Connect with nature at fringe event of drama festival

Reflections on ‘nature and the arts’ is the theme of this unique event which takes place in Hope Castle Lodge, Castle Square, Castleblayney on Saturday, 4 March from 2pm to 5pm. The afternoon will include a focus on the natural treasure that is the Lough Muckno estate. The way in which nature can influence the visual arts and the spoken / written word will also be a theme at the event. The presenters on the afternoon will include Billy Flynn, Alison Bole and Michael Harris. The event will be chaired by Liam Murtagh from the Transition Monaghan group. Joe Hanratty of the Drama Festival Committee will also talk about the setting for the event.    

The restored Hope Castle Lodge at the entrance to Lough Muckno Park will be the venue for the ‘Every Blooming Thing’ event’

SPRINGWATCH IN CASTLEBLAYNEY

As part of the afternoon’s event, ecologist Billy Flynn will lead a one-hour nature walk

Billy Flynn, Ecologist

from the venue to the shore of Lough Muckno and the Black Island. He will help us discover the wealth that nature provides us with at our doorstep as the spring season bursts on the scene. Separately Billy has been advising Castleblayney Tidy Towns Committee and last year in association with the Group he produced a 3 Year Tidy Towns Plan for Castleblayney.

The ‘Springwatch’ walk during the event will include a visit to the shoreline of Lough Muckno and to the woodland floor on the Black Island.  

FINDING THE HEART IN STONE

From the visual arts dimension, Monaghan based sculptor Alison Bole will revea

‘Energy’ by Alison Bole

l how nature influences her work – she will show us some us some samples of her work to illustrate how it emerges in her work. One of Alison’s sculptures entitled ‘Energy’ – depicting the “energy, enthusiasm and vision of voluntary organisations” stands at the front of the Community Enterprise Centre in Castleblayney. It was erected there in 2001 to mark the UN International Year of the Volunteer.

Monaghan based sculptor Alison Bole will be one of the presenters

NATURE SPEAKING THROUGH POETRY

The title of the event was inspired by some lines in Patrick Kavanagh’s poem Inniskeen Road: July Evening –

“…I am king
Of banks and stones and every blooming thing”

Poets have long been inspired to tune their lyrics to the variations in landscape, the

Michael Harris, Mullyash 

changes in season, and the natural features around them. The various challenges now facing the natural world, poetry can play an important role in highlighting the interconnectedness of us as humans and the natural world around us. Michael Harris will share some of his own poems and those of others to illustrate this link. Michael is from Mullyash, Castleblayney and he is currently based in London.

Anyone attending the event is advised to wear warm and rainproof clothing and suitable footwear for the walk. Admission is €5 at the door. See ‘Fringe Events’ at http://www.castleblayneydramafestival.ie.

This event will take place on Saturday, 4 March, 2pm – 5pm in the Gate Lodge, Castle Square, Castleblayney. The event

Michael Harris from Mullyash is a presenter

will be chaired by Liam Murtagh from the Transition Monaghan group. Joe Hanratty of the Drama Festival Committee will speak about the setting for the event. The afternoon event is being organised as a fringe event of this year’s Castleblayney Drama Festival.  For further details see http://www.castleblayneydramafestival.ie

Last year, Jennifer Mc Aree of Transition Monaghan moved to Delft in the Netherlands to live

Jennifer Mc Aree goes Dutch in Delft!

and work. The Dutch are widely known for their advanced environmental protection and sustainability practices. With a population of nearly 17 million in an area roughly half the size of the island of Ireland, the Netherlands may be tiny but it is highly urbanised and densely populated. This brings with it many challenges, but also plenty of opportunities for innovation and transformation. In this article Jennifer focuses on sustainable Dutch transport practices.

BICYCLES

You can’t mention the Netherlands without talking about bikes, so I’ll start there. Bicycles are everywhere. Everybody has one and they are an iconic symbol of the country. Cyclists are kings, and cars and pedestrians must obey them at every turn. The bike lanes here are fantastic – wide, defined and often separate from the roads. Cars are obliged to slow down and/or stop for cyclists within cities, while pedestrians must watch out for them at their peril. Many tourists learn this the hard way!

I bought a bike the day I arrived in Delft. They can range from cheap, second-hand bangers (like mine) to very expensive, top of the range models (including electric versions). Dutch bikes are heavy, sturdy and built for longevity, with no gears and back-pedalling often serves as the braking method. Cyclists here are fearless, fast and confident; after all they begin cycling as toddlers. There is no age, race or class distinction within cycling – everyone uses their bikes to get around. The climate is similar to Ireland’s but this doesn’t deter the Dutch from cycling. People seem to be healthier here; few are overweight or obese. Parents often bring their small children around on cargo bikes (these have carrier boxes attached to the front). Of course, the very flat landscape really complements cycling here – there are no hills, unlike Monaghan!

The Netherlands was not always so bicycle friendly however. While cycling was a typical form of transport until after World War II, the introduction of cheaper cars and oil in the 1950s, coupled with strong economic growth, meant the number of cars multiplied at a staggering rate. With the arrival of the 1973 oil crisis, along with a huge increase in road fatalities, particularly involving children, communities rose up by staging large anti-car protests throughout the country, urging the government to take action. The campaign’s slogan was “Stop de Kindermoord” (“Stop the Child Murder”). It worked. The government began to plan and construct segregated cycle paths, which made it safer for cyclists, while simultaneously encouraging more people to take up cycling again. Plus, cycling is virtually free and requires no petrol or diesel!

TRAINS

Another huge part of Dutch life is the train. Over 600,000 people use the trains daily, primarily on the commute to and from work. Commuters often cycle to the station and park their bike for free in the vast bicycle parking facilities that cater for thousands of bikes – best not forget where you’ve parked yours! Trains run mostly on time, but when they don’t there is chaos (the Dutch know how to complain!). It is possible to reach almost anywhere you want to go by rail. Journeys for all trains, trams and buses can be paid for with the same travel card. There is joined-up thinking in terms of public transport – train, bus and metro stops are located in the same stations for ease of making connections. Amazingly, since 1^st January 2017 all electric trains (the majority) in the Netherlands have been running on 100% wind energy.

CARS

There are still plenty of cars in the Netherlands. After all there are almost 17 million people packed into this tiny country, and much of the young working population lives in the Randstad megalopolis area, which comprises the four largest cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Traffic jams are a problem in this region, although they are mostly limited to the outskirts of cities. Main streets have few to no cars and underground parking is common. There is also constantly a move towards improving public transport and drivers are encouraged to purchase electric cars through financial incentives. Furthermore, there is a proposal to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2025 onwards.

So far I have really enjoyed my experience in this small, yet pioneering country – and I’m learning a lot. I could fill pages on Dutch transport alone. Next time, I’ll move on to the many renewable energy advancements happening here.

A list of events and notices on in February can be found here

Last week the Government was defeated as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill passed the

Oisin Coughlan, Director of Friends of the Earth

second stage 90 votes to 53. Ireland may soon become the world’s first country to fully divest from all fossil fuels. Friends of the Earth described as “historic” the vote to progress a Bill to pull taxpayer’s money out of fossil fuel companies. Commenting on the landmark vote, Oisin Coughlan, Director of Friends of the Earth said: “This is first real sign of leadership from Ireland on climate action.”

Pictured above is Rossmore Park. Trees are the lungs of the earth and provide natural sanctuaries.

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed by all the bad news in the world, there can be no better way to counteract this than by getting your hands dirty and making a positive impact in your local community. Why not join Transition Monaghan in planting trees in Monaghan Town on Saturday February 11^th at 10am. In Castleblayney the Community Gardens Group welcome people to come along to their tree planting at Park Road Community Garden at 11am.

The ‘one million trees in one day’ initiative hopes to see one million trees planted all across Ireland on the day. In Monaghan, our Transition will be planting 100 trees, with a mix of native ‘woodland’ and ‘hedgerow’ trees. We will be joined by other local groups on the day, including the Tidy Towns, Men’s Sheds and the Allotment Society. In particular, we welcome new volunteers to lend a hand in the planting. All you need are weather proof clothes and a pair of sturdy shoes or boots. If you have a spade, this is a plus, but if not we will provide some. We will announce the precise locations in next week’s noticeboard and on our Facebook page. For further information, please email transitionmonaghan@gmail.com or call 086 865 2724.

February notices can be found here