one. I sat down with Eleanor Turner, who was our guest on episode 17, in the Sea Synergy Marine Awareness Centre in Waterville. We talked about an event called Iveragh Learning Landscapes. This fantastic outdoor experience, taking place annually in the most...

We have spoken many times about the need for advocacy for hunters and anglers, strong organizations that would represent sportsmen’s interests. Angling Trust is one such organization. Its aim is to represent anglers from England and Wales. Our guest is Dave Mitchell who is Angling Trust’s Head of Marine. He is also a board member of the European Anglers Alliance. In the podcast, I talk with Dave a...

In this episode, you will hear a fascinating account about one man who has spent most of his life fighting illegal salmon netting in the rivers and estuaries of the Irish South West. His name is Bertie Brosnan and he has joined me with his son Dan to tell his fascinating story. But be warned, it is not for the fainthearted. You will hear about personal sacrifice, threats, damaged property, court s...

This is the second part of last week’s podcast where we talked with Tomás Mac an t-Saoir about his solo and unsupported cycle down the length of Africa. If you missed the first part, go and listen to it now. Otherwise, let’s jump right in! Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science Newsletter Support the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee . Follow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky , Instagram or Y...

You may remember Tomás from one of the previous episodes of the podcast. Back then, he was a few months away from his planned, solo and unsupported, cycle from Cairo to Cape Town in aid of the Donal Walsh Live Life Foundation. A year later I got to talk with Tomás again. He is back from his cycle, in one piece, healthy and happy. In this incredible episode, Tomás gives a vivid description of his t...

This is another episode of the podcast where I talk with the representative of a political party. The goal is, as always, to dig a little deeper into some of the issues affecting the outdoor lifestyle. This time our guest is Pippa Hackett who is a Green Party Councillor and a spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry, Heritage & Animal Welfare. Once again I want to include the disclaimer tha...

Hen harriers are ground-nesting birds of prey whose UK population is in critical condition. Unfortunately, time after time we hear that a hen harrier has been killed illegally on grouse moors, a heavily managed grouse habitat used for driven grouse shooting. In this episode, I discuss this hot issue with a field sports journalist Matt Cross. Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science...

You have probably heard a dozen times that I am a semi-retired, obsessive, shark angler. So, ever since I started the podcast I wanted, one day, to have an episode with someone from the Shark Trust. Well, that day is today. Our guest is Ali Hood the Director of Conservation at Shark Trust and we spent over an hour talking sharks! It was especially important for me to talk with Ali about the role o...

Stand-up paddle boarding, also known as SUP, is gaining popularity in Ireland and around the world. Sure, there are many who laugh and take shots at it. But that’s normal when the new kid on the block appears. But SUP is here to stay and, in this episode of the podcast, I talk with Oona Tibbetts who is one of the founders of Wild SUP Tours, an adventure company which organizes paddle-boarding tour...

It has become quite common these days to hear about the negative impact of tourism on popular tourist destinations and local communities. Tourists are usually welcome as they contribute to local economies. Unfortunately, big crowds flowing every year through otherwise small and quiet regions can cause significant inconveniences. The infrastructure, like roads and sewers, is often not designed for...

You probably look at the title of this podcast and wonder what is going on. So I feel like a little disclaimer is in order. It is far from my intention to be canvassing for one political party or another. Instead, I want outdoors enthusiasts to be aware of how their support for various political options might impact the activities they love. I hope this will be the first of many podcasts in which...

This is another episode of the podcast dedicated to sea angling. Our guest is James Raymond, the man behind the website Irish Angling Adventures. I had a great time talking with James about all things sea angling. As a seasoned angler myself, I could quickly tell that James is a hardcore sea angler like many of my friends. Yes, he is one of those folks who spend silly amounts of time on the shore...

This episode of the podcast is especially close to my heart as our guest is my friend and seasoned charter skipper, Luke Aston. I have spent many hours at sea on a purpose-built, first-class sea angling boat, Clare Dragoon, skippered by Luke and operated by Carrigaholt Sea Angling Centre. If that sparks your interest then, just after listening to the podcast, you should visit the Fish and Stay web...

This episode of the podcast is going to take you back in time to the Pleistocene epoch of the Quaternary period, an epoch often referred to as the Ice Age. Our guest is Richard Doran Sherlock who has a particular interest in Quaternary science and megafaunal collapse. Over the years Richard has worked in many capacities including research for rewilding projects and not-for-profit groups. Since I a...

In this episode, once again, we return to the subject of cycling. Our guest, Fiola Foley, has a great deal of experience when it comes to all aspects of cycling and the outdoors. In her outstanding career, Fiola has been a pro athlete, worked as a race organizer and spent time working for BMC Switzerland, a world-leading performance cycling brand. Currently, she is the Communications and PR manage...

In recent weeks the news and media have been filled with reports about protesters demanding action on climate change. So, in the interest of covering important and current events related to the outdoors, once again, I am bringing you a recording of a talk. This time the speaker is the campaigning journalist and climate change activist John Gibbons. You can find out more about John and his work by...

It all started on Twitter. Shaun contacted me and casually suggested that I record an episode of the podcast from South Africa. We exchanged a few messages and Shaun sent me a few photos. It quickly became obvious that he could talk for hours about riding a mountain bike in the stunning landscapes of South African game reserves. In the episode, Shaun describes not only the South African mountain b...

I was introduced to Paul Carroll by one of our mutual friends. He couldn’t speak highly enough about Paul’s initiative called Rebike. So, I sat down with Paul in his Greenway Café in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and talked about Rebike Ireland. In a nutshell, Paul collects broken and unused bicycles that otherwise would end up in a landfill. He then repairs them and donates them to schools, charity or...

Today we’ve got something a little bit different. Instead of a guest, I have brought you a recording of a live talk by Pádraic Fogarty from Irish Wildlife Trust titled: Whittled Away, Ireland's Vanishing Nature. Pádraic is also the author of the book with the same title and I had the pleasure to chat with him last year on episode 20 of the podcast. Last Wednesday, Pádraic was invited to give the t...

Some of you might remember Kuba from episode 12 of the podcast where we talked about his hand-made fishing lures. We ended that episode teasing about Kuba’s planned to cycle through the Sahara desert to reach his bucket list fishing destination. Well, Kuba is back and in this episode, we talk about that cycling and fishing adventure. It is really great to hear his stories from exotic countries. Th...

Aaron is a professional gamekeeper, farmer, veteran of the war in Afghanistan and all-around badass. I keep meeting Aaron at various outdoor events and training courses. Since our interests are definitely aligned, we finally decided to get together and record an episode of the podcast. During our conversation, we talk about general game management issues, woodcock shooting and conservation, lethal...

A while back I jumped into my car and took the beautiful Ring of Kerry route to meet Madeleine and Greg in their art gallery located on the coast of Iveragh peninsula. Honestly, I was stunned by the beauty of Madeleine’s work and you can get a glimpse of it by visiting her website at www.madeleinemariaweber.com. Madeleine and Greg are like our artistic eyes and ears. Madeleine preserves special mo...

Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland is an organization dedicated to helping injured wild animals return to the wild in full health. But that’s not all. WRI’s mission is to develop a coordinated approach to wildlife rehabilitation in Ireland. They are also involved in efforts to fight wildlife crime. Since the topic of wildlife is an important part of Tommy’s Outdoors, I was eager to sit down with Aide...

I have talked about the importance of the outdoors for mental health and well-being on many occasions. Some blog posts come to mind as well as podcast episodes 10 and 25. I am still blown away by the interest and feedback on the subject. In this episode, we return to the topic. My guest, Orla Dempsey is a Life and Career Coach. During our conversation we talk about mud runs, how to control day-to-...

There is a lot of talk recently about continuous cover forestry, timber plantations and development of native woodlands. I had an opportunity to explore the subject with my guest, the Forestry Inspector and Fire Management Officer in the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Ciaran Nugent. In my opinion, this is one of the most educational episodes of the podcast. During our conversation,...