"Farmers seem to have developed a sort of psychological callus to farmyard diseases I can still remember the moment foot and mouth disease landed on the Cooley Peninsula back in 2001. I was a cub reporter then, working part-time in RTÉ Radio One, knocking around with Damian O'Reilly and Francis Shanahan, pretending I knew what buttons did what."
"Farmers seem to have developed a sort of psychological callus to farmyard diseases"
Farmers have developed a psychological callus to recurring farmyard diseases, reflecting repeated exposure and emotional resilience. Foot and mouth disease arrived on the Cooley Peninsula in 2001, producing immediate agricultural and community impact. A cub reporter working part-time at RTÉ Radio One was present during that period, associating with Damian O'Reilly and Francis Shanahan and learning broadcasting routines. The combination of frequent disease outbreaks and close rural networks fostered stoicism, practical responses, and normalization of disease risks among farming communities, shaping long-term attitudes and coping mechanisms toward biosecurity events.
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