Oliver Callan speaks to sisters Paula Fay & Catherine Wrightstone

Seamus Corcoran is Chair of the Lemanaghan Heritage and Bog Conservation Group and we invited him to be one of our guest speakers at the Bogland - between the sights of the sun - International Bog Day event on July 26 2025 in the National Library. Seamus is a local historian who shared the rich heritage and archeology of his place, and the story of the early Christian treasures which have been found buried and preserved in the bog there. 
Lemanaghan community has a long running campaign to oppose the proposed BnM wind farm on Lemanaghan which was a cut peatlands bog under Bord na Móna. For Seamus and many of his neighbours in the area the land there has already contributed enough, has been harvested enough, and they wish to see it conserved and the archaeological riches that may be buried within the bog preserved and saved. 
In this audio version of the presentation by Seamus - Helen Shaw - Tóchar Stories curator introduces him to the live audience in the Seamus Heaney Listen Now Again exhibition venue space and starts by asking him about what the bog and the concept of the boglands means to him.
To find out more about Tóchar go to https://www.tocharwetlands.ie/tochar-stories/ 
Tóchar is a Wetlands restoration project in the Midlands of Ireland co-funded by Irish Government and the EU under the Just Transition Programme in Ireland. It is managed by NPWS through the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. 
You can find out more about Lemanaghan through some videos that also feature Seamus and tell the story :https://youtu.be/emrm_H78iFc?si=ur1Gw3lFO0PGHJpp

Seamus Corcoran - Lemanaghan Bog  -  Bogland Presentation July  26 2025

Oscar winner Cillian Murphy chats to Dermot Whelan on the Oliver Callan Show about his new film Steve, bringing the premiere to Cork and his surprise DJ set. 

Oscar winner Cillian Murphy on his new film Steve | The Oliver Callan Show

Dee Coleman and Peter Finn, Home Rescue_ The Big Fix

Oliver Callan speaks to The 2 Johnnies ahead of their new TV series

Anne Coffey has been working in Coffey's Drapery Store all her life and she took over the running of the business from her late father. He set it up in 1947 when the Bord na Móna peat harvesting industry was taking off and like many retailers and businesses in the town the shop thrived as Kilcormac thrived. Today Bord na Móna has stopped harvesting the bogs as a fossil fuel and has switched to both bog restoration and renewable energy but the suddenness of that transition has been hard for places like Kilcormac. On September 25th Tóchar Stories co-hosted a community storytelling event with Kilcormac Development Association called 'Sharing our Past, Imagining our Future' and we talked to some of the locals there - including Anne- about their sense of place and belonging.

Anne Coffey, Coffey's Drapery Store, Kilcormac, Co Offaly

Tina Claffey is a nature photographer from Birr, Co Offaly well known for her beautiful macro photography work in the boglands of Ireland where she draws our attention to the flora and fauna that lies, often hidden, beneath our feet. IN September Tóchar Stories co hosted a community storytelling event in Kilcormac close to Birr and invited Tina to share her own story, her relationship to the bogs, and her creative and artistic work.

Tina Claffey, nature photographer on her bog work

Sean Craven - Kilcormac Development Association

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Oliver Callan speaks to sisters Paula Fay & Catherine Wrightstone

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