A news and analysis blog about rural Ireland, politics, rural development, Irish politics, agriculture, environment, and other related topics
Increased environmental consciousness and concerns with pollution caused by industrial agriculture has become more widespread in recent years, movements opposing animal agriculture have used this increased awareness to attempt to … Continue Reading Animal rights activists threaten Irish farms
With Brexit on the horizon and no clear agreement of what will happen when the UK leaves the common fisheries policy and Irish boats continued access to the fishing grounds … Continue Reading Irish Fisheries face an uncertain future
The revelations that the EU and Irish government plan on making the 100 million euro beef fund conditional to a number of measures including possible reductions in production or restructuring … Continue Reading Beef fund is bad for farmers and the planet
In the first of a series of articles looking at the upcoming European Elections we’re looking at the contesting voices claiming to be best placed to represent rural communities interests … Continue Reading Rural voices in the European Parliament
While policies to address climate change become increasingly important, the need for a just transition becomes more pressing to ensure that decarbonisation provides a positive impact for both the environment and the communities most affected by job losses
Tuesdays budget will contain cuts to both USC and income tax, measures which will of course play to Fine Gaels key support base, however the government’s plan of a balanced … Continue Reading Budget 2019 and rural Ireland
Most analysis of the repeal referendum has commented on the polarisation that has marked the campaign, the yes sides’ message of trusting women and facing the reality of abortion in … Continue Reading Rural Repealers
The latest figures released by the government show that over 10 percent of the land in Ireland is under forestry. Over half of the forested area is devoted to conifer … Continue Reading Ireland’s forestry problem
The debate around the eight amendment has been a constant issue in Irish politics for the past few years and with the referendum on repealing the 8th to be … Continue Reading Rural Irelands anti-choice Independents
Gombeen is a word used and abused in Irish politics, often in a navel gazing fashion by political commentators pouring scorn on a rural electorate they don’t understand or … Continue Reading The shadow of the Gombeen man.
Apple are a company much talked about in Ireland, the ongoing tax scandal and the governments refusal to collect tax money owed has caused justifiable anger as many people question … Continue Reading Athenry for Apple. Apple for Ireland?
Here at Beyond the pale we’ve taken a look at what budget 2018 will likely mean for rural communities, what is been given in the budget and more importantly what … Continue Reading Budget 2018 and rural Ireland
Vulture funds who have bought up large amounts of distressed loans are targeting Irish mortgages particularly farmers who borrowed to buy land during the Celtic Tiger with the … Continue Reading Vultures target Irish farms
Irish farming enjoys a reputation for pasture based, grass fed livestock systems. The marketing power of this image is something Irish food producers and retailers are acutely aware of. Meat … Continue Reading Factory Farms on the increase in Ireland
by Breandán Ó Conchúir The recent occupation of the department of agriculture by the IFA is an interesting example of the power dynamics that shape the states responses to protests … Continue Reading Protest Power and the IFA
The 2016 census showed an overall increase in the Irish population, however in several rural areas the population declined or remained the same, most notably Donegal which experienced a population decline of nearly 7,000. While OECD research in 2015 showed that 17% of people born in Ireland live abroad.
