Rural Affairs

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#Rural Affairs

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p> Kiskeam has reinivented itself as a remote work hub in recent years, but the sewerage situation could stifle its hard-earned growth, Cork County Council heard. Picture: Dan Linehan</p>

munster

'Sword of Damocles' hangs over North Cork village

Villages under threat because of a lack of critical water infrastructure, councillors claim

<p>Emma deSouza in her garden in Fermanagh. She says gardening began as a chore and has become an adventure.</p>

comment-analysis

Emma deSouza: So much more needs to be done to support rural resettlement

<p>How south Kerry’s Iveragh peninsula is tackling rural depopulation and protecting its GAA clubs</p>

spotlight

The Mick Clifford Podcast: How Iveragh is fighting back against rural depopulation

Trillick v Crossmaglen Rangers - AIB Ulster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Quarter-Final

ourview

Irish Examiner view: South Kerry taskforce on population decline is a welcome initiative

'We know that it is a viable business': Cork residents plan to buy last pub in village

munster

'We know that it is a viable business': Cork residents plan to buy last pub in village

Irish Examiner view: Garda appointment is a welcome step to tackling rural crime

ourview

Irish Examiner view: Garda appointment is a welcome step to tackling rural crime

Cork superintendent appointed as first-ever Rural Crime Lead

Cork superintendent appointed as first-ever Rural Crime Lead

Fermoy-based Supt Michael Corbett has identified farm machinery theft, illegal hunting, burglary, and drugs as some of the key areas he is looking to tackle.

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Energy storage system or battery container unit

Rural communities ‘deserve transparency’ on energy storage developments

Senator raises concerns about proposed battery energy storage system in Newmarket, Co Cork

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Country's first state-of-the-art wildlife rehab and training hospital planned for Co Meath

Country's first state-of-the-art wildlife rehab and training hospital planned for Co Meath

Specialist centre will be situated on four acres and will include a veterinary hospital dedicated to wildlife, and a teaching area for vets from across the country

Sun, 21 Sep, 2025

Something to celebrate: Kerry village buys the local pub rather than let it disappear

Something to celebrate: Kerry village buys the local pub rather than let it disappear

As one local man says: 'There would be nothing in the place if you didn’t have somewhere to meet. It is the centre of what is a very rural community'

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Close-up on school lunches at the cafeteria

'No new legislation' on hot school lunches, says food safety body

Suppliers have said that updated guidance has been delivered to suppliers by a division of the Department of Education

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Vanished without a trace: What happened to Kerry’s missing farmer Michael Gaine?

Vanished without a trace: What happened to Kerry’s missing farmer Michael Gaine?

As days pass and hope fades, a Kerry community struggles with heartbreak, suspicion, and the chilling silence of loss

Sun, 24 Aug, 2025

Inside Alcatraz Prison - Row of Bars and Cells

Cork Crime: People in County Cork have strong communities. All they need is local gardaí

Here we provide a station-by-station breakdown of Cork crime stats — and journalist Ann Murphy talks to gardaí, public representatives, and community activists about their concerns

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Two bar stools

Two pubs a week now closing in Ireland, one in three in Cork and Limerick gone since 2005

A new report shows a quarter of Irish pubs have shut since 2005, with rural areas worst affected

Mon, 14 Jul, 2025

Sinn Fein launch alternative health budget

Opposition give a guarded welcome to Taoiseach's pledge to restore local councils

'There’s no point restoring them if they don’t have powers and resources': Sinn Féin and Social Democrats respond to Micheál Martin's interview in the 'Irish Examiner'

Fri, 11 Jul, 2025

Achill island coastal scenery

Colin Sheridan: Better late than never for Achill’s broadband lifeline

State has finally delivered on the promise of reliable fast broadband connectivity

Fri, 11 Jul, 2025

Fox hunting

'Unprecedented': Two TDs will oppose first stage of fox hunt bill

The bill is being opposed by Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Collins, who said if hunting foxes was banned, the next thing is there would be people seeking to protect rats or mice

Tue, 27 May, 2025

Christina McHugh: As Storm Éowyn swept in, I prayed that the roof would remain on the house

Christina McHugh: As Storm Éowyn swept in, I prayed that the roof would remain on the house

We’re into day eight as I write this without power, and up to a few minutes ago, without water

Sat, 01 Feb, 2025

Donal Hickey: Remember the 'Big Freeze' of 1963? Jog your memory with these images

Donal Hickey: Remember the 'Big Freeze' of 1963? Jog your memory with these images

Blocked roads, frozen seas, school closures... and hard work and good neighbours

Thu, 16 Jan, 2025

Large scale peat excavation with machinery from a bog in County Tipperary which can be used for garden centre fertiliser Ireland

Election 2024: Seamus Boland — it all boils down to the economy and rural Ireland has been sidelined

CEO of Irish Rural Link tells the Irish Examiner what he feels needs to be done by the next government to address the challenges facing those who live and work in rural areas

Listen | Fri, 22 Nov, 2024

'My Message to the next Dáil' podcast: Seamus Boland on securing sustainable rural communities

'My Message to the next Dáil' podcast: Seamus Boland on securing sustainable rural communities

We also travelled to a local mart to gauge the opinions of people on this issue

Listen | Fri, 22 Nov, 2024

Election 2024: Rural Life — Few want to engage on election in Macroom

Election 2024: Rural Life — Few want to engage on election in Macroom

If the level of apathy in Macroom is anything to go by, the system better watch out. Mick Clifford asks locals what are the main election issues for them

Listen | Fri, 22 Nov, 2024

Boarded up shop

Much dereliction in our towns and villages, but also glimmers of hope

Would ‘derelict housing swat teams’, like those in operation in the US, help speed up the process of purchasing houses and other buildings left vacant by absentee, or disinterested, property owners?

Thu, 19 Sep, 2024

Derelict pub

More than 2,000 pubs shut down since the peak of the Celtic Tiger, report finds

The pub sector in rural areas has been more vulnerable to closures than those in urban locations

Wed, 28 Aug, 2024

Fine Gael eyes John Mullins as third candidate for Cork South Central seat

Fine Gael eyes John Mullins as third candidate for Cork South Central seat

It comes as speculation continues about the possible addition of businessman John Mullins as a third candidate on the Fine Gael ticket

Thu, 01 Aug, 2024

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan to step down

Paul Hosford: Are the Greens chasing voters that are unlikely to come back?

The party is, rightly or wrongly, perceived to be anti farmer and anti rural

Sat, 22 Jun, 2024

Creeslough allocated €12.1m for regeneration project

Creeslough allocated €12.1m for regeneration project

Allocation part of a €164m funding package for 30 regeneration projects across the country

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Letters to the Editor: ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’ is a movie masterpiece

Letters to the Editor: ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’ is a movie masterpiece

One reader writes in praise of the film adaptation of John McGahern's final novel, while others consider a range of issues including climate change and mental health

Thu, 02 May, 2024

Sarah Harte: McGahern leaves us pondering what we have lost and gained

Sarah Harte: McGahern leaves us pondering what we have lost and gained

These are the men and women who took the boat in droves in the second half of the 20th century, to find work, and to flee institutional abuse

Wed, 01 May, 2024

Film Review: That They May Face The Rising Sun is delicate but unsentimental

Film Review: That They May Face The Rising Sun is delicate but unsentimental

"The landscape is quintessentially Irish with its reed-choked fields and drystone walls, but religion is every bit important a backdrop here as Catholic Ireland begins to slough off the authoritarian Church..."

Fri, 26 Apr, 2024

TOPSHOT-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-AID

Irish Examiner view: US aid, arms, and mixed messages

Ceasefire in Gaza is needed more than ever

Thu, 25 Apr, 2024

Sorry we are closed sign board hanging on door of cafe stock

Letters to the Editor: Rate hikes will hollow out communities

One reader writes in to say that 'many towns are facing an existential threat as businesses shutter their doors, streets become deserted, and communities dwindle'

Wed, 24 Apr, 2024

Herd of Friesian cattle

Sarah Harte: Could a new crop of independents harness anger and come together?

The lens in rural Ireland has always been different. Ignoring their concerns just plays into the hands of populists

Wed, 17 Apr, 2024

Letters to the Editor: Who gets more should give more

Letters to the Editor: Who gets more should give more

I used to be able to donate €150 per month to some charities from my CIÉ pension.

Mon, 15 Apr, 2024

GP role in Kerry advertised four times since last summer with temporary doctor filling role

GP role in Kerry advertised four times since last summer with temporary doctor filling role

A GP role in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, has been advertised four times since last summer as the HSE struggles to fill this role permanently despite significant changes recently in how GPs are supported.

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

Kerry's Connor Pass among new national parks under consideration

Kerry's Connor Pass among new national parks under consideration

Among the key actions is the expansion and enhancement of national parks in Ireland within the next few years

Thu, 25 Jan, 2024

Government has failed farmers, new IFA president claims

Government has failed farmers, new IFA president claims

Call for retailers to publish their data on their margins and profits

Tue, 09 Jan, 2024

New rural party expects more TDs to join soon

New rural party expects more TDs to join soon

Cork South West TD Michael Collins says established parties don't understand rural Ireland

Tue, 02 Jan, 2024

44 nursing homes closed during covid pandemic up to December 2022

44 nursing homes closed during covid pandemic up to December 2022

While the figure for 2020 is distorted by some HSE-owned homes being re-purposed during the first wave of covid-19, Hiqa still raised concerns about the closures

Thu, 14 Dec, 2023

An Bord Pleanála refuses permission for 'overbearing' telecommunications mast in Kerry village

An Bord Pleanála refuses permission for 'overbearing' telecommunications mast in Kerry village

Applications to construct the mast at the former Eir exchange in the village had been refused on three occasions over the past four years by the local authority

Tue, 12 Dec, 2023

Irish Budget

Rural independents: Budget gives 'little to rural Ireland'

Leader of the Rural TDs Mattie McGrath said 'while the Government claims to empathise with the challenges faced by struggling citizens, it is, in reality, burdening them with higher expenses for essentials

Tue, 10 Oct, 2023

Tractor mounted hedge cutter

'Young drivers should be tested on rural roads as well as urban ones'

Councillors also believe cutting speed limits alone is not the answer amid mounting death toll on roads

Thu, 14 Sep, 2023

Varadkar to discuss delivery of key department plans at special meeting

Varadkar to discuss delivery of key department plans at special meeting

RTÉ report, forestry targets, and energy support schemes among agenda

Wed, 06 Sep, 2023

CC LEINSTER HOUSE

Independent TD Michael Collins rules out joining Farmers Alliance

Michael Collins planning on forming a new grouping ahead of elections next year

Sat, 12 Aug, 2023

Ireland is great at 'out with the old' but falls down in ushering in the promised new land

Ireland is great at 'out with the old' but falls down in ushering in the promised new land

To alleviate short-term distress when removing local services such as rural garda stations or emergency departments, promised replacements must arrive

Fri, 21 Jul, 2023

Couple's 'life on hold' with 17-month wait for planning decision

Couple's 'life on hold' with 17-month wait for planning decision

'In terms of building our family home, it’s all just been pushed further and further down the road, and we still have no idea when we’ll know'

Sun, 16 Jul, 2023

Paul Hosford: Quad rides and gaggle of geese don’t detract from Varadkar’s job at hand

Paul Hosford: Quad rides and gaggle of geese don’t detract from Varadkar’s job at hand

Varadkar was willing to enjoy some Wexford strawberries — when in Rome, after all

Thu, 13 Jul, 2023

Letters to the Editor: Public service over self-service

Letters to the Editor: Public service over self-service

A reader wonders if Michael Healy-Rae TD has enough time to devote to An Post's plans to close its unit in Listowel

Tue, 13 Jun, 2023

Collins can look for apology and retraction himself, says Ceann Comhairle

Collins can look for apology and retraction himself, says Ceann Comhairle

Cork South West TD Michael Collins demanded an apology and asked that Pippa Hackett correct the record of the Dáil after she commended him for being an organic farmer during a debate on land restoration

Mon, 12 Jun, 2023

Irish Examiner view: Are our islands the route to the future?

Irish Examiner view: Are our islands the route to the future?

It was, no doubt, a matter of happy coincidence that reopened in the same week as an upbeat government strategic report — the first for 27 years — into the future of the islands of Ireland.

Sat, 10 Jun, 2023