New Greenway Route to Link Seven Castles in Galway City & County

Cloonacauneen Castle

New Greenway Route to Link Seven Castles in Galway City and County

Years of community grassroots initiated activity will finally bear fruit on Sunday October 7^th when Slí na gCaisleán (‘The Way of the Castles’) will be launched which it is hoped will form the basis for a network of Greenways (scenic pedestrians and cycling routes) linking Galway city with the rural landscapes of east county Galway.

Carrowbrowne

The event takes place as part of National Trails Day, a special time of the year to celebrate Ireland’s wonderful variety of trails and a chance for everyone to enjoy some of our most beautiful countryside, forests, mountains and lakes.

Ballindooley Castle

A milestone in the development of the ‘Off the Beaten Track’ guided heritage cycle tours that are now in their third year, this event will cover a route that encompasses seven castles on the north and eastern side of Galway city and into Galway county. ‘Slí na gCaisleán’ will start (10am) from and finish at Terryland Castle in a 25mile looped cycle route that will include castles at Menlo, Cloonacauneen, Killeen, Ballybrit, Castlegar and Ballindooley.

Carrowbrowne Bog Road that has been cleared of debris by conservation volunteers

Ballybrit Castle at the famous Race Course

Three of these castle are lived in, with one being a hotel.

This leisurely cycle will journey over through a picturesque idyllic landscape of hills, botharins, abandoned farms, karst outcrops, bogs, lakes, dykes, turloughs and meadows.

Carrowbrowne farmland

The vision and hard work to make this Greenways network become a reality encompassed many different groups and individuals including university students, farmers, environmental campaigners, city residents, cycling advocates, heritage groups, local authority officials and politicians.

Terryland Castle: Starting point for the '7 Castle Looped Castle Route'

Menlo Castle

Start time: 10am, October 7^th
Rendezvous point: Terryland Castle, Terryland Forest Park, Dyke Road.
Organisers & Supporters: Terryland Forest Park Steering Committee, Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park, Cumann na bhFear and Galway City Council (Recreation and Amenity), City Planning & Greenways office, GTU and the HSE.

Ballindooley Lough

Note: Participants should bring along their own bicycle, suitable clothing and packed lunch. There will be a stop over at Cloonacauneen Castle where participants can purchase food and beverages. Any children twelve years or under must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must sign a form agreeing to abide by the rules of the tour.
For further information, contact Brendan Smith at speediecelt@gmail.com

Picnic along the banks of the Corrib river, Menlo

Castlegar Castle

The Grotto, St. Peter & Pauls' Church, Coolough

'High Nelly' bicycle enthusiasts, Terryland Forest Park, Lus Leana

Menlo Botharîn

Cyclists enjoying lunch at Cloonacauneen Castle

On the road to Cloonacauneen Castle (background)

Spelman's Botharîn, Castlegar

Third Annual Harvest & Heritage Festival in Galway city neighbourhood

Part 1 of an exciting programme for Ballinfoile Mór Harvest & Heritage Festival 2012

Bike Repair workshop, Outdoor Baking, Blacksmith’s Forge amongst highlights of Ballinfoile Harvest Festival

Scarecrows, an outdoor pizza oven, a blacksmith’s forge, a bike repair workshop, demonstrations of straw rope-making and locally produced cakes and jams will feature as some of the highlights of the third annual Ballinfoile Mór Harvest and Heritage Festival that will take place on Saturday September 22^nd in the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden. 

Part 2 of an exciting programme for Ballinfoile Mór Harvest & Heritage Festival 2012

We have put together an exciting programme of events to appeal to all ages in a wonderful garden setting that will be a celebration of the high level of volunteerism and sense of community that exists amongst the ordinary people of the Ballinfoile, Bothár an Choiste and Tirellan area.  

As well as the organic garden growers, Cumann na bhFear (aka Men’s Shed), Scoil San Phroinsias,  the Tús community work placement scheme, RAPID, Galway City Council, Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park, Foroige, Sunny Meadows playschool and other local groups are involved in a neighbourhood festival based around promoting locally grown food produce, culture, crafts, arts, heritage and environmental awareness.

“We will have pizzas served freshly baked from our own outdoor oven; spuds boiled in traditional skillet pots over an open fire; “Granny’s Kitchen” with delicious cakes and buns made to old-time recipes; food dishes from Africa and Asia; an organic food stall; a blacksmith’s forge producing domestic and garden metal implements; demonstrations of farrier skills, traditional drystone walling and straw rope making; an Irish music seisiún; wooden and leather good stalls displaying locally made bee-hives, garden benches, pens and hair barrettes; a ‘High Nelly’ Bike Restoration heritage exhibit; disc jockeys; a marine aquarium; face-painting and an array of scarecrows

Harvest Fest 2011-Garden plots were covered with Scarecrows made by local chldren

Dozens of scarecrows of all shapes and sizes will populate the vegetable plots.

The scarecrows, made out of straw and recycled clothes by the children of Scoil San Phroinsias and the Sunny Meadows preschool, will pay homage to the age–old tradition that farmers and gardener used up until recently to protect the seeds and shoots of their food crops from being eaten by birds.

Harvest Fest 2011 - Volunteers Brian & Tiernan staffing the Bike Repair Workshops

We will also have a bike maintenance workshop where people can bring along their bicycles to get expert advice on how to adjust brakes, fix a puncture and clean gears.

“The aim of this and similar grassroots festivals across Ireland is to foster a feeling of individual self worth and purpose as well as to engender a sense of place and neighbourly goodwill amongst residents of local communities;  to help Irish people re-discover the value of making, repairing and growing everyday items. As a nation the Irish have traditionally been characterized by a strong community ethos as exemplified by the GAA, ‘Meitheal’ and a coming together in times of adversity. In this era of recession, high employment, growing emigration and a lowering of national expectations, we need ordinary people to once again take the lead in improving the quality of life of their own localities.

The Festival starts at noon on Saturday September 22^nd and continues until 2.30pm.

Mr. Nolan cycled all the way from Gort to attend the 2011 Ballinfoile Harvest Festival

Harvest Fest 2011- Delicious Home-Cooked Delicacies on offer

Harvest Fest 2011- Cumann na bhFear stand

Harvest Fest 2011 - Tiernan serves Smoothies

Councillor Frank Fahey with Tom Cuffe who organised Birdwatching tours of the neighbouring Terryland woodlands

The home-made Jam Stall

The Bike-Powered Smoothies maker

The Organic Fruit & Vegetable Stall

Volunteers from the Lisbrook Asylum Accommodation Centre digging vegetables at the Harvest Fesst

'Bling' Your Bike

Harvest Fest 2011 - Getting the Blacksmith's forge assembled

Serving freshly made ice lollipops

Part of the Huge crowd that attended the Ballinfoile Mór Harvest Festival Sept 2011

London's Olympics & Paralympics have changed People's Perceptions of a Nation & of Disability.

As with last month's Olympics, the Paralympics 2012 was an outstanding success. For me what stood out was the a) social historical themes of the opening and closing ceremonies with their colourful anarchic format and b) the high level of professionalism and friendliness shown by a huge army of volunteers.

The British and particularly the English have regained a sense of national pride and value in the world. For a long time, the legacy of an arrogant superior English colonial mentality 

that is still promoted by a hard core of drunken, foul-mouth racist, beer-swelling tattooed wolf -pack hooligans on overseas holidays or at football matches 

Anti-Irish Emblem of the English National Front

diminished the huge contributions that the country has given to world culture (e.g. in literature, drama, music, film, architecture, human rights, progressive politics, sport, science and technology).

Drunken English Students in Salou Spain

Also notable was the fact that the London Paralympics has led to a seismic shift in the perceptions of the general public worldwide. 

Overcoming extreme prejudice as well as physical and mental barriers, the participating athletes achieved greatness and in the process have become positive role models to us all. They are no longer judged on their disabilities but rather on their abilities.

Thank you so much London!

A 'Celtic Forest Garden' in 21st century Ireland

Known as 'An Ghairdín', the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden is located in the grounds of Terryland Forest Park and is as a result surrounded on two sides by hundreds of native Irish trees such as hazel and hawthorn. Oftentimes when volunteers come in on early mornings to start working in the garden, they will see wild animals such as hare, fox and pheasant retreating back into the last great refuge of the animal kingdom in Ireland, namely the forests. Whilst later in the day undertaking duties such as planting, weeding and harvesting, they are blessed to hear a chorus of birdsongs emanating from the trees.

As with colonial Ireland, today's destruction of the Amazonian Forests is destroying an ancient civilization &  way of life that was in harmony with Nature. All done to benefit the greed of outsiders

Destruction of the Irish Forests

Until the defeat of the Irish clans and the coming of British colonists in the early 17th century, the Irish countryside was covered with great swathes of forests. The destruction of these woodlands to make way for colonial farms and to provide wood for the making of British ships, stave pipes and charcoal for iron furnaces led to the elimination of much of our larger native wild animals such as the wolf and the boar. 

Hawthorn Tree, St. Brendan's Abbey, Annaghdown, Co. Galway

 Celtic affinity with Nature
The Irish Celts had a tremendous affinity and respect for Nature and particularly with forests, with trees even having an honour price that had to be paid if they were cut down.
Whilst the Irish Celts did not carve large areas of farmland out of the woodlands, they did clear small areas near their settlements and on the edge of the forests for the planting of herbs, fruits and vegetables. These areas were known as 'Leana' or 'Lus Leana' , meaning 'garden' or 'herbal garden'.

The Rowan (Irish = Caorthann) Tree, associated with Female fairies, A Druid's wand was made from its wood. Its berries were important source of food for wildlife in late autumn

So it is appropriate that the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden is bordered on one side by the forest and on the other by a modern housing estate called 'Lus Leana'!! 

A total coincidence. But nevertheless so surreal and so full of serendipity!

St. Brendan's Abbey, Annaghdown, Co. Galway

A Parent’s Time of Bittersweet

 

Photo shows Daíre with his teacher Máire Browne, his school bag & his bike(!) on his last day in Scoil San Phroinsias. Notice his whiteshirt that is covered with personal messages from his classmates, a lovely tradition now common in Irish schools.

As a parent I have experienced over the last few month’s extreme emotions, those of great sadness and those of great joy.
On June 26th, my youngest son Dáire left his primary school for the very last time, thus bringing to an end an unbroken family connection with Scoil san  Phroinsias in Galway city that went back to June 1996 when my oldest son Shane started his education there.
When I collected Daire on that June day I shed a few tears not just because I was a proud parent, but because  I realised that, for me, it was also the end of an era. 

I loved that school so much, the commitment of its teachers; the joy and enthusiasm of its pupils; the colour and variety of projects on display in the classrooms; the great array of concerts, fests, sports days and fund-raising that were held in and on behalf of the school. It is a fine institution with a strong learning, respect and discipline ethos. Scoil san  Phroinsias was and is the hub of the local neighbourhood; it is what binds us together as a community.

But on a personal level there is void inside me that will not be filled for a very long time. For I enjoyed so much being a father of a young child. I enjoyed walking up to school in the morning, holding my child’s hand, talking to him about his friends and his class, sharing a joke or two with other parents as I waved him goodbye from the school gate.  Now I know that I will never experience those feelings again, ever.

On a professional level, I work as a university Education Science, Technology and Heritage Outreach Officer. My main area of activity is in schools. So I would always bounce ideas and projects off my sons that I was working on, get their opinions, before I would roll them out into the classrooms. Over the years, I have learnt so much from my children. They (along with Cepta) were my mentors, my advisors, my confidantes. I am so lucky to have such great kids.
In June, Shane completed his last undergraduate examination at NUI Galway.
On Monday, Daíre  started his first day in post-primary school.
Life goes on and so must I. New challenges await.

Still, I always treasure happy memories of the boys’ childhood days.
On behalf of Cepta and myself, thank you so much Shane, Daire and Scoil San Phrioinsias.

Dáire's last school lunch pack

Thank You Neil Armstrong For Letting Us Dream the Dream

The world lost a true hero and gentleman yesterday that history will never forget.

I remember as a young lad staying up all night (on my own!) glued to the BBC television station watching the Apollo 11 mission unfold as the lunar module landed on the Moon followed later by Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface to issue those immortal words, "One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind".

It was one of the greatest technology achievements ever in human history as 'Science Fiction' metamorphosed into 'Science Reality'.
For a real sense of the excitement of this space mission for those who watched it in 1969, check out
http://tnw.co/NOk1qn

Some young folk like me thought then that visits by earthlings to other planets would soon follow, and that the taste of astro science and technology would bring warring humanity to its senses, as we realised that our planet was only an insignificant grain of sand on the vast beach that was the Universe, which could disappear in an instant due to some stellar mishap or to our own stupidity. We hoped therefore that this realisation might bring peace to the world, as all races, sexes and religions/no religions would reconcile their differences, show respect, implement equality, make peace and work together as a global nation a la 'Star Trek' to explore and seek out new galaxies.
Sadly, it was not to be.
But it was a lovely dream to have and, you never know, it might happen to humanity sometime in the future.

So thank you Neil Armstrong for giving me and others this dream.

His family issued a lovely statement in his memory that is worth sharing with you,

"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."
So eloquent.

Finally, click here to view my article on Star Trek and how this children's television series that originated from the 1960s gave so many of the technologies that we use today. A very good example of how the dreams and imagination of youth can and did appear in the real world

Castle Ellen: Birthplace of Edward Carson's mother

Recently I had the honour to lead a group of heritage enthusiasts to visit the historical Georgian mansion of Castle Ellen (Caisleán Eilise). former home of the Anglo-Irish Lambert family.
Our guide through its fascinating halls, out-buildings and grounds was its owner Miceál Keaney.
It was interesting to learn from Miceál that arch Unionist and the great hate figure of Irish republicanism, Edward Carson, spent many happy times at Castle Ellen, which was the birthplace of his mother Isabella. Edward was also the barrister responsible for prosecuting and ending the career of Oscar Wilde, his former friend.

Miceál bought the demesne in 1974 when it was the buildings were in an advance state of disrepair and has spent much energies and monies over the subsequent years endeavouring to bring the place back to its former Victorian aristocratic splendour. A true labour of love that he deserves great admiration for.
In the process, he has built up an eclectic mix of memorabilia, from military artifacts to ancient farmyard machinery. You can almost feel the ghosts of the British Empire drift as you wander through the remnants of croquet and tennis lawns, a series of walled gardens with orchards and maze, a tree lined avenue, a pony-driven water well and an underground livestock tunnel.
Well worth a visit.
Contact info@castleellen.com