IT was the animal that ploughed the fields, brought milk churns to the creamery, and took the country family to church by trap on Sundays.

EEL stocks in Ireland and Europe are now so depleted as to be under threat, and radical action is needed to ensure the survival of the species.

ONE of the many critical challenges facing the country in the immediate future is the shortage of water, especially in Dublin and other major urban areas.

Donal Hickey says cutbacks are a threat to forest land

RIVERS and canals could have an important role to play in the country’s transport system, north and south.

EAT, drink and be merry, for God only knows what’s coming down the tracks in 2009.

Donal Hickey hears ambitious plan has its detractors.

THE Burren is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most outstanding and distinctive landscapes, with a rich plant life and a cultural heritage stretching back 6,000 years.

Donal Hickey says the future of the Shannon is uncertain

Donal Hickey on why we should protect our hedges.