On tonight’s episode of Ear to the Ground, the programme looks at policing in rural Ireland, solar panels and visits All-Ireland champion Briege Corkery.
Helen Carroll heads to Clare to meet Garda Deirdre Scanlan to talk about community policing.
Scanlon is also a mother of two young children and based in Ennistymon in Co. Clare.
In her role in community policing, Scanlon has an enormous area to cover, from the surfing paradise of Lahinch, across the spectacular Burren, to the Cliffs of Moher.
Helen travelled to Clare during the summer to find out more about the challenges of policing in rural Ireland.
What she discovered on their day together was a Garda completely dedicated to the people she serves and with a thorough understanding of the community she protects. That, and a desire to bring her guitar with her everywhere she goes.
Ear to the Ground finds out that despite Ireland’s cloudy climate, solar farms could deliver up to €1,000/ac to Irish landowners.
It asks is solar energy a viable option in Ireland, or is it just another renewable power source demanding heavy subsidies?
With 16 senior All-Ireland medals in both camogie and football, 13 all-star awards, she was named national female sports person of the year in 2005 and she still hasn’t reached the age of 30.
Not only that, Briege is also a qualified stonemason. Ear to the Ground visits Briege on the farm to see what life is like for her off the pitch.