The recent spells of good weather have seen many farmers across the country taking the opportunity to save hay.

However, it was the traditional methods of saving hay that drew a crowd of locals and visitors of all ages to a farm in Co. Kerry this week.

Mike Flahive keeps a small herd of pedigree Kerry cattle, along with suckler cattle, on his lands perched on top of Bromore Cliffs, close to Ballybunion.

Hay

For the past few years, Mike and his family have hosted a 'Hay 'N' Tae' evening where people can see wynds of hay being stacked in the fields.

"It's just to keep the tradition going and let the young crowd know how it was done in the old days," Mike told Agriland on Wednesday night (July 8).

Regardless of advancements in technology, Mike noted that saving hay is still very much at the mercy of the weather.

"We were trying to time it with the weather and it's not easy. Even today it was borderline whether it could go ahead or not.

"We had it cut, we had it turned and we had it rowed in this afternoon. Thank God, the sky cleared just at the right time.

"The locals that would be used to making wynds they joined in here and gave me a hand. A lot of the visitors, they're delighted to see how it was done," he said.

Local piper Danny Houlihan was on hand to play a selection of songs as the large, sloped heaps of gathered hay were tied down.

Plenty of tea, treats and 'curny bread' baked by Mike's daughter, Grace, was also on offer on the night.

Mike said the event brings back many memories of saving the hay in his youth.

He recalled that "in the old days" the row was often turned with a pike, before the arrival of a horse and mower on the farm.

A hay car would be backed under the wynd which would be winched up and taken into the shed.

"This was before there was machinery, tractors and balers, it was just some way of gathering up the hay. The rain ran off it, now it wasn't 100% waterproof, but it was fairly good.

"It would be left out maybe for a week or that way to season and then it would be taken into the shed. It had to be physically put up, piked back up into an open shed and make a block of it," he said.

As saving hay in the "old days" was a highly labour-intensive, it relied heavily on community cooperation or the meitheal.

"I remember well all my neighbours coming, they all came and then when they were doing it we went with them. It was a tradition that was it, it was accepted.

"Everyone was anxious to get the hay saved before the bad weather, if it did come," Mike said.

Farm

The farmer is no stranger to having visitors call to his farm as he has granted public access to see the spectacular 180-foot Bromore Cliffs.

Mike also offers guided walks to share the rich history and culture of the area.

As part of his participation in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), Mike has opted for the late meadow bonus action

This means cutting for hay or silage on some of his fields is restricted until July 1.

"From now on we will be cutting silage, what we do is the round bales of silage. They are handy for small farmers, they're easy to manoeuvre in the winter and put them in," he said.

The hay gathered for the wynds will also be brought in for the cows.

"I'll take it in and I'll put it in the feeding passage. It could be September before they get at it.

"They don't realise the trouble we went to for them, the cows," he laughed.