Columns - Irish Examiner

Denis Lehane

Denis Lehane is Ireland’s favourite farming satire writer (at least according to us!). Known for his unorthodox farming ingenuities and ideas, you never know what adventures our ‘Auld Lehane’ will be up to in Lighten Up.

Tesla Cybertruck display at a dealership. Tesla offers the Cybertruck with driving range of up to 334 miles. MY:2025

Lighten Up: Dear Elon, any chance of a loan?

For while he knows all the tricks of the farming trade, the trick of making money out of cattle is the one trick that eludes our Denis, so he has gone to trillionaire Elon Musk for advice

Mon, 29 Jun, 2026

Small crop circle in a wheat field in Dorset

Lighten Up: Alien encounters on the farm

Auld Lehane's alien encounters could well be a case for the Mulder and Scully

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

AI prompt chat bot. Search website to generate data, text or image. Man using computer with artificial intelligence app. Virtual

Denis Lehane: Some help with my writing from the AI man

My spelling is uafásach, writes our Auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 15 Jun, 2026

Denis Lehane: Relax, it's only the Leaving Cert

Some of us are a long way from the world of rocket science, but we get by just as happy, or happier maybe, in many cases, writes our Auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up.

Thu, 04 Jun, 2026

Denis Lehane: Did JK Rowling help bring in the silage?

Some magic was involved in bringing in so much so quickly, writes our Auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 01 Jun, 2026

Glenroe left our screens 25 years ago: Here are 10 reasons why it needs to return

The potential for storylines in today's rural Ireland is immense. From Brazilian beef to Brazilian waxing, rural Ireland is very alive and very interesting right now

Wed, 27 May, 2026

Taking Auld Lehane to infinity and beyond

As President Kennedy once said: 'We go to the moon, not because it's easy, but because it's hard.' And taking cattle to the moon will certainly be hard, writes our Auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 18 May, 2026

Denis Lehane: Hats off to my Angus as he heads for the mart ring

It's time to bid farewell to my hat-wearing bullock and no doubt he will use his hat to shield a tear, as I will myself, when I tell him the sad news, writes our Auld Lehane

Mon, 11 May, 2026

Dancing crowd and lights at a music event

Lighten Up: From bullocks to Bolton — it's time to turn marts into nightclubs

Let the of sound of Michael Bolton and Gloria Estefan ring out, where normally the sound of the lonesome weanling bull can be heard, writes our our Auld Lehane

Mon, 27 Apr, 2026

Lighten Up: Auld Lehane's top tips for curing the Easter bloat

If the urge to go mad on the Easter goodies to satisfy the hunger and thirst after the long 40 days of Lent got the better of ye, fear not. Auld Lehane has the solution

Tue, 07 Apr, 2026