“Many wounded men slipped into those shell holes and would have been drowned or suffocated by the clammy mud.” – George Pearkes The Battle of Passchendaele was fought on a 13km square patch of grass in Belgium in August 1917. It took place in a town called Ypres, or ‘Wipers’ […]
Columnists
This year has seemed to go so fast. I can’t believe we’re already at the end – until I look out the window after 4pm that is! Every day this week I’ve thought it was time to wind up the day, only to find that there are still two more […]
Traditional guitarist, Jim Murray has toured the world many times over – with Sharon Shannon, amongst others – but he loves West Cork more than ever. Gary catches up with him in his local, The Mountain House in Ardfield. WCP: “How would you describe your musical upbringing?” JM: “My dad […]
Everyone is now aware of the dangers of the systematic overuse of antibiotics in human and animal health. Microbes have a very short lifecycle and thus can evolve rapidly. We are seeing the rise of ‘super-bugs’ that are resistant to antibiotics. This is because microbes are exposed to antibiotics in […]
Beetroots have been around since the Romans who enjoyed their earthy charm. The root and leaves have been eaten for centuries. They also had a moment of glory when it was discovered that beetroots could be converted to sugar but these days these brightly coloured vegetables are known more for […]
One of the most frustrating things in farming is the uncontrollables, which can throw the best-laid plans out of kilter. Being flexible with your system is the best way to counter them. Animals, markets and weather would be among the most common in terms of unpredictability. Certainly the beef market […]