Celebrating Irish Design in West Cork

2015 was the Year of Irish Design. In celebration there were exhibitions, events, talks and programmes all across the country. RTE aired a four part documentary, Designing Ireland, introducing us to the history of design in this country. Hosted by Angela Brady and Sandra O’Connell this fascinating series took us from our roots in vernacular design and use of materials, through the dawn of modern design in Ireland via innovative architecture and fashion designers, to the heady days of the Kilkenny Design Centre and into the digital era where computer-based planning is married to mastery of materials by engineers, architects, fine crafters and designer-makers to produce products that can stand with any in the world.

Alison, Angela and Sandra at the 7 HANDS Exhibition in London, with Alison’s greenwood chairs*

Artists and craft people gravitated towards West Cork throughout the second half of the 20th century for the light, the distance from civilization, the beauty of the countryside, the affordability of land for studios and housing and for the support of a community of like-minded individuals. Alison Ospina, in her book West Cork Inspires, describes this period and profiles many of the practitioners who discovered this unique area, drew inspiration from it and made their home here.

Last summer in Ballydehob the 7 HANDS Group harkened back to this golden era of West Cork Design with a stunning exhibition of contemporary fine craftwork by seven local artists. The exhibition moved on to Dublin and London where it was well received, although I cannot imagine the settings there could rival that of our tiny pristine Haugaard Gallery on the Pier in Ballydehob.

Kieran Higgins is a master woodworker *

The exhibition was supported by a series of artists’ talks and it was quite magical to listen to Brian Lalor talk about the detail and precision of his etching process, compared to Alison Ospina’s approach to her greenwood chair building in which the material reveals the ultimate design to her.

Angela Brady walked us through the making one of her luminous glass creations (those gorgeous beetles!) and Paddy McCormack spoke about the fiery furnace in which his wonderful chess set was forged.

We came away with our own little souvenir – yet more hares for Robert, this time by Etain Hickey.

The 7 HANDS group has larger ambitions. They want to re-establish West Cork’s place in the Irish design and craft pantheon. With this, their first exhibition, they have made an excellent start.

Patrick Connor’s quirky portraits *

The extraordinary intricacy of Brian Lalor’s ‘Liffey with Cranes’*

*A special thank you to Angela Brady for some of the photographs in this post.

Posted on January 11, 2016January 11, 2016
9 Comments

Northern Exposure

Roaringwater Journal has been to Canada! Both of us have family in Canada and this was the Christmas to see them. We’ve had a truly fabulous time with all of them, much of it spent in deepest winter conditions. Herewith a few pictures just to give you the flavour of the landscape we encountered.

Northern British Columbia was a wonderland of hoar frost and wildlife.

The farms in winter were fascinating and everywhere the vistas were entrancing.

Pemberton, beyond Whistler, retains a pioneering charm and embraces outdoor pursuits no matter what the weather.

Vancouver (city) and Vancouver Island enjoy a temperate climate – but glimpses of snow and ice are never far away.

See Robert’s post on Pioneers for more musings on our time in Canada. Our normal focus on West Cork will resume shortly – as soon as we recover from the jet lag. We hope you have all had a great holiday season and wish you the very best for 2016.

Posted on January 11, 2016January 11, 2016
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Pioneers

Irish people have always been great travellers and, wherever you go in the world, you can be pretty sure that someone from Ireland got there before you. That’s certainly the case here in Canada: I was pleased to find that it was Irish fishermen from County Cork who discovered the country back in 1536! Although we must not forget Saint Brendan, who had already been there in the sixth century. In both cases the early explorers landed on the east coast, today known as Newfoundland – the name says it all. Irish writer Tim Pat Coogan has described Newfoundland as “the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland” – in terms of language, surnames, place names and traditional music.

Canada – a new country built on fur and timber: ‘The Lumbermen’s Camp’ (top), and ‘The Drive’ (bottom) – thanks to Frank Runnels for letting us use these prints

Of course, what we today called Canada has been inhabited since ancient times by the First Nation peoples. Although initially there were levels of cooperation in trading furs and in intermarriage, the indigenous people have suffered from the advance of pale skinned invaders who worked their way across the continent from the east. They brought new values and new diseases which imposed on their simpler ways of life, hitherto in harmony with the unspoiled natural environment. It has taken many generations for the First Nations to gain a level of respect and tolerance – and to win back their own lands, an uphill struggle in which they are still engaged and will be for a long time. I am a great admirer of the survival of their culture, particularly their exceptional art skills and myth making.

A little history of the city: Burrard inlet in 1872 (top), Cordova Street in 1887 (middle) and Downtown Vancouver in January 2016 (bottom) – the old photographs are from ‘Vancouver – A City Album’ edited by Anne Kloppenborg, Alice Niwinski and Eve Johnson, published by Douglas + McIntyre 1991

As you will see from Finola’s post, our intrepid travellers from Roaringwater Journal have been staying over on the west side of the country, centred around Vancouver, with forays to the north-east side of the Rockies – Fort St John (where the air was heavy with hoar frost and the temperature hovered around minus 18 centigrade) – and Whistler, which is a haven for winter sports. There the temperature was a mild minus 8 below, but out in the sharp wind it felt far chillier than in Fort St John.

Towards the Alaska Highway: traditional home in Fort St John (top) and a northern landscape (bottom) – there’s a moose in that picture!

We have been away long enough to pine for Ireland: we can’t wait to see our own Atlantic ocean again, in spite of the news of severe storms, flooding and the promise of snow! When I’m back I will miss Canada, naturally: it will be a while before we have another adventure on the other side of the world. My reflections on that country will be coloured by my (probably romantic) imaginings of those brave early explorers who, taking their small and frail canoes through unknown waterways discovered and inhabited a very ‘New World’: even today there are huge swathes of the continent which appear so wild that, surely, no human can ever have set foot there.

Northern outpost – the road from Whistler (top) and the railroad station at Pemberton (bottom) – below is ‘Exploring for New Limits’ which sums up the pioneering spirit of the New World – thanks to Frank Runnels for use of this print

Posted on January 3, 2016
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Your Favourite Posts of 2015

Ross Castle, Killarney

At the end of each year we like to look back at our most-read posts and do a re-cap for our readers. Last year you liked what we wrote about islands, nostalgia, festivals, and the beauty of the Mizen Peninsula.

Did you drive past the Woman in White?

Despite all the hours we put into researching topics and sourcing images, this year it was a spur-of-the-moment post done for the sheer fun of it that came the closest we’ve ever come to a viral hit. Yes – that post on the Leap Scarecrows. The little village of Leap went all out and you could just sense the enjoyment that the scarecrow-makers had dreaming up their concoctions.

The One-Armed Michael Davitt

We love writing about history and some of your favourites fell under this heading. Robert wrote about Michael Davitt after a visit to his museum in Mayo. His powerful message of peaceful civil resistance struck home with us both.

Where Agnes grew up: Bridge Street, Skibbereen, 19th Century. National Library Collection

Finola stayed in West Cork, and wrote about the life of Agnes Mary Clerke who grew up in Skibbereen and went on to become a formidable astro-physicist and science writer.

The Elizabethan-era fortified house at Gearhameen, near Durrus

West Cork abounds in reminders of the medieval period. Tower houses and castles stand as ruined sentinels all along the coast. But we also have a type of dwelling known as a fortified house – the largest example is Coppinger’s Court near Rosscarbery – and our post, Trading Up in Tudor Times, set out the main characteristics of these impressive mansions.

Along the Butter Road walk – part of the new Fastnet Trail System

A local group has been hard at work developing a new system of trails in our vicinity and this summer it was successfully launched. The trails use existing boreens, for the most part, and are filled with unexpected delights and wonderful vistas. Robert introduced the new trail system to our readers in his post Closer Encounters – Fastnet Trails.

‘Tis far from induction hobs you were reared

We love to laugh at ourselves in Ireland, and Finola’s post You’re Grand, heavily influenced by the hilarious Tara Flynn and her book of the same name, must have raised some chuckles. Tara has a new book out now, Giving Out Yards, equally hilarious and insightful about us Irish and what makes us tick – or actually, what ticks us off.

Derrynablaha landscape – changed and unchanged

Archaeology is one of our big topics, and this year three posts made the most-read list. Our account of the expedition we undertook with colleagues to Derrynablaha – a wild mountain valley in Kerry full of rock art – was a hit with many readers. You also enjoyed our account of our visit to the Ceide Fields in Mayo, and Finola’s musings about the humble cupmark and its place in the rock art pantheon.

Skibbereen hosted a wildly successful National Digital Week

We enjoyed participating in the first ever Digital Skibbereen event – a wonderfully organised set of experiences designed to showcase how Skibbereen is poised for the digital era.

In the Magic Forest

Our readers love to hear about things to do and places to go in West Cork. Robert wrote about our day in the Magic Forest, a feast for the senses and great fun for the whole family. Earlier in the year, in A Mumuration, he described our outing to Ballyvourney to take part in the ancient rituals associated with the celebration of St Gobnait.

Making the Rounds at Saint Gobnait’s Shrine on the Feast Day

And what about our own favourites, even if they didn’t make it to the most-read list?

The Infant of Prague – in Prague

Robert’s was his post on The Infant of Prague – he was fascinated by the little statues that are so ubiquitous in West Cork houses and was delighted to find the original in Prague and learn about its significance. Our discovery of Oldcourt, with its traditional boatyard and long history was also a highlight.

Old boat at Oldcourt

After dithering for hours, Finola decided that her trio of posts on our West Cork tower houses (When is a Castle?, Tower House Tutorial Part 1 and Tower House Tutorial Part 2) were the most fun to write, because she learned so much and because she got to scramble around old ruins with her camera – possibly her favourite activity in the world.

Dunmanus Castle

How about you, Dear Reader? Did you have a favourite this year?

And don’t forget, especially if you’re relatively new to this blog, you can check out the Navigation Page to see what topics you might like to pursue.

Posted on December 27, 2015December 27, 2015
15 Comments

Beyond the Mizen: Top 14 West Cork Pics of 2015

We were heading home from Hare Island after a Fit Up Theatre Performance, when this happened

Many of our top Facebook photographs this year were from the Mizen , but not all. You also liked and shared photographs that captured the essence of other parts of West Cork.

Baltimore Bay and Ringarogy Island

I think the Baltimore Bay one was so popular because the colours are SO west Cork. When you get blue sky and clouds, the sea turns this amazing Caribbean blue and the contrast with the green fields and wilder high ground is gorgeous.

Lighthouse Loop, Sheep’s Head

This photograph of our friend Susan Byron of Ireland’s Hidden Gems is one of my favourites this year because of the impression it creates of sheer wildness.

Sparrowhawk

Robin on gorse

Ferdia

Occasionally we get lucky with the local wildlife. Ferdia, the fox, used to be a regular around our place but has forsaken us recently for neighbours with higher quality leftovers.

Bantry House

It’s possible to get good shots of Bantry House in winter, when the trees don’t obscure it from view.

Kilcoe Castle

Kilcoe Castle is such an icon on the landscape. This photograph shows the neighbourly way it interacts with the other houses around it.

Bardic School Loop Walk, Sheep’s Head

This tiny abandoned cottage may have been part of the 17th Century Bardic School near Lake Faranamanagh on the Sheep’s Head. We’re looking across at the Mizen in this shot.

The Beara, from the Sheep’s Head

And here’s the view from the other side of the Sheep’s Head, across to the Beara Peninsula, with the instantly-recognisable bulk of Hungry Hill to the far right.

Priest’s Leap Valley

The long climb up to Priest’s Leap starts near Ballylickey and ends at a high mountain pass that separates Cork and Kerry. The views are spectacular from the top, but this shot of a colourful house and farms in the valley on the way up seemed to express something typical of West Cork.

Farm, Sheep’s Head

This farm appears to be carved out of the mountain land behind it.

Barloge Bay, at the entrance to Lough Hyne

This was taken in November. I love the contrast of the turquoise water with the autumn colours of the bracken-covered hillside.

A final sunset to end this post. This was taken last February from the lay-by overlooking Roaringwater Bay on the N71. The light was extraordinary – a once in a blue moon kind of shot. The mussel beds make the water look like floating ice packs.

A big thanks to Celia Bartlett for helping us improve our photographic skills this year. We loved our workshop with her.

Happy New Year to all our faithful readers!

Posted on December 20, 2015December 20, 2015
11 Comments

Mizen Magic 5: Top 14 Pics of 2015

Crookhaven in low winter sunlight

You love the Mizen! That’s all we can conclude when we look at which of our Facebook photographs resonated most with our readers and followers this year.

Cairn on Dunlough Head, looking east along the Mizen and Dunmanus Bay

We post a couple of photographs each week on our Facebook page and we are always delighted when they are liked and shared. The vast majority of these images are from West Cork, and many are from our own Peninsula, the Mizen.

The tiny quay at Greenmount, outside Ballydehob. You pass this on the Rossbrin Loop Trail

So, as we look back over 2015, here are your top picks from the Mizen Peninsula, beginning with the most liked/shared. Next week, we will post the top West Cork (non-Mizen) Facebook photographs.

Near Dunlough Bay, on the way to Three Castle Head

Not much text to plough through this week. Consider that your Christmas present from us!

Goleen Village looks so colourful and inviting in the summer

There’s nothing we like better than wandering around West Cork with our cameras – it’s an endless feast. Enjoy – and tell us which is your personal favourite!