Lesser Spotted Ireland with Joe Mahon

Joe travels to Ballyknockan, Co. Wicklow, famous for its unique granite stone and its tradition of stone-cutting. In fact, Wicklow granite was used to build much of Dublin in the nineteenth century. Joe discovers that this is a tradition that goes right back to the Neolithic Age, as archaeologist Chris Corlett shows him evidence of extensive stone-working and trading in the area during that period...

Joe makes several stops along the western shore of Strangford Lough in County Down, where he visits a 7th century monastery that was using tidal power to work their mill, a former limestone quarry that has now become a home for endangered birds, a castle associated with the founder of the British Museum, and discovers a submarine-shaped island that provided bombing practice during WWII. He helps t...

Joe visits the Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare, where he goes in search of the Shannon dolphins, learns what seaweeds are good to eat and when, discovers how to make a fox out of sand, and takes to the waters in a traditional Shannon estuary hooker. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep into the lesser-known corner...

Joe's in Leighlinbridge in Co. Carlow, a place where all of Irish history seems to be condensed into one small area. Joe learns about the famous abbey where 7th monks came from all over Europe to learn from a local saint, and he explores the cathedral which has been in continuous operation since the 13th century. He also discovers the town’s ties to Luxembourg, and learns traditional a Luxembourgi...

Joe visits the village of Athleague in County Roscommon, on the banks of the River Suck. He learns how the river got its unusual name, as well as how the local people make good use of it – when it’s not flooding them, that is! He also discovers that the area is home to lakes that disappear and a non-native species that arrived here via a very unusual mode of travel. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discove...

Joe travels to Killaloe, Co. Clare, the home town of Brian Ború. He visits the former home of the high king, and learns about the history of the town as he takes a boat tour on the Shannon. He also takes a bell-ringing lesson in the 12th century cathedral and tours the first hydro-electric scheme in Ireland – the biggest in the world when it was built. He finds out how ESB are helping salmon and s...

This episode finds Joe on the very distinctive village green of Freshford in County Kilkenny, training for the forthcoming Irish Conker Championships. He interrupts a Tai Chi class and, as a result, gets a fencing lesson from octogenarian swordswoman Sheila Dooley, before going on to nearby Threecastles to discuss life, death, the universe and everything in it, with practicing druid, Eimear Burke....

Joe travels to County Louth, where he spends some time in the former medieval port of Carlingford. There, he mints his own medieval coin and tries his hand at the Poc Fada, an annual hurling event based on a legend about Cuchulainn. He also visits a perfectly preserved abandoned Victorian railway village, where he takes some tea with some Victorian ladies and gentlemen, before he discovers whether...

Joe travels to the medieval town of Fethard in County Tipperary, where the legacy of its Anglo-Norman past is still very much in evidence. However, the Anglo-Normans who conquered the region from the O’Brien clan were all but defeated by an unexpected foe, as local historian Terry Cunningham explains to Joe. He recounts how differences in agricultural practices between the Normans and Gaelic Irish...

Joe visits Errismore in Connemara, Co. Galway, a place where the people have ‘one foot in the tide’, as the local saying goes. This was part of the former territory of the seafaring O’Flaherty clan, and archaeologist and local historian Michael Gibbons takes Joe to the ruins of the castle overlooking the sea at Bunabhainn where Donal O’Flaherty lived with his wife, Grace O’Malley. She is perhaps b...

Joe visits the seaside resort of Mullaghmore in County Sligo, where he finds out why it took two Scottish engineers and a British prime minister to build a harbour. He also discovers some fairy cures, and takes a trip across to the early Christian ruins on the picturesque island of Inishmurray. He visits an artist who makes surfboards and paddles from wood, and gets a paddle-boarding lesson from a...

Joe Mahon travels the length and breadth of the country in order to discover some of the most overlooked, yet beautiful and interesting, nooks and crannies of the Irish countryside. In this episode, Joe visits one of the lesser known Glens of Antrim, Glenshesk. He tours a ruined friary that was built by one clan, but houses the remains of their usurpers. He discovers a local ghost story there, bef...

Joe Mahon visits the seaside village of Laytown in County Meath, home of the only official horse race to be held on a beach in Ireland. Here he takes a keen interest in the origin of the local place-names, samples some very rare apples, and investigates why there are no salmon in the River Nanny. Could St Patrick be the man to blame? Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island o...

Joe Mahon dons the uniform of a United Irishman sharp-shooter while rehearsing for a re-enactment in Killala, County Mayo. He takes to the waters of the beautiful bay in search of mackerel and meets a blacksmith who made 3,000 identical nails in the old-fashioned way! Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep into the less...

Joe Mahon explores the beautiful territory of the MacClancys of Dartry along the banks of Lough Melvin in County Leitrim. In nearby Glenade he hears the story of a fearsome lake-monster before searching for one or two himself in the River Drowes Fishery. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep into the lesser-known corne...

Joe Mahon makes a return visit to Kilcar in Co. Donegal this week, where he gets a lesson in harvesting and cooking limpets from a very youthful chef, he meets a knitter whose garments have garnered an international reputation and he explores the history of the area’s traditional weaving industry. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the se...

Joe Mahon makes the first of two visits to Kilcar in Co. Donegal, where he explores a 1500-year-old church and graveyard, finds out why seaweed makes a great raw material for a cottage industry, and takes part in the unique Kilcar sport of ‘Hole Ball’. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep into the lesser-known corners...

Joe visits the village of Saintfield in County Down, where he learns all about its native son whose ideas gave birth to western democracy. He also tries his hand at making art out of glass paste, and finds out why there’s a giant Christmas stocking in the community centre! Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep into the...

Joe Mahon visits the village of Tempo in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland where he discovers a secret chapel in the grounds of the local manor house and finds out about some of the manor’s notable guests – both willing and unwilling. He also learns about the man who is responsible for the village’s stone circle, as well as a most remarkable book. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Acro...

Joe Mahon finds himself in the colourful town of Loughrea in County Galway on the shores of a beautiful crystal-clear lake that bears the same name. Here he meets some truly “Baffling” characters, visits a walled garden that has been brought back from the dead, and finishes up with a painting lesson “en plein air”. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by...

Joe Mahon finds himself in the County Longford town that takes its name from one of Ireland’s most celebrated writers, Maria Edgeworth. He discovers some fascinating characters among her extended family, goes foraging in a walled garden and picks up a few tips for painting on silk. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep...

Joe Mahon finds himself in the fishing village of Clogherhead in County Louth, the meeting point of two ancient continents that collided millions of years ago, nowadays home to a community of people who go to great lengths to take care of their environment, both on land and at sea. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves deep...

Joe Mahon in the beautiful seaside resort of Inishcrone in County Sligo, where he hears stories of mermaids, black boars and legendary swimmers. He gets steamed up in the famous seaweed baths and meets a man whose imagination is bigger than the Boeing 767 he has parked in his field. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves dee...

Joe Mahon visits Lisbellaw in Co. Fermanagh, where he discovers how Victorian mills in the area got all their power from a small stream and how woollen blankets kept the population employed for a century. He also learns how the local community got together to resurrect an old lime-kiln. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across the island of Ireland Hosted by Joe Mahon, the series delves...

Joe Mahon explores the ruins of the Benedictine abbey at Fore in County Westmeath, Ireland, including the 15th guard tower which was home to a hermit, and the 19th century mausoleum which was the victim of late 20th century grave robbers. He also learns about the ancient crafts of making dog whistles out of antlers and romantic art out of stone. Lesser Spotted Ireland: Discover Hidden Gems Across...