Ireland: ‘We have the first rooftop hens in Cork city – and they are loving life’
Meet the Irish pioneers of urban farming
By Tamara Fitzpatrick
Independent.ie
Aug 22, 2020
Excerpt:
The view, gazing up from our city streets, has never looked so good. In the middle of urban chaos, wildlife has sprung to the forefront, with throngs of quirky plants, crops and insects now adorning the rooftops of city buildings throughout Ireland. From exotic vegetables and fluttering insects to hops grown for the best of Irish beer, the urban setting has become home to some unlikely species – which bring with them myriad benefits.
And the people behind these new rooftop farms and gardens are just as interesting as what they grow.
A Cork rooftop that had been vacant for over 60 years is now blooming with love in the city’s centre. Businessman Brian McCarthy says he and his then partner, Thay Carlos, had been looking out at the vacant space from Brian’s apartment for some time. So when they decided to grow some vegetables for their own use during lockdown, they realised this was the perfect space to do it.
