The Mountain Gate

The Mountain Gate profiles artists, poets, writers, farmers and business people living and working in the Dromara Hills in County Down, Northern Ireland. Maggie Doyle is the host and she lives in the townland of Dechomet where she runs a small, independent jazz venue called Magy's Farm. In this episode, she meets Jim Martin who owns Legananny Christmas Tree Farm. Jim has grown thousands of tre...

A gentle journey into the Dromara Hills, Co Down with Maggie Doyle. In this episode, she celebrates the return of the cuckoo to the area, the fragrant May hedgerows and reads an extract from her nature diary 'Mountain Notes'. She also meets the local, award winning poet Jim McElroy who has released his first collection featuring poems based on his childhood on the family farm in Dechomet a...

A gentle journey into the Dromara Hills in County Down, Northern Ireland.  In this episode, Maggie Doyle meets John and Elaine McCombe who work and live at The Turnip House, a craft workshop and tea room in Benraw at the foot of the Windy Gap in the Mournes Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. www.turniphouse.com   Maggie also reads extracts from her book 'Mountain Notes - A Nature D...

A gentle reflection on life in the Dromara Hills in County Down, Northern Ireland.  In this second episode of The Mountain Gate, Maggie Doyle meets Karen and Stephen Malcolmson who have created the 'Red Kite Retreat' a new, eco-tourism development on Dechomet mountain.  The project includes the newly planted 'Warrior's Wood' walkway.  She also meets hill walker and Trek Ni writer De...

Maggie celebrates the return of early morning birdsong in Spring. Artist Rachel Fitzpatrick praises the art of nest building and Shelagh Henry explains how the glorious Red Kites have settled on Dechomet Mountain.