Members of Transition Monaghan took a trip to Lough Muckno to hear from “Friends of Lough Muckno” who shared their concerns about Monaghan County Councils Vision for developing the area. The Vision created by external consultants would result in a huge impact on the landscape and risk damage to already weakened habitats and water quality.
The Barker home place near Derryvalley, Co Monaghan is enjoying a wonderful renaissance under the thoughtful stewardship of owner (and well known Toastmaster) Charlie Barker. A few intrepid members of Transition Monaghan took a visit to see and learn how diversification and respect for nature are paying dividends. Dermot McNally explains all.
On the 6th January, 1839, 175 years ago, Co Monaghan and the rest of Ireland experienced a hurricane. The 1993 book ‘The Big Wind’ by Peter Carr describes in detail the devastation caused. The Northern Standard carried reports in its first edition which was just published just four days later. Our recent storms have not been quite as severe as the one in 1839. Nevertheless it has focused our attention on the type of weather that climate scientists are predicting that we will experience in the coming years.
Continue readingMEG member and novice beekeeper Liam Murtagh says that our ecosystem including many farm crops are at risk due to the decline in the number of bees, so he is encouraging more people to consider keeping honeybees.
Top bar beehive with a removable viewing window cover
Have you seen many bees so far this year? Most likely you will have seen only a few bumble bees, as the weather has not been favourable for the honeybee. In fact many colonies of honeybees have not survived the winter and in my own case I lost one of my two colonies. Many fellow beekeepers in Ireland have had significant losses as have beekeepers throughout Europe.
Continue readingAs Spring approaches and our hedgerows are about to burst forth into growth, experienced hedge layer John McKeon considers the value of our hedgerows and how we should look after them. John is a committee member of the Hedge Laying Association of Ireland and he will be running a one day training course on hedge laying in Castleblayney on Saturday 8th February. Tel 087 1462790 for details.
Eamon Mc Loughlin of the Hedge Laying Association of Ireland secures a newly laid hedge with traditional wooden gabhlógs at a hedge laying demonstration.
Continue readingMEG member Liam Murtagh went along recently to a conference on Climate Justice hosted by Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) and organised by the Drogheda based development education group ‘Development Perspectives’. While initially setting out the extent of the global challenges of climate change and climate justice and the lack of action to address them, the conference presenters went on to focus on some practical responses in the education field in Ireland.
Main speakers at the Climate Justice conference were l to r:John Sweeney, Climatologist, NUI Maynooth, Ann Cleary, DkIT Green-CampusCommittee and Elaine Nevin, Eco UNESCO.
Continue readingDuring these early weeks of the January many of us make plans for a summer holiday. Given the increasing awareness of the damage that certain types of tourism have on communities and on the planet, there is an emerging interest in ecotourism, responsible tourism and sustainable tourism. These alternative options are worth exploring, whether we are booking our holiday in Ireland or abroad or if we happen to be a local tourism provider.
Canoeing on Lough Muckno, Castleblayney on a sunny summer’s day in 2013. According to the Castleblayney Town Development Plan, the “special character and serenity of Lough Muckno derives from its combination of tranquil lakes, drumlin topography, wooded parkland and integral location within Castleblayney”. The lake and surrounding park, now a top coarse fishing destination, have considerable potential for a range of ‘sustainable tourism’ activities.
Continue readingJennifer McAree of Transition Monaghan was one those selected by the Tipperary Energy Agency for a green trip to Bursa in Turkey. The trip took place last month. Here Jennifer reports on the background to the project as well as the trip itself, which she describes as a “brilliant experience”.
On a Green Trip to Turkey were: (L-R) Alex Hamilton, Tipperary Energy Agency, Trisha Purcell, Drombane Village Group, Cemal Yagci, Turkish representative and guide, Jennifer Mc Aree, Transition Monaghan and David Phelan, RPS.
Continue readingMembers of the public were being invited to an event entitled ‘Your Cost Efficient Home’ which was held in the Market House, Monaghan on Saturday, 25 April 2015. The focus was on how to reduce your energy, water and waste bills. There were two key note presentations by experts in the area of low energy in the home – Michael Hanratty of Energy Action and Frank Cooney of Cooney Architects. The presentations were followed by workshops on Heating / Insulation, Electricity, Composting and Water and were ran by Jennifer McAree, Ollan Herr, Michael Connolly and Barry Mc Carron respectively.
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