Westmeath’s Aoibh Dully, an Irish Farmers Journal Rising Rural Star, who was honoured at the National Ploughing Championships last year, danced into the history books at the recent Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast. Aoibh was chosen as winner of the senior All-Ireland Sean Nós Dance competition in the over-18 category, and her brother, Rian, took second place. It’s the first time that siblings have taken the two top prizes.
A great community and family day out is in store for anyone who heads for Sharavogue, near Birr, Co Offaly (R42E781) for the opening of the annual Black Bull Threshing Festival by RTÉ’s Marty Morrissey on 23 August at 1pm. As well as the threshing display, traditions like butter and griddle bread making will be celebrated alongside vintage machinery displays, children’s games, a dog show, tree carving, arts and crafts and plenty of local stalls. Music is provided by TR Dallas and The Band Sí. Entry is just €5 for adults, children go free. All money raised goes to local charities and projects.
Sam Maguire made a celebratory visit to Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar on 7 August as members of the victorious All-Ireland football champions met patients, families and staff. The gathering brought the excitement of the All-Ireland final victory right to the patient’s bedside, as the team posed for photographs, signed autographs and shared the Sam Maguire Cup, with everyone they met. Manager Andy Moran said, “Days like this are special. It was very important to us that we visited those who maybe couldn’t make it to the public celebrations. The positivity we saw throughout the hospital was inspiring, and we hope our visit brought a few smiles and created some happy memories for everyone we met.”
Enjoy an immersive tour with forager Kloe Wood (pictured below), exploring the incredible wild flavours to be found in a range of habitats being restored across Esk Mountain, a 270ac nature restoration project on the Cork–Kerry border. The evening’s feasting starts with a freshly prepared starter dish on arrival, then the opportunity to taste the landscape with a main course, pudding and drinks prepared together in a handcrafted woodland kitchen and cooked over fire. Learn how to cook a selection of seasonal dishes on an open fire for €135 per person. Email: kloe@eskmountain.com or see eskmountain.com
By Jim Tait, Whitegate, Midleton, Co Cork
When I was nine or ten or so
my brother John and I,
we used to go wool gathering
the shearing season nigh.
And we would seek with diligence
the small elusive strands,
and hoard our findings carefully
from other greedy hands.
At shearing time we’d tidy up,
gather the bits and scraps,
from fields and fences garner
and keep it under wraps.
Sometimes a big bonanza came
if a poor ewe passed over,
our dad would say go bury her,
why then we were in clover.
A great deep hole we’d excavate,
before we rolled her in,
cast lots for all her earthly garb
her winter coat to win.
Until the day that Dad would load
his trailer tight and hard,
and we’d go off to Midleton
to Potter Cogan’s yard.
Dad’s cargo would be worth a mint,
a pound per pound to gauge,
our little bags of
scraps were worth
a worker’s weekly wage.
But seventy years later long,
it’s values gone to pot,
down, down it fell
as years went by,
a man-made fibres plot.
It’s twenty cents per kilo now,
two hundred for a ton,
day’s wage for many workers,
though wool’s so hardly won.
And wool has such fine qualities,
so rugged soft and warm,
a tiny carbon hoof-print shows,
such waste is now the norm.
Do you have a piece of poetry inspired by the countryside and farming? We’re looking for short poems that captivate, inspire and reflect the landscapes, traditions, and culture of rural Ireland in the past or the present. About 200 words or so is the ideal length. Please send your poetry to icl@farmersjournal.ie or post to Irish Country Living, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.
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