Cape Clear on agenda on RTÉ Summer Show

IF you’re looking for ideas for a staycation, or just want to enjoy seeing all the beauty and attractions on our doorstep, a new series of The Summer Show tomorrow should fit the bill.

Derek Mooney and Nuala Carey are back for a second run of the show on RTÉ1 at 6.30pm, as they explore the hidden history, fantastic food, native nature and luscious locations of Ireland.

Over the course of the four-part series, Derek and Nuala will travel the length and breadth of the nation, highlighting the best of the summer activities.

They will be presenting packages from the Galway races, Oileán Chléire (Cape Clear), Kilkenny castle, and the beautiful Botanic gardens in Dublin.

Items across the series include Derek exploring the many uses of lavender on Cape Clear and the work behind some of Ireland’s best loved and Oscar-nominated animated features, while Nuala will examine the layered history of Lady’s Day at the races and also tries her hand at the art of campanology (bell ringing) from the team in St Canice’s cathedral, Kilkenny.

Each week, the programme challenges a team of household name chefs - Paul Flynn, Catherine Fulvio, Kevin Dundon and Nico Reynolds - to forage for their supper in the ‘farm to fork’ challenge. They’ll not only have to cook their ingredients, but learn a little about how they got into their kitchen in the first place.

Wildlife photographer Theo Jebb also returns with more intrepid adventures involving the wild nature in the Irish landscape.

A famous face takes a nostalgic journey back to the holiday spot of their youth, and more household names take on the task of presenting their own walk in scenic locales across the country.

In the first episode tomorrow, Derek and Nuala are in bustling Galway city in time for the annual race festival.

Derek goes behind the scenes at the racecourse and sees the meticulous attention to detail that goes into preparing the track. Despite all the money, time and resources spent in preparation, at the end of the day, it’s still down to one man and a hazel stick to decide the going.

Plus, Nuala delves into the long-standing history behind Ladies’ Days and attends the Curragh meeting as it’s the first Ladies’ Day event of the season.

Chef Paul Flynn is in the Burren in County Clare to try his hand at becoming a goat farmer for the day, and he meets Siobhán Ni Ghairbhith, a former teacher, and the driving force behind St Tola’s Goat Cheese Farm. Paul is challenged with herding and milking the goats.