Roscrea Castle
Listen to Across the Counter: Skibereen
Listen to Across the Counter: Roscrea
What does a town do when its major industries have closed or moved on, and when it can’t attract people to live there? And what if you are at the end of a poor road infrastructure with no broadband connections? Are our Munster towns becoming villages?
In the second of our series on the changes in rural towns, “Across the Counter” visits Roscrea and Skibereen – two towns at either end of Munster, who are facing huge challenges in adapting to survive in the 21st century.
Roscrea is on the border of north Tipperary and Offaly, a town with a rich monastic and historical heritage but struggling to attract people to live there, while its traditional industries have closed. Locals blame the absence of a town council for its failure to exploit its rich tourist potential.
Skibereen is close to the sea in West Cork, but the influx of blow-ins has made it a cosmopolitan town with acclaimed local food producers, yet it too is facing a population challenge.
Radio producer Aileen O’Meara and colleague Tim Hastings have recorded a myriad of local voices and stories of life in rural Ireland, rich in community activities and history, giving the listener a vivid snapshot of contrasting lives in two small Munster towns at a time of huge transition.
“Across the Counter in Munster” was made with the kind support of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland’s “Sound and Vision” scheme.