Westmeath footballer and farmer John Heaslin tells Damien about combining football and farming leading to a very busy life on the playing and farming fields.

On this week’s Countrywide, Marty is in Blacklion in Co Cavan to get a feel for what life is like in rural Ireland, We visit a Micro Dairy in Mayo, Reimagining a family home in Galway, Agri shows during lockdown, the future of Macra Na Ferime and the joy of lambing season.

Marty takes a trip to Blacklion in Co Cavan to get a feel for what life is like in rural Ireland according to some of the locals who make the town their home.

Marty speaks with Catherine Cotter of the Irish Shows Association which represents many of the Agri shows across the country in what is a very difficult time for the Agri show sector.

Countrywide reporter Lorna Siggins meets American writer Betsy Cornwell who is hoping to turn an old knitting factory near Carraroe in County Galway into a family home.

Ella McSweeney is in Co Mayo to meet Sinead Moran and MJ McGrath, two young dairy farmers. They’re one of a handful of farmers in the country who’ve decided to build a ‘micro dairy’.

Incoming president John Keane and outgoing president of Macra Na Feirme Thomas Duffy chat to Marty about the future and continued importance of Macra Na Ferime.

Farmer and author John Connell describes lambing on the farm.

On This week’s countrywide, Marty is amongst hens in Tipperary, mixing farming and writing, we meet some chocolate makers ahead of Easter Sunday, we find out just what exactly a cludogue is and the folklore around Easter and the church and the pandemic at Easter.

Marty is on the Magner farm is Tipperary home to a pasture fed flock of 1000 hens to find out more about egg production and some of the hens woolly friends.