This episode of McGilloway's Way looks towards several
locations across Ireland beginning in Donegal, moving to Armagh, followed by
Derry City and finishing up in Galway. The viewer is first introduced to Wilma
Kitson in Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, who discusses with McGilloway the
behaviour of foxes around humans, with her knowledge coming from two charming
foxes who frequent her garden. One is referred to as a 'vixen fox', meaning
female, and the other a 'dog fox', meaning male. However male foxes can also be
known as 'tod'.
Following this, the show moves towards Foley in County
Armagh, where a ploughing competition is taking place. Here, Hugh
O'Donnell speaks about horse use in the field. Such practices had
previously fallen out of fashion and, whilst undergoing something of a
resurgence, remain 'more of a novelty'. O'Donnell proceeds to tell the story
about a famous local man, who still entered the ploughing competitions even
after losing his arm in WWI, with the tradition then being carried on by his
son, John.
The ploughing competition is judged on three key things.
Firstly the straightness of the furrows. Secondly, that each furrow is of equal
size and shape and, lastly, that the soil is firm. The main horse used for
ploughing in the area is the Irish draught horse, which also happens to be the
the national horse breed. Another breed found in the competition is the
Clydesale, with donkeys also now being entered. There is mention of the
Northern Ireland Horse competition in Limavady which, to this day, is still
held there.
Next, the audience is brought to Derry City, where the issue
of country living and city living resulting in wildlife road deaths is touched
upon. The focus then moves to the sport of pigeon racing. Mickey Caocannon, a
local pigeon fancier, explains how it all works, with the pigeon being brought
to the club house on the day of the race, a numbered rubber ring attached to
it, chosen at random, before 'anything between 20,000-30,000 birds are
released'. However, birds of prey such as Peregrines have given the pigeon
fanciers problems, with the amount of birds they have been killing. The show
wraps up in Ballynahinch Castle, located in Connemara, County Galway, with
friendly fox 'Freddy' stealing the show.