As the fodder crisis continues to pose serious problems for the farming community, a local radio station in Co Mayo will today broadcast a special Mass, to pray for fine weather.

The Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon in St Patrick’s Church, Ballyhaunis by parish priest Fr Stephen Farragher, and will be broadcast live on Midwest Radio.

Station Manager Tommy Marren says this special Mass will focus on praying for fine weather, in the hope that farmers can see some light at the end of the tunnel. They're experiencing crisis because bad weather earlier in the year, left them with critically low levels of fodder for the winter ahead.

Grass cuttings from Dublin and Shannon airports are being made available free of charge to concerned farmers. Those based in areas where wet weather remains a concern are top priority.

Anecdotes from farmers in recent weeks indicate that some are having to leave their own families without normal levels of food in order to provide for their livestock.