Out the Gap

Meet Tommy O'Rourke who spends a large part of his working days literally up on a roof! Through his work Tommy is keeping a beautiful, timeless craft alive right in the heart of County Tipperary. Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Based in Toomevara, Tommy is a traditional thatcher with a deep-rooted passion for sustainable, vernacular heritage and historic builds. If y...

Welcome to the world of chainsaw sculpturing! Meet Will Fogarty, a self-taught, professional chainsaw sculptor living in Hospital, Co. Limerick. Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Will has worked all over Ireland on public and private commissions and says he spends about half his time creating large sculptures for towns, parks, schools, etc. The other half is spent carv...

From a bar in Lanzarote to a milking parlour in Waterford! An honest account of a new farming venture and a new herd of cows. Join us on our last episode of 2025, recorded with Kieran Sullivan on the family farm near the south coast of Ireland.  Support the OUT THE GAP podcast project: Buy me a coffee On our latest adventure we travel to Sullivan's farm to meet Kieran and hear the story of his jou...

In this episode we visit the Delahunty farm and meet Sinéad Delahunty. We chat everything from farming to food and sport. We also discuss why the humble sprout is such a misunderstood vegetable! Support the podcast on this link: Buy me a Coffee Sinéad is a passionate food creator dedicated to celebrating seasonal Irish cuisine through interactive cookery workshops, her acclaimed cookbook, live TV...

Join our guest, Colin Pettigrew as he chats about a life spent working in the New Zealand high country where a lot of the stock work was done from the back of a horse!  Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast In this episode we hear about Colin and Lorraine's married life managing a large sheep, beef and deer operation in a remote area of the north island. We also hear of their time...

Join Noel and farmer, Tomas McCarthy as they spend an afternoon out and about on the side of Mount Leinster. Support the podcast: Buy me a coffee In this episode we chat about everything from working dogs to the difficulties farming in this upland region poses. We discuss the traditional style of farming in the area, how it is changing and what the future might hold. This area around the small tow...

It's a family affair! On a Summer's evening join Noel as he visits the Cleary family after evening milking time on their lovely dairy farm which sits along the Tipperary and Galway county border. We hear from parents, Orla and Owen as well as their two daughters, Aibhlin and Síomha. The two girls were busy preparing their dairy show calves for the various agricultural shows which they will visit w...

"Necessity is the mother of all invention". Behind the scenes at 'Marteye'; The evolution of livestock trading. Support the pod: Buy me a coffee In this episode we meet Jamie Nolan in County Carlow. Jamie is one of the founders of this very innovative company. Due to the Covid pandemic livestock marts were forced to adapt very quickly in the way that livestock could be traded. Through necessity th...

The end of an era for Gill Smith. Reflections on a life spent amongst her cows. Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On this episode join us on Gill's farm in County Cork which lies on the edge of Cork city itself. We hear about her decision to retire from a life spent dairying and of the plan she hatched for her beloved herd. We touch on her obsession for rare and native...

A life less ordinary. Meet the great Andy Frazier!  Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Join us on our latest episode as Noel meets Andy as he is over on a recent trip to Ireland. Andy is the man behind the well known pedigree livestock podcast, 'Toplines and Tales'. He has had a very interesting and varied life which started off in the cattle 'fitting', grooming and sho...

It's a long way to Tipperary for New Zealander, Courtney Brodie! Support the podcast: www.buymeacoffee.com/OUTtheGappodcast Join Courtney as she chats to Noel whilst out and about on the farm in south Tipperary. We hear about life growing up on a sheep and cattle farm on the north island of New Zealand. We find out about her experiences working on farms in Ireland and of how she loves travelling i...

Who exactly are the 'Scallion eaters'?! - j oin us for a farm visit in the east of the country. Suppport the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On our latest episode we visit Joe Nolan in County Carlow and chat about everything from converting to an organic system to the joy of working Border Collies.  We discuss how Joe has left the world of finance behind in order to return to fu...

  Fishing, smoking, sea and the art of filleting - a visit to The Connemara Smokehouse. Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On a Summer's evening on the west coast of Ireland we meet Graham Roberts of, 'The Connemara Smokehouse', www.smokehouse.ie . Graham is very passionate about what himself and the family produce in their unique business here on the coast of Connemara...

Overlooking the valley of Slievenamon in the heart of the 'Golden Vale' , Nicholas Ryan farms tillage and beef alongside his father, James.   Support the podcast! https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Join Nicholas and I as we take a walk around this lovely farm which abounds with beautiful old hedgerow trees which are home to many birds including the Barn Owl and we visit the site of the ruin...

Porridge, ploughing and sleeping on Bees! Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On a rare sunny evening in a very challenging Spring I caught up with Kevin Scully in a field on the family farm as they ploughed in preparation for sowing their Oat crop. Kevin and family grow and mill the only certified organic gluten free Oats in the country on their farm in the midlands of...

Family farm life in Wales-on our first episode of 2024 we meet Will and Sarah Evans whilst they are over on holiday in county Cork.  Many listeners will remember Will's very popular, 'Rock 'n' Roll Farming' podcast.  Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast We had great fun recording this one and it was great to meet this lovely couple! Hear about their family and life in g...

A Winter's morning in Cahir farmer's market. Join us on a cool Winter's morning as we talk to stallholders and shoppers at the long established farmer's market in Cahir near the Tipperary/Cork border, a market which recently celebrated it's twenty year anniversay. Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast We really enjoyed meeting and recording with some great characters on...

Barley, Beer and family farming in the midlands. Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Join David and myself in Ballykilcavan on the family's beautiful farm in County Laois as we explore their journey so far in the brewing business. Hear about their fantastic restoration project involving the traditional farm buildings, setting up an on-farm brewery and how they've now i...

Meet the team at 'Lackendarra Stables'. On a lovely October morning join Noel as he meets the team working and farming at Lackendarra Stables' outside Mallow in rural county Cork. Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Eddie Linehan along with brother and sister team, Dan and Jane O'Meara specialise in buying year old Thoroughbred horses every Autumn which they then 'brea...

Brucellosis and TB herd culls, 80's interest rates, travel, family life and a men's shed on wheel's. Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Meet Co. Laois based, Matt Doyle as we delve into his varied life. Hear about his childhood in rural Laois and of losing a farm livestock business not once but twice aswell as having to deal with crippling 80's interest rates. We hear...

Canoeing, wool spinning, turf wars, farming, politics and more! Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Meet wool spinner, Séamus Kirwan on a Summer's evening and join myself and Séamus as we chat about his life and his passion for his craft. In a beautiful part of Galway on the west coast of Ireland I hear all about this intricate art of working with wool and find out abo...

Farming in the shadow of the 'Devil's Bit'. Join Tipperary beef farmer, Catherine Guest as we walk and chat on her beautiful farm in north Tipperary.  Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Catherine has a very evident deep love for the land, her area and the animals in her care. We hear about the generations before her who worked this farm and how in her everyday work sh...

The Long Draw-life as an agricultural contractor. Support the podcast on https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On a lovely Summer's day Noel catches up with John Drennan of 'Drennan Agri' as himself and his crew are harvesting grass in the midlands of Ireland. It is obvious from our chat that despite many challenges John loves what he does. John has been immersed in contracting for decades, pr...

What does it mean to sell the family farm? Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast Hear Denis Cahalan's story of his upbringing on a mixed farm and of life in a school system where violence was commonplace. Find out about his inspiring story of going back to education in his mid fifties and of his decision to change his life and sell the family farm, all the while whilst liv...

Life in the Furrows-a day spent turning the sod. Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/outthegappodcast On a hardy Winter's day join us for a day meeting competitors from around the country as they compete in a ploughing competition on the Tipperary/Offaly border. We meet male and female competitors aswell as some of the vountary organisers that run the whole thing and find out a bit more...