Episode 35: Whittled Away, Ireland’s Vanishing Nature with Pádraic Fogarty

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Today we’ve got something a little bit different. Instead of a guest, I have brought you a recording of a live talk by Pádraic Fogarty from Irish Wildlife Trust titled: Whittled Away, Ireland’s Vanishing Nature. Pádraic is also the author of the book with the same title and I had the pleasure to chat with him last year on episode 20 of the podcast.

Last Wednesday, Pádraic was invited to give the talk to the Kildare branch of BirdWatch Ireland and I thought it was a pity that they weren’t planning to stream or even record it. So I contacted organizers Brendan Murphy and Tom McCormack from BirdWatch Ireland and, with their permission recorded it.

So, here you have it. Irish Wildlife Trust, Campaign Officer, Pádraic Fogarty and his talk for the Kildare branch of BirdWatch Ireland: “Whittled Away, Ireland’s Vanishing Nature”.

Oh, and don’t forget to buy the book!

Ted Kelleher ‏ @ShopFirstAid

Tommy’s Outdoors podcast and blog talks and promotes all things outdoors. From cycling and running, to hunting and fishing. If it takes place in the outdoors we got it covered. Some of these activities involve prolonged hours spent in sometimes remote outdoor locations. Moreover, they often require handling of mechanical devices or sharp objects. With all these factors combined, the risk of injury is higher in certain groups of outdoor enthusiasts. That is especially true if we add to the mix adverse weather conditions and physical exhaustion.

For those reasons, knowledge of basic first aid procedures is important. Also, having adequate first aid equipment at hand can make the critical difference between serious problems and a lucky recovery. It is part of Tommy’s Outdoors mission to spread the knowledge about basic safety procedures not only among our subscribers but to anyone who happens to come across our website or podcast. You never know when a piece of information grabbed online might come in handy in a time of distress.

It is no secret that modern publishing platforms like blogs or podcasts are powered by the unflagging popularity of social media platforms. Tommy’s Outdoors podcast is no different and we spend many hours every week interacting online with our listeners, readers and supporters. During those interactions, especially on Twitter, my attention was drawn to Ted Kelleher’s first aid shop. Ted came across as a calm, supportive and knowledgeable individual. I immediately noticed that the message that Ted has for his followers is very much aligned with the aforementioned part of Tommy’s Outdoors mission.

The content presented by Ted’s first aid shop ticks all the boxes in this regard. By following Shop FirstAid social media channels and by browsing his excellent online shop, outdoor enthusiasts can choose from a variety of safety-related gear. But that’s not all! Ted complements his offering with a collection of educational articles. From them we can learn, not only what first aid gear we might need in any given situation, but also how to use it. His blog talks about the prevention and treatment of simple injuries like cuts or sunburns. But, Ted also educates us about more complex and serious issues like Lyme disease or jellyfish stings. You will not find this anywhere else!

And so, if you are an outdoorsy type, who likes to venture a little further off the beaten track, please remember that Ted Kelleher’s Shop First Aid has you covered. Visit this great online resource to educate yourself about common problems and to understand what gear you might need. It goes without saying that once you have chosen the required equipment you can conveniently purchase it at Ted’s online shop. And once you’ve got yourself equipped for all eventualities, head back to Tommy’s Outdoors for more inspiration for your next outdoor adventure. See you in the outdoors!

Episode 34: Cycling through Africa with Kuba Standera

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Some of you might remember Kuba from episode 12 of the podcast where we talked about his hand-made fishing lures. We ended that episode teasing about Kuba’s planned cycle through the Sahara desert to reach his bucket list fishing destination. Well, Kuba is back and in this episode we talk about that cycling and fishing adventure. It is really great to hear his stories from exotic countries. The cycle was also a fundraiser for aware.ie, a voluntary organization which aims to assist people whose lives are affected by depression. Please go and donate without hesitation!

Episode 33: Game Management with Aaron Turner

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Aaron is a professional gamekeeper, farmer, veteran of the war in Afghanistan and all around badass. I keep meeting Aaron at various outdoor events and training courses.  Since our interests are definitely aligned, we finally decided to get together and record an episode of the podcast. During our conversation, we talk about general game management issues, woodcock shooting and conservation, lethal fox control, badger cull, hill farming and how to move forward with the wildlife and habitat conservation agenda.

Episode 32: Photography and Sound with Madeleine Weber and Greg McNamara

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A while back I jumped into my car and took the beautiful Ring of Kerry route to meet Madeleine and Greg in their art gallery located on the coast of Iveragh peninsula. Honestly I was stunned by the beauty of Madeleine’s work and you can get a glimpse of it by visiting her website at www.madeleinemariaweber.com. Madeleine and Greg are like our artistic eyes and ears. Madeleine preserves special moments on camera while Greg records the associated sounds. They spend countless hours outdoors, trying to predict the weather to capture nature’s most beautiful spectacles.

Episode 31: Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland with Aideen Magee

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Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland is an organization dedicated to helping injured wild animals return to the wild in full health. But that’s not all. WRI’s mission is to develop a coordinated approach to wildlife rehabilitation in Ireland. They are also involved in efforts to fight wildlife crime. Since the topic of wildlife is an important part of Tommy’s Outdoors, I was eager to sit down with Aideen Magee, one of WRI’s directors, and talk with her about their work. In the podcast you will find lots of useful information about wildlife. We also dig a little deeper into specific wildlife rehabilitation issues. Please go to the WRI website and donate to their cause.

First Aid Matters in the Great Irish Outdoors

This is a guest blog post by Catherine Kelleher



We are delighted to guest post about the importance of First Aid on “Tommy’s Outdoors”

Here in Ireland many of us enjoy outdoor activities from walking, hiking or biking to camping to adventure sports.

There is so much that our beautiful countryside here in Ireland offers. Getting away from it all is only a short drive away for most of us.

However many outdoor lovers do not consider being prepared in advance for an accident or an injury that could very easily occur whilst enjoying outdoor pursuits?

Us humans nowadays have busy lives – so much to do and so little time, so we don’t always prepare the way we should when it comes to factoring in first aid as a precaution in outdoor pursuits.

Whilst first aid is not a glamorous consideration it is an important one.

Accidents simply happen in life from minor to serious and in split seconds.

There is no point in adopting the attitude that “it won’t happen to me”.

Injuries can occur in a wide variety of ways in the great outdoors, and in split seconds.

Slip and fall/trip accidents are commonplace leading to injury ranging from minor to severe (fractures and broken bones and head injuries).

  • Muscle strains
  • Ankle sprains
  • Bad cuts and scrapes
  • Bad cuts-bleeding
  • Bad sunburn in the summer
  • or Hypothermia in the winter

Remember in the Irish Outdoors:

  • You are not exactly near a doctor or a hospital!
  • You may have no phone signal!
  • help can take a while to arrive

Prevention & Preparedness Matters
Planning properly for your outdoor adventures can minimize risks that are always involved with any outdoor activity. Although you can never really be 100-percent prepared for every potential situation that could happen, you can greatly reduce the risk of minor injuries turning into serious ones by having a first aid kit to help you treat an injury or sickness until help arrives or until you can get back to civilisation.

Aside from dealing with cuts, scrapes, blisters, muscle sprains and other minor injuries, a first aid kit helps to help keep an injuries stable until medical help becomes available.

First aid products help by preventing a situation getting worse until you can get proper medical assistance.

When medical assistance isn’t available, it’s especially important to know how to treat an injury. One simple blog post cannot teach you all of this but check this resource out online and download the PDF: because it’s a wealth of information

Wilderness and Remote First Aid – American Red Cross

How We Can Help
On our Website at Shop First Aid Products, we offer a variety of First Aid Kits and a wide variety of First Aid Products.

We have been operating in the first aid and hygiene sector in Ireland for over 20 years as a wholly owned and run Irish Company.

At https://shopfirstaidproducts.com you can purchase a variety of first aid kits. Incentives for shopping online with us include: No VAT on online orders, and free delivery when you spend €80 or more.

If you have any questions we can be reached on 026-42512