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.

The Statue of Liberty over the Scene of New york cityscape river side which location is lower manhattan,Architecture and buildin

Lighten Up: Auld Lehane... On the ground in New York City

New York... it's like Macroom on a fair day, only multiplied by 10, writes our Auld Lehane from the 'Big Apple'

Mon, 12 Jan, 2026

Lighten up: New year, new you at the mart — our Denis's 10 tips for mart success in 2026

Don't push the mart around, credit-wise or in any other way... the stick hasn't gone away, you know, and the mart still knows how to use it, writes Denis Lehane in a special New Year's mart report

Wed, 07 Jan, 2026

Lighten Up: A Christmas rodeo at the mart

Ever a man to spot an opportunity, our auld Lehane has fixed upon a great scheme to further enhance our cattle marts standing in the world, in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 15 Dec, 2025

Young woman is stealing at store, shop, boutique at shopping mall. Shoplifting concept.

Lighten Up: Guarding Cork's Christmas knickers

Thirty years ago, if you were looking for Auld Lehane, you wouldn't find him out here on this farm in Kilmichael, busily carrying buckets across the yard to feed two hungry calves...

Mon, 08 Dec, 2025

Young pilot candidate receiving flight training meets with the tower

Lighten Up: Tractor pilots wanted

Auld Lehane, the self-declared Lord Byron of Irish farming, has a poem this week to lift the spirit, and indeed the finances, of the struggling farmer.

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

There's some truth in the cattle mart rumours that Auld Lehane could soon be running the BBC

From chit-chatting to royalty to cleaning out the loo, there's no job our Auld Lehane says he wouldn't tackle, in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 24 Nov, 2025

Lighten Up: Taylor Swift should sing the praises of 'Cattle Dealer'

Denis lauds the virtues of 'Cattle Dealer' a song by two boyos from north Cork who go by the name of HubCap

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Exhibition / new tractors lined up next to each other in a row

Lighten up: Auld Lehane's top 10 budget proposals to help struggling farmers

With Budget 2026 closing in faster than the plastic being stretched over a freshly-made silage pit, Denis Lehane has a shortlist of measures to encourage farmers to stick with the job

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

CTAOP's Night Out 2021: Fast And Furious

Denis Lehane: A hairy time at the ploughing

From Dáithí Ó Sé, to Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, you can never tell who will come bounding out of a Portaloo door or squelching around a muddy corner, writes Denis Lehane in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

Counting Money Hands Holding Euro Bills, Examining the Value of Cash and Currency Assets

Lighten Up: The ploughing... like Cannes, only better!

With this year's newfound wealth, the Ploughing is going to be like the Venice Film Festival, only without the boats, and a lot more boots, writes our auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up

Mon, 08 Sep, 2025