Kenny Gracey from Forthill Farm, near Tandragee in County Armagh, relaxes in front of the fire. Kenny features in The Chronicles Of Armagh.
Filmed over 12 months and narrated by Armagh-born actor Colin Morgan, The Chronicles Of Armagh follows a year in the less urban parts of an ancient city and its surrounding villages, where people’s lives are rooted in nature and the seasons that shape it.
Each episode looks at one season, starting with spring.
The programme begins with Estates Officer Shane Kelly at Armagh’s Observatory collecting data from the climate recorders. A sure sign that spring has officially arrived, is when astronomer Dr Rok Nežič observes the Spring Equinox.
Armagh-born actor Colin Morgan narrates The Chronicles of Armagh
At Forthill Farm near Tandragee, Kenny Gracey and animal trainer Karen Christie start the tricky process of training Cooley, the rare breed bull, for a movie role.
On the outskirts of the city, Ian and Paula Conroy’s flower farm and forest are springing to life, where we learn the emotional inspiration behind their garden venture.
Ian and Paula Conroy from outside Armagh at their flower farm during filming for The Chronicles Of Armagh.
At John and Jane Nicholson’s Crannagael House, the birthplace of the Bramley apple in Orchard County, spring means a sea of pink apple blossom. Jane’s homegrown vegetables are in demand by local chefs.
Nearby, Gosford Forest Park is also awakening. Wildlife ranger Donald Whiteside and deer manager Neville Black are keeping an eye on stags shedding their antlers - nature’s sign that the females are close to calving.
Spring sees the start of 20-year-old Emer Rafferty’s community garden in the heart of Ballymacnab. She’s hoping she can help sustain nature in her area for generations to come.
After a harsh winter, Andrea Cowan’s Loughgall hedgehog rescue centre is packed. Andrea dedicates hours to each hedgehog’s individual needs, with the hope of releasing them again when they reach their target weight.
Andrea Cowan who runs Loughgall Hedgehog Rescue and features in the new BBC NI series The Chronicles Of Armagh.
Taking advantage of the spring sunshine, Alia Bondar and her young sons find a quiet haven by the city’s river for a birthday picnic, having been forced to flee from the war back home in Ukraine.
The Chronicles Of Armagh has been made by Waddell Media, and begins on BBC One Northern Ireland, Monday 19 February at 8pm.
The entire series will also be available on BBC iPlayer.