Manchán Magan investigates the quirks, conundrums and wonders of Ireland such as, how were the Irish able to make a cheese hard enough to kill the semi-divine leader of Connaught, Queen Maeve? What is it like to spend hours alone in an ancient cave of transformation where Gaelic warriors endured periods of isolation to prove their manhood? How long does it take for an urban pond to become a multi-dimensional wonderland? Or, what exactly is the neurological effect of staring at an art work? The Almanac of Ireland aims to answer these and many more questions.
Stones
Presenter Manchán Magan investigates the quirks, conundrums and wonders of this country.
8/27/2023 • 7 minutes, 32 seconds
Ancient Madness
Presenter Manchán Magan investigates the quirks, conundrums and wonders of this country.
8/27/2023 • 23 minutes, 4 seconds
Hay
Manchán Magan and Sally Foran learn about old weights and measures. // Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
8/20/2023 • 9 minutes, 43 seconds
The Storyteller Part 2
Celebrated contemporary storyteller Dr. Martin Shaw recounts an ancient Irish myth. // Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. Production assistance by Ronan Kelly. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
8/20/2023 • 16 minutes, 22 seconds
The Storyteller Part 1
Manchán Magan delves into the riches of Irish mythology with renowned contemporary storyteller Dr. Martin Shaw. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella.
8/13/2023 • 29 minutes, 50 seconds
Weight
Manchán Magan learns about weights and measures, old and new. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/30/2023 • 8 minutes, 20 seconds
Wild
Manchán Magan rewilds himself in County Meath. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/30/2023 • 21 minutes, 48 seconds
Magic Mountain
Manchán Magan hears strange tales of fairy folk in Co. Leitrim. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/23/2023 • 8 minutes, 46 seconds
Currach
Manchán Magan takes to the sea in an ancient, giant boat in Co. Mayo. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/23/2023 • 18 minutes, 8 seconds
Wrought Iron
Manchán Magan learns about the secrets of Ireland's wrought iron gates. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/16/2023 • 17 minutes, 38 seconds
An Sáspan Dubh
Manchán Magan investigates the origins of a mysterious love potion. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. Partially funded by the BAI with the television licence fee.
7/16/2023 • 9 minutes, 32 seconds
Wellness Waters Part 2
Manchán Magan visits a holy well with a hydrogeologist to search for the powers hidden in its water. With Dr Bruce Misstear.
7/28/2021 • 29 minutes, 29 seconds
Wellness Waters
Manchán visits St. Ciaran's Well in Co. Meath to learn about its cultural and spiritual history. With Dr. Ronan Foley.
7/21/2021 • 26 minutes, 50 seconds
Breaking Bread
Manchán Magan investigates the true origins of traditional Irish cuisine with Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire.
7/14/2021 • 17 minutes
Red Fox Press
Manchán Magan visits a publishing house at the edge of the world. http://www.redfoxpress.com/
7/14/2021 • 22 minutes, 57 seconds
Of weather, waves and wireless
The Almanac of Ireland was presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. The series was partially funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television license fee. All music in the series is by Blue Dot Sessions.
6/23/2021 • 16 minutes, 26 seconds
The Deserted Village
The Almanac of Ireland was presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. The series was partially funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television license fee. All music in the series is by Blue Dot Sessions.
6/23/2021 • 21 minutes, 52 seconds
Of Comets and Kings
Thanks to Professor Mike Baillie of Queens University Belfast. The Almanac of Ireland was funded in part by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television license fee. Presented by Manchán Magan and produced by Colette Kinsella. A Red Hare Media production for RTÉ Radio. All music in this series is by Blue Dot Sessions.
6/16/2021 • 21 minutes, 34 seconds
Imbolc, St Brigid’s Day
To celebrate St Brigid's Day, 1st February, Manchán Magan reads accounts of St Brigid's Day traditions as collected by schoolchildren in the 1930s for The School's Collection.
2/1/2021 • 10 minutes, 1 second
Everything Is Connected
This is the second part of Manchán's conversation with environmental philosopher Matthijs Schouten. Manchán and Matthijs chat about how everything in the world – the natural world and the human-built world – is connected, and how this realisation can help us feel happier as individuals and less powerless in the face of the current climate crisis.
11/30/2020 • 31 minutes, 17 seconds
Enchanted by Nature
Manchán travels the breadth of Ireland for an uplifting chat with environmental philosopher Matthijs Schouten about how to reconnect our souls to the natural world. For more information on the NatureWise programme at Wageningen University in The Netherlands: https://cdn.naaee.org/sites/default/files/case-study/file/case_study_naturewise_0.pdf
11/13/2020 • 34 minutes, 17 seconds
An Almanac Extra: Samhain
Manchán visits the Hill of Tara to consider the meaning and mythology of Samhain, Hallowe'en. A tiny tale from The Almanac of Ireland.
10/28/2020 • 5 minutes, 51 seconds
An Almanac Extra: Changelings - a tiny tale
How do you spot a changeling, a human child that has been replaced by a fairy? Billy Connell tells us what to look for.
10/21/2020 • 5 minutes, 4 seconds
An Almanac Extra: Fog stories from the Aran Islands Part 1
We're still crafting new stories for you that we'll be showcasing soon on The Almanac of Ireland. In the meantime, have you ever wondered how you might help a fogbound currach find its way safely back to shore? Manchán hears a story about how the innovative people of Inismaan did it.
10/9/2020 • 4 minutes, 3 seconds
An Almanac Extra: Fog stories from the Aran Islands Part 2
Another tiny story from the Aran Islands about how to keep your bearings when at sea in foggy weather.
10/9/2020 • 3 minutes, 52 seconds
An Almanac Extra: Tying sheep with hay rope
The Almanac of Ireland will be back shortly with brand new adventure-filled stories from all over Ireland. Until then, please enjoy this tiny tale of sheep, hay ropes, and an ingenious plot to escape an IRA attack.
10/9/2020 • 3 minutes, 11 seconds
Toadstool
Courtney Tyler takes Manchán on a mushroom hunt to find on of the most beautiful, intriguing and misunderstood of the mushroom family.
9/9/2020 • 15 minutes, 24 seconds
Hellmouth
Manchán descends into a cave known in ancient Ireland as Oweynagat: a hellmouth, the gateway to the Celtic Otherworld.
9/9/2020 • 13 minutes, 24 seconds
Magh and other stories
This episode is about a word that we don't use much anymore, an ancient legal term for measuring distance, and we also hear about a magical cow who has advice about how to save the planet.
9/2/2020 • 13 minutes, 52 seconds
The power of place names
Why is a place associated with a tragic shipwreck called "he prison"? And what is the real story behind a depression in the landscape called “the fool's hole”? Manchán discovers how place names act as thresholds, offering insights into the people, history, archaeology, landscape and fauna of an area.
9/2/2020 • 17 minutes, 5 seconds
Leviathan
Manchán meets a former commercial fisherman and learns about the wonders of basking sharks.
8/26/2020 • 9 minutes, 58 seconds
Beauty and the Brain
What happens inside your brain when you look at art? And if you could find out, would you want to? Manchán speaks to Dr. Richard Roche about why we sometimes moved by art.
8/26/2020 • 17 minutes, 17 seconds
Achill Prophecies
Manchán travels to Achill Island in Co. May to meet Gerard Mangan, who introduces him to a 17th-century Irish soothsayer.
8/19/2020 • 12 minutes, 20 seconds
Pond Life
Manchán discovers a world of wonder under the surface of a suburban pond in the company of nature enthusiast and science communicator Collie Ennis.
8/19/2020 • 15 minutes, 26 seconds
Milo's cabinet of curiosities
A container of treasures, lore and wisdom.
8/12/2020 • 8 minutes, 9 seconds
Weather
An Irish obsession
8/12/2020 • 17 minutes, 53 seconds
Amethyst Quest
Manchán Magan delves into the mystery of how an amethyst gem is born.
8/5/2020 • 10 minutes, 33 seconds
Stonemason
Manchán Magan uncovers a secret supernatural stonemason deep in the Tipperary countryside
8/5/2020 • 16 minutes, 32 seconds
Food
How were the Irish able to make a cheese hard enough to kill the semi-divine leader of Connaught, Queen Maeve?
7/29/2020 • 14 minutes, 31 seconds
Tír Sáile
Discover the North Mayo sculpture trail, the largest public art trail in Ireland.
7/29/2020 • 12 minutes, 59 seconds
Introducing... The Almanac of Ireland
Presenter Manchán Magan investigates the quirks, conundrums and wonders of Ireland. Starts July 29th 2020.
