Cork puppet-master’s dog has its day on new series 

A loveable little farm dog called Séamus is set to win the hearts of children in a new TV series that starts on RTÉ next week.

And the man behind it is Cork puppet-master Ray Cuddihy.

The inquisitive and adventurous canine stars in Seamus Goes Wild, which starts on children’s channel RTÉjr next Monday.

The dog likes to sneak away from his farm to explore and experience new adventures in the wild.

The puppet has been around for ten years and, in his latest incarnation, he is interested in the natural world around him and odd snippets of information, such as the fact that kingfishers eat 18 fish a day and grey seals can’t actually swim when they’re born.

Through Séamus, children between the ages of three to eight will gain a greater understanding of nature, whether it’s seeing the wonder in a tiny bee or recognising the tweets of newly hatched birds.

It was a message that was an important one for Ray to convey.

“Myself and director Julian Hills knew a couple of years ago that, from now on, anything we’re doing that even remotely touches on nature has to have an ecological message,” says Ray.

“This series is about the importance of biodiversity and how everything is linked together.

“We’re doing it in a way that is not preachy and not overly educational. Children are naturally full of wonder and curiosity.

“All we’re doing is poking at that sense of adventure. That’s all anybody needs to be aware of biodiversity and the crisis we’re in.”

Ray, a qualified primary school teacher who taught from the Home School Hub on RTÉ Junior during covid, says that in order to interest children, “all you need is a hook. Learning is very easy when you’re inspired by nature.”

What inspired Ray – who is also a radio broadcaster - to get involved in the world of puppets on a professional level?

“The first day I went into RTÉ for an audition as a presenter, it was probably a terrible audition,” he admits.

“But they knew I was a puppeteer so they said to try something.

“There was a puppy dog in the corner that hadn’t yet been on screen. So I picked him up.

“Whenever you meet a new puppet, the first thing you need is a way in. My way in was that the puppy had a very itchy ear. So Séamus started scratching his ear. All of a sudden, you know what the dog is going to do next. He is going to shake his head and start talking about the flea that lives in his ear.”

And so, Séamus came to life very quickly.

“After doing him for so long, it feels like he’s Kermit the Frog,” says Ray. “He’s actually very close to my own personality.”

The Cork man first fell for puppetry while doing a diploma in drama through Irish in Connemara, facilitated by the University of Galway. The aim was to improve his Irish while focusing on drama, something he loves.

“One of the lads on the course found old puppets in a cupboard that belonged to Pat Bracken, the Galway puppet-maker. We started doing sketches with them and had a great laugh.

“As soon as I picked up a puppet, I said I found it way more interesting and more fun than acting. There was the imaginative element and the play element. I found myself flying off in different directions. I’m deeply inspired by Zig and Zag, and Bosco.”

Ray is also a big admirer of the late Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets who also worked on Sesame Street.

Ray points out that under U.S President Donald Trump, who is “trying to get rid of PBS TV, Sesame Street, like everything else, is trying to survive.

“Trump wants to get rid of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programmes such as Sesame Street.”

Ray describes Séamus as being like RTÉ’s “resident dog”, adding: “He has been on a travel show, a lifestyle show and all kinds of stuff. Now he’s on this nature show.”

Describing himself as obsessed with canines, Ray recalls a family dog called Floyd who was a black sheep dog from Kerry. “He was the absolute love of my life.”

Growing up in Doneraile in North Cork, Ray was fascinated by nature.

“I think I saw my first kingfisher at the age of eight. I was amazed when I saw the orange and blue colours. I had that sense of wonder.”

Ray briefly taught at Liscarroll National School in North Cork and at Scoil Aonghusa in Mallow. But radio is his preferred medium. He sometimes fills in for John Creedon on RTÉ and has his own show, Late Date, at weekends.

“I love doing my own thing. I have carte blanche to explore and go mad with the music,” he says. “It’s a beautiful connection with the audience.”

Always keen to promote local bands, Ray is a fan of The Frank And Walters as well as Rulers of the Planet and Stanley Super 800. “I love all that and carry it into what I’m doing now.”

He praises John Creedon and Lilian Smith for presenting their music shows, sometimes with a local flavour, from Cork.

He recalls the heady days of pirate radio. Well, maybe not so heady – Ray had his own pirate station when he was at college - in the attic of a students’ house. It was a humble start to a broadcasting career. But mostly it was great fun.

“We used to put live table tennis tournaments on the air,” he recalls.

While living in Dublin, Ray was a fan of “a brilliant pirate station called Phantom FM. There was also Radio Friendly in Cork, which would have coincided with Sir Henry’s golden age. I was influenced by all of them.”

Séamus Goes Wild starts on Monday May 12, on RTÉjr at 8.25am, repeating at 6.40pm.