Pullathomas farmer to appear on TG4 documentary

Controversial Pullathomas farmer to be subject of TG4 documentary


Anton McNulty

A Controversial north Mayo farmer who served time in Mountjoy prison after he was convicted of cruelty to animals will tell his side of the story in a documentary which will be re-shown tonight (Tuesday) on TG4.
‘Máirtín’, which is screened in the Cogar slot on TG4, tells the story of Máirtín Mac Aindriú from Pollathomas in north Mayo and his struggle to come to terms with prison, dealing with Department of Agriculture regulations and his love of animals.
Máirtín who is in his late sixties was sentenced to prison on three different occasions and served time in Mountjoy, Castlerea and Loughan house prisons with the most recent conviction coming in the last three years. Máirtín lives in a small cabin on the side of Cornhill overlooking the sea at Pollathomas with his dog ‘Cracker’ and continues to farm but no longer has any sheep and has a very reduced number of cattle on the farm.
The producer of the programme, Piaras Ó Raghallaigh, who interviewed Máirtín for the programme told The Mayo News that while the convictions made headlines in the media, this programme was about Máirtín giving his side of the story.
“There are thousands of Máirtíns all over the country who struggle to come to terms with the bureaucracy and redtape in modern farming. He is adamant that he has farmed the same way for the last 50 years but his method and unwillingness to engage with the Department and the law has resulted in him being sentenced for cruelty,” he said.
As this moving story unfolds Máirtin’s colourful personality emerges from a life of turmoil and confusion and Piaras describes him as a ‘real character’, who is mixed with guilt and indifference. The programme shows he has a clear disregard for officialdom and bureaucracy but yet the viewer is also introduced to a humble man struggling to survive alone in rural Mayo.
“Máirtín is stuck in a rut and while this is a controversial issue a big thing about the documentary is the comment from a Department official who said there are thousands like Máirtín out there. They don’t want to modernise but the system they are working in is outdated compared to the modern farming practices,” said Piaras.
‘Máirtín was first screened on Sunday night on TG4 but will be repeated tonight (Tuesday) October 13 at 8pm on TG4 and among the contributors to the documentary will be Máirtín’s solicitor, Aiden Crowley; John Magee, a Senior Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture and neighbours of Máirtín in Pollathomas.