Laois man wants 'small farmers' for new TV series

A Laois man is appealing to local farmers to put their names forward for a new TV series that aims to capture the reality of life of a ‘small farmer’.

Brendan Phelan, the series producer, hails from a farming background in Laois. He explained the story the series hopes to tell in a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.  

“It’s high time that we heard firsthand from maybe the last examples of a whole class, a whole sector within Irish life that was for many generations probably most responsible for keeping the whole national show on the road. Small farming families were for many years the bulk of the rural populations and the indispensable element for mass national movements and economic progress.

“We think it’s time that the last generation who had first-hand knowledge of the way of life of Irish small farmers spoke for themselves, about their lived experiences and what formed their attitudes. That’s the programme we want to make,” he said.
Mr Phelan said the series will look at how Irish farming is evolving, exploring the tension between tradition and progress, and asking what the future holds for those who have dedicated their lives to the land," said Mr Phelan. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Cattle marts such as this have long been seen as an important social outlet for farmers.

He said nearly two-fifths of farm holders are over the age of 65, 45% of holdings are under 25 acres, 36% of farms have a standard output of €8,000 a year.

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“We are looking to interview a number of small farm holders, over the age of 65 with holdings of around 25 acres. Our hope is to meet interesting men and women that represent the overall reality of the small farmer population in Ireland,” he said.

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If you are a small farmer or know a small farmer that would be interested in helping us in any way to tell this story, email smallfarmseries@gmail.com or call Brendan on 087 2925294.