The Upland Voices Podcasts

Upland Voices is a podcast series focusing on Upland Farming in the West of Ireland with a greater emphasis on Co. Donegal. It is produced by ACRES* Donegal and presented by Aileen Collery. The first episode is a special episode featuring conversations with Sean Cadden (Historian), Catherine Keena (Countryside Specialist) and Martin Gavin (Upland Farmer). This episode delves into understanding what the Irish Uplands or the ‘Hills’ as they are more commonly known looked like and how they were managed before and after the great famine. It reveals the consequences for hill vegetation and structure following a significant shift in markets after the second world war and into the 1950s. During this period the demand for mutton and wool declined. Farmers responded to the change in market and a new system of hill farming was born. This episode aims to set the pace for every other episode.

From the hills to the fields, ACRES Donegal is championing practical, on-the-ground solutions — and Upland Voices is here to share those stories. The podcasts aim to shine a light on how some farmers have already taken on-farm actions, exploring their motivations and their experiences. We highlight their stories of conservation farming, the use of alternative farming methods, drystone walls on the farm and much more.

*ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) is an action-based payment scheme built on a simple but powerful idea: the right action in the right place. Through this approach, it supports farmers to adjust their practices in ways that help tackle climate change, protect water, enhance biodiversity and promote truly sustainable food production.

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