Food Matters – Details, episodes & analysis

Cork-born Karen O'Donoghue is a woman with a mission: to improve people's gut health through the bread she bakes at The Happy Tummy Co. in Westport, Co Mayo. Her baked goods are the culmination of a long and sometimes painful journey involving the loss of her mother to cancer, years spent suffering through poor mental and physical health, and ultimately teaching herself all about optimum nutrition. 

In this episode of Food Matters, Karen shares the fascinating story of how she healed herself and found happiness through food. In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Karen also talks about:

 ·       The critical importance of eating the right amount of fibre.

·       Discovering Teff and why it is the most important grain in the world.

·       Why she feels capitalism is at the root of poor diets. 

·       Building a business on a €25 loaf of bread - a product packed with sustainable, regenerative ingredients.  

·       Her lifelong mission to help everyone to heal themselves through food. 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

Sally Barnes is both a force of nature and a champion for it.  One of Ireland’s most iconic artisan food producers, Sally runs the last smokehouse in Ireland that deals exclusively with Ireland’s diminishing stock of wild fish. 

Sally started out by smoking fish in a tea chest in the early 1980s as a way of preserving unexpected gluts, and in the years that followed she has taught herself the techniques of the trade through trial and error and lots of experimentation. Today, Sally is renowned for her top quality, award-winning produce and passion for nature and food sustainability. 

In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Sally talks about:

 ·      Moving to a small fishing community in Cork in the 1970s and teaching herself how to smoke fish

·      Her concern about what is happening to our stocks of wild salmon and why that is important on a wider, global food scale 

·      Why she is vehemently opposed to salmon farming 

·      The importance of educating a new generation of food students.

·      Why she avoids shopping in the big retailers and supports independent food stores. 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

In this episode of Food Done Right, Mick Kelly hosts a panel discussion on practical ways to get children interested in growing their own food. Joined by Lilly Higgins, a food writer, chef and photographer, and Deirdre Doyle from the Cool Food School, they explore how to inspire children to connect with their food and shares insights on how to engage them both at home and in school. They also discuss the lack of food education in schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas where children may not have the opportunity to learn about food at home. 

Steve Collins is a medical doctor with a PhD in Nutrition, who has spent the last 35 years fighting malnutrition and starvation in the developing world. Steve has witnessed a lot of progress made in this area but unfortunately, he has also seen a reversing of that progress in recent years with global hunger levels starting to rise again.

In this thought-provoking episode of Food Done Right, Steve talks about why this is happening and what needs to be done about it; the complexities between the World Health Organisation, the Irish government and the dairy farmer; and why he is growing Aronia Berries on the hills of West Cork. 

We also explore the intricate web of challenges and solutions at the nexus of food sustainability and global hunger, as Steve Collins shares his wealth of knowledge and experience.

From the promotion of rewilding to protecting pollinators, our actions to combat the biodiversity crisis are proving successful. But what else can we do? How can we encourage more of these effective actions and make them the norm rather than the exception? In this episode of Food Done Right these issues and many others are discussed by:

- Pádraic Fogarty - Ecologist, Environmental Scientist & author of Whittled Away

- Ray Ó Foghlú - Working with An Taisce in community engagement, Ray is a Nuffield Scholar from 2021, who studied the acquiring of social licence to increase tree cover in the Irish Landscape.

- Steve Collins - Medical Doctor, with a PhD in Nutrition. He won a MB for his Humanitarian work in Africa and had recently returned to Ireland and is now growing Aronia Berries on a mountainside in West Cork.

Rory O’Boyle is an animal rights activist and volunteer for Go Vegan World. In this episode of Food Done Right he talks about:

●His journey to becoming vegan and how difficult it is to speak about it to some people in his life who don’t understand his choice
●How it takes a change of mindset and overcoming bias to become vegan.
●The difference between plant-based diets and veganism; and how being vegan is not a “diet”, it is a way of living and a social justice issue.
●His work with Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary in Meath and Go Vegan World. 

On this episode we explore the science behind how a change in diet will help us achieve our food sustainability goals. Recorded at Waterford’s Harvest Festival, a panel of food producers and environmental activists discuss differences in views around food production, consumption and the impact of both on the planet. Our panellists are:

 Mairead Costin - Owner and Manager of Garraí Mara, Waterford.

John Gibbons - Environmental commentator, Irish Times Columnist and as a weekly Contributor on Matt Cooper’s, The Last Word, on Today FM.

Rory O’Boyle - Animal Rights Activist and Volunteer for Go Vegan World

Ciaran Sullivan – a Beef and Lamb Farmer, striving to enhance biodiversity on his farm.

Meet Máiréad, a beacon of inspiration in the realm of Irish organic horticulture and a proud representative of the increasing number of female farmers in Ireland. Entering into the world of organic farming during a career break from healthcare in 2017, Máiréad has since cultivated not just crops, but a vision: Garraí Mara. It's more than just a farm; it's a testament to Máiréad's dedication to health promotion, mental well-being, and sustainable farming practices. As someone who understands the profound healing power of nature and the importance of consuming fresh, organic produce, Máiréad has intertwined her expertise from her healthcare days and her passion for farming. And in the heart of the Gaeltacht, she's also keen on promoting the Irish language, making her endeavors at Garraí Mara a blend of culture, health, and food sustainability.

John Gibbons is one of Ireland best-known environmental journalists and commentators. A very familiar voice on radio shows like The Last Word with Matt Cooper on Today FM, John is also behind the blog Think or Swim, and writes regularly in national print media. 

In this episode of Food Done Right, John joins GIY to talk about how things have changed, both for better and worse, over the last 15 years since he first became  involved in climate action. They also discuss how environmental advocates can stay sane in the face of the horror of climate change and how to communicate the problems effectively amidst apathy, denial and fatalism. 

A fascinating panel discussion from GIY’s Harvest festival where four experts in food production and sustainability discuss the global issues that have been affecting us in recent years. They reflect on how the COVID-19 Pandemic, the War in Ukraine and Climate Change have impacted our food systems and they explore what we can do to become more resilient and diverse in our local food systems.

 Our panellists were:

John Gibbons - Environmental commentator, Irish Times Columnist and weekly contributor to The Last Word with Matt Cooper’s on Today FM.

Steve Collins - Medical Doctor, with a PhD in Nutrition. Steve won a MB for his Humanitarian work in Africa and had recently returned to Ireland and is now growing Aronia Berries on a mountainside in West Cork.

Kitty Scully - Writer, presenter, and well-known Gardener. Kitty has recently been to South Africa as part of her study and research in Regenerative Agriculture. She is also Co-ordinator of Organic Growers Ireland.
 
Richard Mee - Our own Head Grower GIY HQ. Richard has accumulated over 40 years of growing experience. He studied for a BSc in Horticulture at Reading University and an MSc in Organic Farming at the Scottish Agricultural College. In addition to the UK and Ireland, Richard has grown veg all over the world, including Central America and Africa.