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On Your Farm: Farming Pirate Island

Farming Pirate Island

25/02/2018

BBC Radio 4 - On Your Farm, Farming Pirate Island

Life on one of the most westerly farms in the British Isles, once home to a pirate queen.

Sarah Swadling takes a ferry to Clare Island on Ireland's west coast. In storms and sunshine she meets Joe O'Malley and his neighbour, who farm the island's rugged landscape.

Clare Island, off Ireland's west coast, was once the home of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley who negotiated a peace treaty with Elizabeth I. Nowadays the residents lead quieter lives, with farming and tourism the main sources of income. More than 40 farms still survive on Clare Island. Sarah Swadling meets a modern day O'Malley, Joe, who combines farming with work on the local ferries. She also catches up with one of Clare Island's youngest farmers, Christian Pinder, as well as farmer and fisherman James O'Toole.

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