SHARED HERITAGE & MYTHS ...... a miscellany

Compiled as part of the “Shared Heritage & Myths” Programme, funded by the European Union’s PEACE III Programme awarded by the Louth Peace & Reconciliation Partnership

“Shared Heritage & Myths” Programme has been delivered by SLR Consulting Ltd in association with Carlingford Community Development, Carlingford and Alliance Youth Works, Rostrevor.

For more information on the programme please visit www.tainways.com CONTENTS

Introduction 2

Landscape & Archaeology

Introduction to Landscape & Archaeology 4 The Landscape & Archaeology of South Louth 5 The Landscape & Archaeology of the Cooley Coast 7 The Landscape & Archaeology of North Louth/ Monaghan and South Armagh 9 The Landscape & Archaeology of the Mournes & South Down 13

Music & the Creative Arts

Set Dancing in the Cooley Peninsula 17 Cuchulainn Set 18 Shared Heritage of Music & Creative Arts in Louth and its bordering counties 19

Arts of the Hearth

Introduction 23 Recipes 24 Spring Foraging - a list of food plants 28 Christmas Folklore & Traditions 30 Memories...... 32

Community Resources for Peace Building

Conflict Pyramids 37 POBAL Cross Border Peace & Reconciliation Framework 39 Writing a Press Release 43 Running an event 45

1 INTRODUCTION

The “Shared Heritage & Myths” Programme has been supported by Louth Peace and Reconciliation Partnership, under the European Union’s PEACE III Programme.

Over the course of fifteen months, from October 2009 - December 2010, the Programme has been a unique opportunity to enable participants, regardless of their age, background or identity, to explore their common heritage in the context of today’s changing society.

The aim of the programme has been to develop a deeper appreciation, of the heritage and myths we share, specifically in Co. Louth and its bordering counties, and to inform how we might develop a more peaceful, shared future. All activities have taken place in the counties of Louth, Down and Armagh and have drawn some of their inspiration from An Táin Bó Cuailgne, anchored as it is in the Cooley Peninsula.

The cross-border and cross-community programme of innovative seminars, workshops and site- visits, concluded with a unique Winter festival - “Inheritance 2010" which took place in Carlingford, over the weekend of December 3rd-5th, 2010.

Over the course of the Programme in excess of 500 people participated in three distinctive but interconnected elements of the Shared Heritage & Myths Programme:

Landscape & Archaeology Seeking to explore and interpret the rich natural and cultural heritage of the region through guided walks and workshops;

Music, Storytelling & the Creative Arts To explore the musical, instrumental, choral and artistic heritage of Louth and its surrounding counties through storytelling, workshops and music sessions;

Domestic Heritage or “Arts of the Hearth” Examining the heritage handed down in the home and incorporating cooking, crafting, cures, cultivating and cleverness. An opportunity for sharing, learning, practical hands-on experiences, which celebrate our often over-looked heritage of the home;

The finale of the Programme “Inheritance 2010" sought to bring together the three themes in a weekend schedule of debate, demonstration, performance, exhibition, seminars, céili-ing and celebration. The adverse snowy weather conditions, which prevailed that particular weekend challenged the delivery, however all events planned, were delivered successfully with some minor adaptations. A total of 300 people participated in the 26 events over the three days.

Shared Heritage & Myths was delivered by SLR Consulting in association with Carlingford Community Development and Alliance Youth Works.

Additional details on the programme can be found on: www.tainways.com

2 LANDSCAPE & ARCHAEOLOGY Landscape & Archaeology

Shared Heritage & Myths through Landscape & Archaeology

The landscape is a frequently overlooked aspect of our shared heritage, but yet it informs our sense of place and belonging – the physical shape of the places we live, the familiar horizons of hills and valleys, our townlands and their descriptive place-names, not to mention the soils, streams, groundwater and natural resources, which provide the materials to grow food, farm, quarry and build our homes – ultimately the essential things in life.

Linked to the geological 'building blocks' of our physical environment, are the shared cultural spaces which we inhabit….since archaeological time throughout history to the present, humans have made their imprint on the landscape, through cutting and planting trees, tilling soils, shaping fields with stone walls and hedgerows, creating defensive boundaries and building places to live, worship and play.

Thus our natural and cultural heritages are inextricably inter-twined and our landscape and archaeology must be viewed in that context.

In the following pages, readers are offered an insight into some of the exploratory field trips which were taken during the course of the “Shared Heritage and Myths” Programme in the capable hands of Aude Laffon (Archaeologist) and Deirdre Lewis (Geologist).

The notes will allow the reader to replicate these trips themselves, and offer a greater insight and understanding of the landscape and structures they will encounter along the way.

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The Landscape & Archaeological Heritage of South Louth

Starting point: Millmount Museum in Drogheda

A drive along the Boyne Valley, to examine the landscape & archaeological heritage of South Louth. This landscape encompasses geological and glacial heritage, as well as elements of the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, early Christian and medieval periods.

Note the steep river valley sides in Drogheda town, the results of large volumes of glacial meltwater at the end of the last Ice Age, c. 13,000 years ago, rushing seawards. It is likely that the glacier exploited an older east-west fault (or crack in the earth’s crust) in the Carboniferous limestones, which form the bedrock of the Boyne Valley, seen in passing in the abandoned Premier Periclase Mell Quarries above the town. Northwards, pass Tullyeskar (Tulach eiscir, little hill of gravel ridges), reflecting the sinuous sub-glacial gravel ridge deposits, “eskers” evident there.

Stop 1: Monasterboice (Mainistir Bhuithe, St. Buite’s Monastery), A 6th century, early Christian monastic site, survived by two late medieval churches, three 9th century High Crosses (1) and a Round Tower (2). Two of the crosses are decorated with biblical scenes, some of the finest examples of their type in Europe. The monastery was an important centre of learning, with a library in the Round Tower, & would have supported a significant local population. It was sited on a prominent glacial ridge, providing good visibility of the surrounding plains and any impending attack. To the west and south, you can see U-shaped valleys of the Mattock River system, the classic shape of glacially scoured valleys, and deposits of glacial “till” which forms the good agricultural soils of the locality.

Stop 2: Mellifont Abbey 1. 2. This was the first Cistercian Monastery in Ireland, founded by French monks in 1142. It was the mother-house of many Cistercian abbeys and had a strong influence on later religious and architectural developments. The abbey is very well protected, lying along a glacially-formed meltwater channel which is now exploited by the Mattock River. The abbey is founded on outcropping sedimentary rocks aged c. 420 million years, well seen underlying the adjacent small chapel. Interesting to note, the tower house and abbey were built of local stone, but the modern paving and steps were sourced in Co. Clare. You can admire the “trace fossils” of grazing animals in the Liscannor Flagstones. Photo (3) shows the remaining floor plan of Mellifont Abbey, but (4) demonstrates the considerable evolution of architectural heritage to be seen at Mellifont, with at least five periods from 3. early Christian to the modern in evidence.

Stop 3: Tullyallen On to Tullyallen (Tulach álainn - beautiful hill), from where you can descended through King William’s Glen, an excellent example of a glacial meltwater channel, to the Curly Hole on the River Boyne, an early ford and fishery of the river. This ford marks the southwards crossing point of the Williamite armies in the Battle of the Boyne, and you can appreciate the military understanding of the landscape (hills, river, glens), as seen (5) in George Storey’s contemporaneous painting (looking south) of the battle site. The channel of King William’s Glen is clearly seen in the central foreground. 4. Looking eastwards along the Boyne Valley from Curly Hole, you can clearly see the glacial scouring effects and lateral moraines downstream. The Mattock River enters from the left, while the Obelisk, built at the fording point on an outcrop of limestones, was blown up in 1922. Note the lack of trees in Ireland’s 18th century landscape.

Advance to the “Bend in the Boyne River” of the famous Dowth Newgrange-Knowth passage tombs, where you can see that the Bend is actually controlled by geological faults cutting Upper Carboniferous sedimentary rocks, while the ancient people built their sites on elevated glacial ridges to ensure good defences. 5. Stop 4: Lunch at the Battle of the Boyne Centre, Oldbridge House A good lunch can be had at the Battle of the Boyne Centre at Oldbridge House, the setting of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. A mural has been painted on a local cottage wall commemorating the fact (6).

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Stop 4: Dowth Passage Tomb Dowth, demonstrates how 19th century excavations damaged the mound of the 3000 BC Bronze Age passage tomb, encompassing two passages. The northerly passage, with some very impressive megalithic art, is 12m in length and ends in a cruciform chamber, with an L-shaped chamber leading off the right-hand recess. The second passage is much plainer, ending in a sub-circular chamber. However, this passage is aligned with the winter solstice sunset. The entrance to the main tomb is evident (7), with cup marks on the entry stone (8). On the east flank, the original kerb stones can be seen, with mysterious (possibly sundials) inscribed (9). The Mattock Valley to the north forms a U-shaped glacial valley, while the river to the south flows along the glacially exploited faults, with Donore Hill to 7. the south. The stones used to build the tomb were mainly locally derived, but some may have been transported by glaciers to the vicinity, and subsequently used for building by the prehistoric people. Alternativel, they may have been carried here by humans.

From Dowth, travel on northwards to Collon (by-passing Knowth). It is of note that in the Iron Age saga of the Táin Bó Chuailnge, the defining myth of Co. Louth, Queen Maeve’s armies stayed north of the Boyne and apparently did not drop in for tea to Newgrange! Much of the story action hinges on crossing river fords, given that chariots and horses had to be moved. The Connacht armies would have crossed the Mattock River near Mellifont, before heading northeast across Co. Louth towards the sea near Annagassan. 8.

Stop 5: Mount Oriel At Mount Oriel, visit a Bronze Age barrow cemetery on the hilltop (10), where a more recent concrete triangulation point, wind farm and mast have been erected.

Travel eastwards, along the “Grangegeeth Block” a series of volcanic-sedimentary rocks, formed about 460 million years ago at -15° south of the equator. The equivalent-aged volcanic rocks in Balbriggan, just to the south in Co. Dublin, formed at about 50° South, thus signalling the intervening zone that was once the Iapetus Ocean. The Grengegeeth rocks underlie a glacial ridge, where eskers can be seen, marking more recent ice activity 9. c. 13,000 years ago. Placenames frequently reflect these features in the landscape: e.g. Rathescar, rath eiscir.

Travel via Dunleer to Annagassan (Áth na gCasán), in search of the route of the Connacht armies in the Táin (11), where Queen Maeve’s armies crossed the modern River Dee (An Níth) and River Glyde (An Casán) with great difficulties and loss of warriors, due to the antics of Cúchulainn in defense of Ulster (Uladh). Northwards lay the prize bull of Cooley...and the Connacht army persisted.

Stop 6: Port 10. Continue to Port, where you can stand on a raised beach, evidence of rising sea levels following the melting of ice at the end of the last glaciation. When all the ice had finally melted, isostatic readjustment meant that the earth rebounded when the weight of more than 1km of ice was lifted, thus sea level retreated again, but stabilised c. 5,000 years ago to the modern sea level. Global warming will likely mean that these levels will rise again.

Stop 7: Clogher Head Complete your day trip at Clogher Head, the classic geological site marking the final 11. closure of the Iapetus Ocean. There you can reflect on the geological history of this island, where 420 million years ago, the northwestern (attached to a continent called Laurentia) and southwestern (attached to a continent called Avalonia) parts of Ireland collided. The collision zone runs from the Shannon Estuary through the Irish Midlands to Clogher Head and onwards through Britain and Scandinavia - this is known as the Iapetus Suture (12).

Huge mountains somewhat like the modern Alps would have resulted from this collision, but have been eroded and worn down over millions of years. This feature can be mapped geologically, with different fossils and patterns in the rocks on either side of the Suture. Subsequently, Ireland drifted farther north towards the Equator, so that by 350-320 million years ago, we were in the tropics, evidenced by the limestones seen in the Boyne Valley, which formed in a warm sea with corals and other warm water creatures in evidence.

A great day out, spanning millions of years! 12.

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The Landscape & Archaeology of the Cooley Coast

Starting point: Greenore Port

This walk starts from the picturesque Victorian village at Greenore Port and advances along the Cooley Coast.

Stop 1: Greenore Co-operative Visitor Centre Starting at the Visitor’s Centre in Greenore, will give any newcomer a detailed insight into the historic significance of the port in relation to rail and sea transport. The railway and passenger ferries operated from the port until the 1950's. Today the port is a vibrant freight port. The village, itself is picturesque comprising mainly red brick Victorian terrace houses and close on hand is the golf course.

As you proceed along the Cooley coast southwards from Greenore, you will observe the nature of the Carlingford fjord, scoured by glaciers almost 13-14,000 years ago. Mesolithic flint scatter can be seen along the foreshore, where our forebears likely dined on the fruits of the sea thousands of years ago.

The geology of the Cooley Coast is dominated by the mountains of Mourne and Cooley, each formed by granite-like rocks, linked to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 60 million years ago. The Newry Granite, to the north of the Louth granite, is older, being 420 million tears of age, linked to the closing of a much older lapetus Ocean. The limestones of the lowlying coast towards Cooley Point, were formed in a warm tropical sea, in temperatures of +20°c, during the Carboniferous period, 320 million years ago. This can be demonstrated by the fossils seen all along the coast in limestone outcrops - corals, brachiopods, crinoids and others, all indicating the tropical conditions in which they had once thrived.

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Stop 2: Ballurgan Point When travelling around Ballurgan Point watch out for brent geese feeding in eel grass. In the Spring time these birds will be preparing for their long haul northwards to their Summer breeding grounds. Also look out for basking seals in the Spring and Summer time in the relatively shallow waters off the point.

At Ballurgan Point, there is an excellent un-excavated Bronze Age Barrow, but there is no public access to it. There is some archaeological debate as to its true significance, but givens its position near Ballurgan Point, one could speculate that it must have had strategic value.

Continue around Cooley Point, where a platform of limestone boulders demonstrates one of the last “gasps” of the Pleistocene-aged Great Ice Age, c. 14,000 years ago, the last great re-advance of the melting ice sheets, known as the Killard Point Stand. The boulder pavement is underlain by marine muds, with Arctic fossils, indicating cold seawater conditions, but when the sea level fell, linked to ice sheet re-advance, the boulders were deposited in an intertidal area, much as we see happening in modern Antarctica (see photos below from Glacial Geology & Geomorphology of Ireland (2009) Prof. Marshall McCabe, Queens University).

Remnant intertidal glacial pavement, with Modern active glacial pavement - Antartica underlying marine muds (with micro- fossils) Cooley Point, Co. Louth

Beyond 14,000 years ago, the climate continued to warm, so that the ice-sheets melted, sea level rose and we now see raised beaches all along the coast of Co. Louth and Co. Down. Once the ice fully melted c. 10-11,000 years ago, a re- balancing occurred and the land rebounded gradually once the weight of ice was removed, to re-emerge leaving the beaches stranded or “raised” above modern sea level, which was stabilised c 5,000 years ago. Humans arrived in Ireland approximately 7,000 years ago, and we have continued to shape our landscape and cultural heritage since then.

What this teaches us, is that our natural heritage responds to great physical and planetary forces over timescales of thousands and millions of years, which has seen ongoing climate change over geological time. We humans, within our cultural habitats, inhabit a precious shared space for a very short time!

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The Landscape & Archaeology of North Louth/Monaghan & South Armagh The journey from North County Louth through Monaghan to Armagh passes through some of the most interesting geological terrain in Ireland. Natural passes in the mountains of Slieve Gullion and Cooley, carved out along pre- existing geological faults by glaciers in the great Ice Age almost 25,000 years ago, allowed ancient roads, modern motorways and railways to be built. These same passes, such as the Gap of the North (the Moyry Pass), were strategic links to ancient Ulster ('Uladh'), providing north-south access as well as defensive positions against invading hordes. Many of these places provide the backdrop for some of the great Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

The uplands of North Louth and South Armagh are dominated by vistas of the Slieve Gullion volcanic-igneous complex, reflecting geological activity which was linked to much greater earth movements, associated with the early opening- up of the north Atlantic Ocean, when the American and European plates began to move away from each other.

Slieve Gullion (1) represents the 'root' zone of a deeply eroded volcanic caldera that intruded older country rocks (aged 420-480 million years) about 58-60 million years ago. It formed when explosive magma broke though the surface to create the volcano, while some of the magma did not reach the surface, but cooled to form granites. Around the edges of the caldera, volcanic eruptions and intrusions occurred in a circular pattern, forming the encircling hills of the “Ring of Gullion” (Photo 2). At about the same time, but slightly earlier, the Cooley Mountains were formed from magmas erupting as a mix of volcanic and granitic rocks. Across Carlingford Lough, in the similarly aged Mourne Mountains, the magma did not break the surface and thus we see those mountains formed by different pulses of granites, younger from east to west, with no evidence of volcanic explosive activity. In this Mourne-Cooley-Gullion complex, 'lightening' indeed struck twice, as an earlier continental collision resulted in the emplacement of the Newry Granodiorite (and Slieve Croob) about 420 million years ago from molten magma rising due to the extreme heat and pressures generated by the crustal collision (see Map below).

(1) (2) Landscape & Archaeology

There is some dispute as to how these igneous rocks were formed: i.e. how do you get these huge volumes of molten magma up to the surface of the earth, from tens of kilometres down in the mantle? Geological mapping allows understanding of the relative ages and relationships of the different aged rocks and presents models of emplacement.

How do huge volumes of magma move from deep in the earth up to the surface?

An older geological theory (Richie, 1932) argues that the magma in the Mourne-Cooley-Gullion complex was intruded in pressurised pulses, rising along steep, bell-shaped, fault structures known as 'ring dykes' from the warm centre of the earth to the cooler crust. Theoretically, each pulse rose and subsumed the early (cooler, denser) pulse and pushed it downwards in the centre of the ring, causing collapse and the creation of a caldera – much like if you push a cork into a bottle of wine, the liquid moves up and out along the outside of the cork. Around the edges of the caldera, vent eruptions may occur, as seen in the southern part of the Ring of Gullion. This theory has held for almost 80 years.

However, recent research (Stevenson et al. 2008) suggests that the observed geological relationships cannot sustain this idea, and that in fact an early volcanic caldera was later intruded by a sheet of fine-grained granite, which cooled and was subsequently intruded and domed by more magma pulses as low lying sheets, exploiting pre-existing low-angle structures in the rocks. Slieve Gullion and the Ring of Gullion would thus be a 'domed sheet' versus a ring- dyke, exposed in its current form through erosion rather than injection along circular faults…..to the average person this is not significant, but among geologists the debate is not exhausted in an effort to establish the truth of the earth's formational history.

Moving along in geological time to view the lower-lying landscape, we can observe that most of the countryside is blanketed by soils, drumlins and small lakes, relatively recent deposits. The last Ice Age ended about 13,000 years ago in Ireland, but made a profound impact on our landscape, when the advances of ice sheets in different (warm-cool) climatic phases over c. 150,000 years created drumlins ('drom-l-ín' - little ridges) as they advanced, their 'noses' pointing in the direction of ice travel. However, the last pulse of ice in the northern part of the island created the great blanket of drumlins known as the 'The Drumlin Belt', stretching from Clew Bay in Mayo to the Ards Peninsula in Down. Elsewhere, the ice created eskers, 'eiscir' or underground rivers, at the base of the ice sheets where pressure was greatest and local melting took place, seen now as long sinuous gravel ridges across the midlands, remnants of 'fossil' river traces. With global warming, the ice finally began to melt c. 25,000 years ago, albeit with minor re-advances during cold spells, leaving behind a complex set of overprinting landscape features. Drumlins impeded drainage of the meltwaters, creating a patchwork of small lakes and poorly drained soils, long associated with the 'stony clay soils' of Patrick Kavanagh's Monaghan poetry. An aerial view today of Lower Lough Erne shows the interference patterns of these drumlins and lakes beautifully.

In mythological terms, the Iron Age (250BC – 400AD) epic tale, An Táin Bó Cuailnge (the Cattle Raid of Cooley), tells that Queen Maeve's armies left Roscommon to capture the Brown Bull of Cooley and advanced through Longford towards Lough Sheelin in Cavan – at that point the armies turned south-eastwards (reputedly because Cúchulainn thwarted their direct entry to Ulster) and eventually entered Louth along the north bank of the River Boyne, before advancing northwards along the coast to Cooley. What is interesting to consider is that the drumlin-lake belt would have been difficult terrain for horses, foot-soldiers and carriages in the Iron Age – thus, these people were able to read the landscape but what Queen Maeve could not have known is that the Ice Age forced her to take the long way around!

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In archaeological terms, this region is one of the most interesting in Ireland, as it marked the ancient boundary between the territories of Uladh (Ulster) and variably Mí (Meath), Laighean (Leinster) and Connacht. This is interpreted to be marked by an extensive earthen bank which extended from Down to Monaghan to Leitrim-Fermanagh, known colloquially as The Dorsey, the Black Pig's Dyke and other names, all associated with a rich oral tradition of storytelling and sharing heritage!

Stop 1: Roche Castle: An Anglo-Norman castle that marks the most northerly stronghold of the Pale. It is said to have been built by Lady Rodesia de Verdun in 1236 and that its design may have been based on Beeston Castle in Cheshire. Roche Castle is one of the best preserved Anglo-Norman stone castles in Ireland.

Stop 2: Annaghmare Court Tomb: Annaghmare comes from the gaeilic Eanach Mó r which may come from the ’ big marsh’. The court tomb was built by early farming communities over 6,000 years ago. This tomb is also known locally as the “Black Castle”. It has been the site of many local ghost sightings!

The Dorsey (enroute to Navan Fort): On the way Northwards to Emain Macha (Navan Fort) you will pass The Dorsey. The Dorsey or Na Doirse, the gateways, is an extensive double earth bank and ditch rampart, locally known as 'the walls', about 1.6km long. It is said to have been a fortified frontier for the kingdom of Ulster when it was at its strongest around 100BC and it could have controlled access to Emain Macha along an ancient route. It extends westwards in various remnant forms, known as the 'Black Pig's Dyke' and other colloquial names through Monaghan to Fermanagh-Leitrim.

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Stop 3: Emain Macha (Navan Fort): One of the most famous archaeological sites in Ireland, it is said to have been the chief residence of the Kings of Ulster. It is a hilltop enclosure that has seen occupational activity since the Neolithic period. It was only in about 100BC that a massive circular structure was built.

Cam Lough Cam Lough is a classic glacially scoured ribbon lake, where a glacier moved along the valley, which was weakened by a pre-existing northwest trending geological fault.

It was enlarged to support the industrial expansion of Newry in the nineteenth century, linked to the opening of the Great Northern Railway and the Newry Ship Canal, to provide water for the Bessbrook linen mills.

Slieve Gullion Passage tomb (positioned above the car park):

Slieve Gullion is the mountain of the steep slope, Sliabh gCullin. On its top is a passage tomb, similar in form plan as Newgrange, and known as the 'Callaigh Beara's' or old hag's house. It is the highest passage tomb in Ireland, located at 573m above sea level.

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The Landscape & Archaeology of the Mournes & South Down

Starting Point: Kilbroney Centre, Rostrevor

Travel north-eastwards along the U-shaped, glacially scoured Kilbroney River valley, to examine the landscape & archaeological heritage of South Co. Down. This landscape encompasses spectacular geological and glacial scenery, as well as archaeological elements of the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, early Christian and medieval periods.

Stop 1: Goward Portal Tomb First stop is the Goward Portal Tomb (1 & 2), also known locally as Pat Kearney’s Stone. The granite cap-stone rises to approx. 4.5m above ground level, covering a single chamber 2.8 x 0.9m, with a tall upright in front of the entrance. There are also flanking uprights on each side—it is likely that the capstone has slipped and dislocated the uprights over time.

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Stop 2: Drumen Cashel & Souterrain Drive onwards northeastwards towards Castlewellan to visit the Drumena Cashel (3) and Souterrain (4), both spectacular example of Neolithic construction. The circular wall of the stone fort (cashel) encloses the remains of a dwelling house and a well preserved subterranean passage (souterrain), although it seems the surrounding wall was rebuilt sometime in the1920s. The cashel is 40m by 32m, with walls of 3m thick, while the souterrain is about 15m long.

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Stop 3: Downpatrick Enroute to Downpatrick, watch out for spectacular examples of drumlins, meaning little hill, typically half-egg shaped hills. This word has been taken into the English-speaking geomorphological terminology dur to its appropriateness. In Downpatrick, visit the grave of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron stain, in the grounds of the beautiful Church of Ireland Cathedral, situated strategically on a drumlin. You can enjoy lunch in the St. Patrick’s centre, which explores the history and impact of St. Patrick in Ireland since the 5th century, a fine example of our shared Christian heritage.

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Stop 3: Killard Point The Killard Point Readvance, c. 16,000 years ago, deposited the final stage of drumlins (5) in Ireland, with their ‘noses’ pointing in the direction of ice flow. The ice stopped more or less at the modern Irish Sea margin. When the ice melted at the end of the glaciation, the sea level rose to more than 20m above present levels. However, when all the ice finally melted at about 13,000 years ago, the land re-bounded gradually once the ice weight was removed, creating a series of raised beaches which were left ‘stranded’ as the relative water level dropped and stabilised about 5000 years ago. These raised beaches can be seen from Killard Point to Cooley Point and southwards at Port on the Louth coast.

(5) (6) (7) Maps from: Glacial Geology & Geopmorphology, Landscapes of Ireland (2008), Marshall McCabe (Map 5); The Geology of Northern Ireland (DSNI, ed. Mitchell, 2004) (Maps 6 & 7) Stop 4: Dundrum Onwards through Dundrum, a fine medieval castle is located overlooking the town. You will pass Murvey Dun Complex, a wonderful series of sand dunes, which have developed over the past 5,000 years. Evidence has been unearthed of Bronze Age cooking sites within the complex.

Stop 5: Newcastle The seaside town of Newcastle is a fine example of early urban planning, as a Victorian planned town, complete with promenade, parks and bandstands.

Stop 6: Bloody Bridge To the south you can step back in time at Bloody Bridge, to view a sub-circular mountainous complex of granite intrusions (6 & 7), which formed as part of the opening of the Atlantic Ocean, along with the Cooley-Gullion mountains complex, about 60 million years ago. The geology has two distinctive parts: the East Mournes and the West Mournes, whereby the oldest intrusions lie in the East (the oldest marked by Slieve Donard) and the youngest lies in the West.

Generally, as the molten magma rose from deep in the earth, it cooled and began to crystallise, thus forming granites at depth. The heavier minerals crystallise first, the more acidic last—thus the Eastern Granites have more olivine and pyroxenes, while the Western granites tend to have more quartz (silica) and feldspars within.

Ireland was long ago in two ‘halves’ separated by the ancient Iapetus Ocean; the, the northwestern half was part of a proto- American continent and the southeastern half was part of the proto-European continent. Due to continental drift, the ocean closed by 420 million years ago and the two ‘halves’ collided. The line of closure or ‘suture’ can be traced through differences in fossil assemblages and complex structural patterns in the rocks of that age. It can additionally be traced by thermal differences deep in the continental crust of Ireland (8, map CSA/ SLR).

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Stop 7: Silent Valley Follow along the Quarter Road from Bloody Bridge, along mountain lanes and finish in the Mountains of Mourne’s wonderfully named Silent Valley (below), a spectacular example of another glacially scoured U-shaped valley. In this instance the valley has been used to store water as a reservoir. You can visit the dam wall, from which there generally presents a wonderful view of the valley.

Stop 8: Rostrevor High Cross The final stop in this trip is at the enigmatic old cemetery at Rostrevor, which houses an ancient High Cross. It is formed of local stone, but unfortunately is crumbling and losing some of its masonry detail.

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Music & the Creative Arts

Set Dancing in the Cooley Peninsula

By Michael McGlynn

The older generation in the Cooley Peninsula have memories of set dancing in the area in the 1920s and 1930s. The older residents remember the Lancers Set being danced at an open air deck located in the Cooley Mountains, but unfortunately none of them can remember the actual figures of the set.

Set dancing seems to have died out in the 1940s and 1950s, possibly overtaken by the Ballroom of Romance and the Showband era. In the late 1970s there was a nationwide revival of set dancing all over the country in areas where it had died out. In County Louth the Scór set dancing competitions, which were inaugurated by the G.A.A revived the interest in this type of dancing. In St. Partick's G.A.A. Club in Lordship we had a traditional set dancer from Co. Galway, Bernie Quinn who married a local girl and came to live in the area. He had learned the sets from his mother and he was instrumental in reviving the sets in the Cooley Peninsula in the late 1970s.

In 1983, we held our first joint set dancing workshop in the Bush National School and as our tutor we had Joe O'Donovan, a famous set dancer originally from West Cork. Joe came every year for thirteen years for our workshops and he was a great asset to our efforts as he was recognised as an authority on the traditional styles of set dancing. When Joe was no longer able to come we invited other professional teachers to come and next year (2011) we will be having our 28th annual workshop with Padraig and Roisin McEnaney as our tutors.

Set dancing classes are held on a weekly basis in St. Patrick’s Community Centre in Lordship and these classes have been going on since the early 1980s. To this day, the classes are well supported and in addition to set dancing, traditional two-handed dances and sean-nós dances are also taught. There is photographic evidence from Padraigín Ní Uallacháin's book “A Hidden Ulster” of a sean-nós dancer dancing on a half-door in Omeath in 1912, so we are keeping alive a tradition that was in the area almost 100 years ago.

In 1998 a group of dancers from our club got together and composed a set dance for our locality. The formation of the set is based on the Táin and it is called the Cuchulainn Set. It was officially launched at the request of the Pipers Club in Dublin at the Willie Clancy Week in 2001. It has also been published in Pat Murphy's book on set dancing “Apples in Winter” and we are grateful that it has got official recognition.

Tradition is defined as the transmission from generation to generation (ó ghlúú n go gl n) of music, dance etc. It can be said that the continuation of the dancing tradition is safe in this county thanks to the great people who gave willingly of their time and energy to make sure it continued. Go mbéé adh saol fada agaibh go li r. (May you all have a long life) Thanks to Michael and his wife Kathleen, who gave generously of their times and energies to ensure that “Shared Heritage” particiapnts could enjoy learning this wonderful tradition in Co. Louth

Photograph reproduced by kind permission of Padraigín Ní Uallacháin, taken from her book “A Hidden Ulster”.

17 Music & the Creative Arts

Cuchulain Set (As danced in the Cooley Peninsula of Co. Louth) Courtesy of Michael & Kathleen McGlynn

First figure - Jig (Lead with the Lady) 128 bars

A. Advance and retire twice and swing (Circle) 16 bars B. First tops house inside 8 bars C. First tops lead Lady inside, turn Lady under and face out back to place and turn Lady again to face her for swing. 16 bars (All four couples swing at this stage) (Treble and cut step can be used for the lead in and out part) First sides repeat B&C 24 bars Second tops repeat B&C 24 bars Second sides repeat B&C 24 bars All couples repeat A to finish 16 bars

Second Figures - Reels (Back to Back) 144 bars

A. Advance and retire and swing (Circle) 16 bars B. Top men dance back to back (Right Shoulder) and back to place (Left Shoulder) 8 bars C. Top Ladies advance back to back (Left Shoulder) and back to place (Right Shoulder) 8 bars D. Top couples swing 8 bars E. Both top couples dance back to back 8 bars Men right shoulder with opposite Lady in advance and left shoulder on return Turn to right in place on last two bars F. Top Ladies chain, on their return top men take Ladies right hands and turn them in a swing of four 16 bars G. Break off and all four couples swing in place 8 bars Side couples repeat B&G 56 bars All couples repeat A to finish

Third Figure - Reel (Queen Maeve Figure Connemara Step) 128 bars

A. Advance and retire twice and swing (Circle) 16 bars B. First tops house inside - crossed hands 8 bars C. All four couples face their partners and dance on the spot - last two bars can be ornamented 8 bars D. All couples swing 8 bars First sides repeat B, C, D 24 bars Second tops repeat B, C, D 24 bars Second sides repeat B, C, D 24 bars All couples repeat 16 bars (Swing in Ceilidhe hold, break at end of swings and face in for last two bars)

Fourth Figure (Hornpipe) 144 bars

A. Advance and retire twice, (Circle) 8 bars B. Ladies advance to centre of set, turning Dancing 1,2 123 on the sport, then dance around behind man who was on their right at the start 8 bars C. Men in with right hands (Star or Brigids Cross) clockwise 8 bars 4 bars - left hand anti-clockwise for 4 bars D. Collect new partner on return and lead around for 8 bars 8 bars Repeat A, B, C, D until back with your own partner 96 bars Repeat A 8 bars Dance around the house to finish (doubling on last two bars) 8 bars

18 Music & the Creative Arts

The Shared Heritage of Music & Creative Arts in Louth and its bordering counties

Comiled by Seán Ó Roideáin: Carlingford Community Development

Music and performance present a rich opportunity to take people on a fascinating journey to explore the shared and diverse elements of cultural identity. They can provide a focus for people from a variety of denominational and cultural backgrounds, to examine together the traditional arts cultural heritage of Ireland north and south, and Scotland. In particular it gives a mechanism to look at how this has impacted upon the traditional arts activities of communities north and south of Carlingford Lough, whether from an Irish, or Ulster-Scots background.

Shared Traditional Arts Heritage

Looking at the shared traditional arts heritage of Louth and its bordering counties, it is clear that there are areas where there is cross-over among diverse denominational communities, which when delved into can reveal elements of cultural expression that are shared.

In taking this approach to examining musical heritage, respect for cultural diversity, greater understanding of the interconnectedness of traditional arts heritage and the development of common interests can be established and built upon.

Research into musical heritage reveals that there are a number of common tunes played by traditional arts communities from an Irish, Ulster-Scots, or Scottish, backgrounds. These include tunes such as the “Mason's Apron”, “Atholl Highlanders” and “Mrs McLeod's Reel”. Moreover, tunes and songs which can be superficially seen as belonging to one tradition, to the mutual exclusion of another, are often far more shared than is commonly understood.

For example, a very popular tune amongst the Protestant Orange pipe band tradition is the march “Shanghai Lil” based on an older Irish reel “The Swallow's Tail”.

Similarly, the seemingly Irish “Curragh of Kildare”, is actually a Scottish song, about a young women, missing her Scottish lover stationed in the Curragh Army Camp. The lyrics for the song were written by Robert Burns.

Furthermore, the tune for the Irish sean nós song “Mo Ghile Mear”, was used for “The Spanish Lady” and also for an Orange song “The Sons of Levi”.

So, there are many examples of crossover songs and tunes that could be utilised in developing a shared heritage approach to traditional arts workshop activities.

Other interesting findings include the fact that the Ulster Scots Highland dancing tradition contains a dance category called the “Irish Jig”. Also the Lambeg drum, often .seen as exclusively part of the Protestant Orange tradition is actually a drum that was played both by Orange Order and Ancient Order of Hibernian bands across the religious divide. . Many of the set dances were based on French quadrilles and brought back to Ireland by Irish soldiers, both Catholic and Protestant, serving in the British Army during the Napoleonic wars.

19 Music & the Creative Arts

Bringing the strands of shared heritage together

Through the Shared Heritage & Myths Programme, a musical model was devised which has brought together musical different traditions - instrumental, choral, dance, drumming and vocal contributions and interpretations. It focused on bringing to life stories of the mythological character of Cúchulainn. These stories of Cúchulainn were based on the Thomas Kinsella translation of “An Táin”. Led by a narrator, the stories were amplified by reference to shared heritage arts including Ulster-Scots dance, piping, drumming and the Irish traditional ensemble, or grúpa cheoil (music group) approach. This could be further enhanced by the inclusion of solo and group singing components.

The ultimate objective of this exercise was a lively performance which would educate and entertain.

Key to the delivery of this objective were musical tutors who worked with a cast of 110 young people to bring this performance together:

Zoe Conway: Musical Director Mark Wilson: Percussion Tutor (Advisor on Ulster-Scots Traditional Arts) Brendan Monaghan: Musical Arrangement Tutor (Advisor on Irish & Ulster-Scots Traditional Arts Crossover Tunes)* * Seán Walsh: later replaced Brendan, owing to the latter's unavoidable touring commitments.

The expert tutor team developed musical scores, with interesting harmonic, percussion and chord supports to the melody arrangements and provided a narrative framework for the music, song and dance to support the story line. Musical workshops were delivered with the young people to work up the instrumentation and interpretations.

Appropriate songs were chosen and approaches were made to Bush Post Primary School, Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth and Newry High School , Co. Down, to identify choral groups who would participate in the project. A series of choral workshops were held, involving a total of over 70 pupils from the two schools.

Additional key players came into the equation. A newly composed piece of music “Carlingford Lough” was incorporated into the performance. An opportunity for developing a more abstract rhythmic gymnastic dance piece, to interpret the music presented itself. A dance piece was constructed as a result of a cross-border, cross-community, rhythmic gymnastic dance residential workshop, involving Gymnastics North East from Co. Louth and Rathgael Trampoline & Gymnastics Club, from Bangor Co. Down.

Finally, dance pieces were developed in conjunction with the Michelle Johnson Dance School, which specialises in Ulster- Scots Highland Dance and Fiona Harold Dance School, Dundalk, an Irish step dance association.

In developing the Cúchulainn Show, a total of 21 different workshops took place, including one residential. A separate team worked on adapting stories from The Táin, which reflected the shared heritage approach and the underlying peace- building message. Music and song workshops were conducted at the Foy Centre, Carlingford, Co. Louth, as well as the Bush Post Primary and Newry High Schools. Dance workshops were held at Moneyrea Orange Hall, Belfast and St Michael’s Hall, Carlingford.

The following gives a summary of the preparatory workshops:

1. Narration & Script Four tales from An Táin to be narrated by John McKevitt (i) Boyhood deeds (ii) Cúchulainn meets Maeve's armies (iii) Death of Ferdia after the battle (iv) Last battle – drowning of the Army.

2. Musical / Instrumental In the musical workshops, there were approximately 2 x 12 in each group, from 12-15 years. The groups learnt 2 sets of tunes from different traditions, including Orange Marching tunes such as 'Shaughan Lill' and 'Orange Lillio'. A mixed traditional air also was stripped down to a simplified marching tune.

3. Choral In the choral workshops, approximately 40 children in total (13-17 years) would sing verses from An Táin Bó Cuailnge set to the 1930s Ulster Scots air of 'Will ye Go, Oh Lassie Go?' – (verses be taken from Cúchulainn's boyhood deeds and the battle between Ferdia and Cúchulainn).

20 Music & the Creative Arts

The same music & choral workshops were replicated in the early Autumn 2010 in Newry High School Co. Down, under the tutelage of Julianne Hawthorn, the music teacher, with the collaboration of the Headmistress. Ultimately, the two sets of students were combined in rehearsals, to form the basis of the central weekend's performance based on the mythology of An Táin Bó Cuailnge to be held in the Foy Centre on 4th December.

4. Dance/ Gymnastics Using the concept of flowing water and the drownings of Maeve's armies at the Crom River, the troupe used ribbons as props, to music by their collaborators.

5. Percussion Using a variety of inter-cultural instruments (djembá, bodhrán, lambeg, snare drums), the battle scenes were enlivened by groups of school children.

6. Masks Workshops were prepared during school art sessions .

7. Props/ backdrops The staging and backdrops/ props etc were kept very simple. A photographic montage of Louth, Roscommon, Armagh, Down and elsewhere was compiled, cycling through the landscape and cultural remnants of An Táin. Digital versions of the photographs from the 'Shared Heritage & Myths' cross-border photographic exhibition were also to be displayed (Dundalk & Banbridge Photographic Societies respectively) as part of the final Festival “Inheritance 2010".

8. Recording of making & performing Workshops were recorded as they evolved to record young people's experience of being involved in such an ambitious cross-border performance based on shared heritage and mythology.

As a result of the extreme weather experienced during the “Inheritance 2010" Festival, it was not possible to stage the entire show, owing to the fact that some performers could not travel. However, those musicians, dancers and the narrator who were based locally were able to perform a sample portion of the whole show. This was performed by 12 musicians and 5 dancers, plus the narrator to a packed audience at the Foy Centre.

In total 110 young people participated in the programme. It is hoped that the full Cuchulainn Show will be performed in April 2011. There are also plans to complete a CD and possibly a youth exchange project with Breton students as a consequence of the programme that has been delivered.

Conclusion

The Shared Heritage & Myths (Music & Creative Arts) Programme has shown that examining our shared, diverse and complimentary traditional arts & cultural heritage, so often seen as indicative of cultural badges of separateness, can in fact, become a mechanism for developing greater understanding of our rich, at times diverse, but also shared heritage, in celebration of our common humanity, in ways that can engage young people from a variety of cultural backgrounds from either side of the border.

21 “ARTS OF THE HEARTH” (DOMESTIC HERITAGE) Arts of the Hearth

The Arts of the Hearth strand of the “Shared Heritage & Myths” Programme was designed to look at the heritage we find closer to home. Every one of us has a personal heritage which is unique to the homes and family circles that we were reared in. Included in this arena are:

Cooking & Baking - the traditions of food in our homes, the smells, the comfort, the tastes and sight of food created for our tables from a context of necessity and using locally sourced, foraged or own-grown ingredients;

Crafting – the skills of the hand we grew up with, sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, patchwork, wood turning, leatherwork to name a few – which in the context of the modern day culture embraced all the “reuse and recycle” values we are now trying to re-instil in our population. Some of these crafting skills were used to clothe a family and in other cases where a skill was renowned in an area, they were sold on as an income generator;

Cultivating – the growing which often was part and parcel of our childhood. Out parents and grandparents grew fruit and vegetables more out of necessity than for enjoyment and there was a duty as children to help with sowing, weeding or harvesting if one was to enjoy the produce. Additionally there was the 'free food' collected from the hedge rows or on the walk home from school, which hold unique memories all of their own;

Cures - A rich part of our domestic heritage is the knowledge held by our parents and grandparents, a mix of folklore, mystical beliefs and herbal wisdom, which often dealt with ill- health effectively without the intervention of doctors or pharmacists and of course without the cost;

Canniness – looking back on times when cash was not in plentiful supply our parents and grandparents had to rely on their own inventiveness to get what was needed for their growing families. Sometimes this involved, micro enterprises (keeping hens and selling eggs, or bee keeping) often it involved bartering skills with neighbours, but in the main it revolved around having a creative mind to use old materials in a new way – a real ‘make do and mend’ approach to living. Canniness involved all the other elements mentioned above.

During this strand of the programme we have taken participants on a journey through the different elements allowing them to remember and contribute their own personal memories of their domestic heritage as well as share and learn from others from different traditions. This has enriched a sense of ‘sameness’ as much as ‘difference’ experienced by all in the home, but in a context of appreciation. This section of the book captures some of those journeys and the learning which was shared.

Ruth Daly, Associate of SLR Consulting Ltd

23

Arts of the Hearth

White Soda Bread Alan's Brown Bread Ingredients Ingredients

· 450g (1lb) white flour, · 400g wholemeal flour · 1 level teaspoon salt · 200g white flour · 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda · 50g+ wheatgerm · 350-400ml (12-14 fl oz) buttermilk, · 50g+ pinhead oatmeal depending on the consistency · 100 g bran · 2 teaspoons baking soda Method: · 2 teaspoons baking powder · 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8. · 1 teaspoon salt · optional extra: handful of pine nuts, 2. Sieve the dry ingredients into a large wide bowl. pumpkin seeds - most nuts/seeds will do Make a well in the centre and pour most of the here - not too much however. buttermilk in at once. · 1ltr Buttermilk (or 1ltr ordinary milk with ½ teaspoon of baking soda through it) 3. Begin to bring the flour in from around the sides, · 3 beaten organic eggs adding more milk if required to make a dough which · 1 dessertspoon olive oil is softish and not too wet and sticky. Method 4. When it all comes together, turn out onto a well- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 6 floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands so that the dough is easier to handle. 2. Mix all dry ingredients together and then add liquid to dry mix slowly mixing with one hand - 5. Tidy up the dough and flip it over gently. Then within 60 seconds it becomes moist. pat it into a round, about 2.5cm (1 inch) deep and 3. Slowly pour mix equally into the two oiled/lined cut a deep cross in it, which is done according to tins. Place in centre of oven and bake for 50- Irish folklore in order to let the fairies out! 55mins.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 4. Remove for oven and take out of tins immediately 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 for 30 minutes or until it is and allow to cool before consuming (if it sticks just let cool a little as the mixture will contract). cooked. If in doubt tap the bottom of the bread if it is cooked it will sound hollow. Leave to cool on a Note: rack. · Cooking time is crucial to get right so watch carefully over last 5/10 minutes so as not to burn the surface of the bread. The bread is done when the underside sounds like a 'drum' when tapped.

· A useful variation is to make one large cake and a tray of scones - the scones depending on size should take 20-25mins.

· The above mixture makes two large size brown loaves - suitable for freezing in bags. By the time you have washed up everything it should take about 20 mins preparation time.

· Enjoy the process because soon you will not need to consult any recipe to make your own wonderful (and healthy) brown bread.

25 Arts of the Hearth

Cream of Potato Soup with Herbs

Ingredients

· 9 medium/large potatoes, any variety cubed · 3 medium carrots, scrubbed & finely chopped · 1 pint free-range chicken stock (stock cubes may be used as an alternative) · 4 tablespoon butter · 4 medium sized onions, chopped fine · 1.5 pint full cream milk · 1 pint light cream · 1 tablespoon sea salt & pinch black pepper (to taste) · 5 garlic cloves finely chopped · Fresh herbs (eg parsley, basil and thyme)

Method

1. Scrub potatoes well, peel and removing eyes and dark spots. Dice into cubes and place with carrots in large saucepan to sweat with butter. Add garlic and onions after a few minutes and continue to sweat. Basic soup formula the 1:1:3:5 method 2. Add stock and cook at medium heat for about 10- 12 minutes. Ingredients 3. Remove from heat and add milk, cream and · 1 part diced onion seasoning. Return to low heat and cook for about 10 · 1 part diced potatoes minutes. · 3 parts vegetables of your choice 4. Taste for additional seasoning e.g. a dash of · 5 parts stock (fresh or from stock cubes) Worcester Sauce or water it down to achieve desired consistency. · Olive oil or 2 oz butter

5. Remove from heat and add well chopped fresh · Add seasoning and herbs of your choice herbs just before serving.

Notes on Variations: Method for Vegetable Soup 1 part carrots, 1 part celery and 1 part leeks as the · Add finely chopped crispy bacon bits prior to vegetables of choice. serving to give the soup an alternative taste. This is a more child friendly version of the above soup. 1. Dice all vegetables into cubes and place in large saucepan to sweat with butter/oil for about 10 · To convert into to an easy Fish Chowder put in mins. half the herbs, dash of good fish sauce, dash Worcester sauce, flaked pre cooked salmon fillet X 2. Add stock and seasoning and cook at medium heat 2, fresh cleaned uncooked shellfish X 12 (depends for about 15 minutes (or until veg is tender). on availability and taste). Flaked pre cooked smoked fish like haddock will enhance the soup. 3. Remove from heat and test for seasoning. Cook on low heat until all the shellfish are fully opened. An additional 12 minutes prep and cooking 4. Remove from heat and blitz into a puree. Add time will be required. well chopped fresh herbs and/or cream just before serving.

26 Arts of the Hearth

Coconut & Oatmeal Biscuits

Ingredients · 110g (4oz) desiccated coconut · 175g (6oz) porridge oats · 55g (2oz) caster sugar · 55g (2oz) plain flour · 140g (5oz) butter · 2 tablespoons Golden Syrup · 2 tablespoons water

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease two baking trays.

2. Cut the butter into lumps and melt in a saucepan. When melted add the golden syrup and mix well. Take off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of water. Apple Crumble

3. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and add Ingredients the melted butter and syrup. Mix well. The mixture · 3 bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored will be crumbly but moist. and sliced · 110g (4oz) plain flour 4. Place tablespoon amounts spaced well apart, onto a prepared baking tray and flatten out into a · 55g (2oz) butter round biscuit shape. · 55g (2oz) caster sugar · 30g (1 oz) soft brown sugar 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden. · 3-5 cloves · 1 level teaspoon cinnamon 6. Leave to cool on the baking trays then transfer · 2 ozs raisins (optional) onto a wire rack, and leave to cool completely before serving. Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Lightly a pie dish.

2. Place flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into lumps and rub into the flour until the mixture looks crumbly with the fat fairly evenly dispersed.

3. Add the sugar and mix well.

4. Place the sliced apples, raisens, sugar and spices in the pie dish. Spoon the crumble mixture evenly on top of the apple and flatten out with a fork.

5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden.

27 Arts of the Hearth

Spring Foraging - a list of food plants Compiled by Alyn Jones, Youth Work Alliance

A couple of things to remember before you head off into the wilds and start picking random plants for a woodland salad or to accompany that beautiful Mackerel you caught this morning. The best advice I can give is to know your plants, know them analytically and know them in the culinary sense, know them by sight, the shape of the leaves, stalks and flowers. Get a good ID book and match the description to the plant in front of you. Start with the ones you are familiar with and then go adventuring with new ones. With a plant you know its easy to match up the characteristics in the book and therefore easier when it comes to identifying the harder/newer ones.

Also there are a couple of laws that govern foraging in the UK - the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and The Theft Act 1978. These prohibit the collection of any wild plants in any National Nature Reserve or Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Some common foraging favourites:

BEECH (1) Common tree Time is crucial. Get the leaves when young and beechmast when it has just fallen. 1. Leaves make a great addition to salads and masts can be roasted, shelled and used in crumbles or ground for flour.

BIRCH (2) Common Tree Probably the best source of food in the woods. Twigs can be infused for tea. The 2. wintergreen (rootbeer) taste is popular in ice creams, syrups, or as an accompaniment for peas or similar vegetables. Trees can be tapped for sugary sap, like maple syrup.

CHERRY (3) Common Tree The bark can be scored to make chewing gum and obviously the fruit both sweet and 3. sour varieties make great fruit dishes but the blossom too can be used to infuse milk and custard.

CHICKWEED (4) Mild flavour, great as a salad base and with seafood, especially crab or prawns. Also really good with game birds e.g. Pigeon. 4.

COMMON SORRELL (5) Key element in Ferench cuisine. Intense lemony flavour which goes well in salads but also particualry with fish. 5.

DAISY (6) Leaves can be used in salads or sandwiches. Nicer wilted as a vegetable. Flowers not as flavoursome but look nice in a salad. 6. DANDELION (7) Roosts and leaves can be used to make tea or fizzy drinks. Roots are often roasted and chopped for a coffee substitute. But best fried with bacon!

DOCK (8) 7. Wood, Patience and Curled Dock are all good for eating. Young leaves are the best. Fry with onions and garlic to serve with cooked tomatoes or eggs.

8.

28 Arts of the Hearth

ELDER (9) Common Tree Both the flowers and the berries can be used to flavour sorbets, ice creams and drinks. Makes great wine.

GOOSEGRASS (10) 9. Steamed leaves and stems can be used as a vegetable in their own right - don't be concerned about the stickiness, this disappears in the cooking.

GORSE (11) Wonderful coconut flavours which are great in wines and infused for teas. 10.

HAWTHORN (12) This tree has been used for food from time immemorial. Young leaves and buds are often called “Bread & Cheese”. Use them in salads. The flavour is nothing special but they are 11. good for the heart. Also great cooked with game. Fruit also sweet and fleshy but time consuming to work with. Can be used in pies and desserts or dried like mango.

HAZEL (13) What? Are you nuts?? You want to know what you get from a hazel tree? 12.

HONEYSUCKLE (14) Flowers are lively in salads or as a garnish on puddings. 13. LIME (15) Lime leaves are great in salads or stuffed with savoury fillings like vine leaves.

MEADOWSWEET (16) This is a very versatile plane and has great healing properties. Used to make teas and 14. wines but the leaves are also great in salads.

NETTLE (17) Stung by how great nettles are?!! I haven't enough room to tell you all the uses for nettles, soup, salads, pesto to name a few. Purchase “101 Uses for Stinging Nettles” by 15. Piers Warren published by Wildeye.

PLANTAIN (18) Greater plantain leaves have a mushroomy flavour . Ribwort does not but both can be chopped finely and cooked like spinach. 16.

PRIMROSE (19) Use the flowers in Spring Salads candies or fresh. Leaves can be cooked or used in salads - slightly homey-like flavour that lingers. 17. VETCH (20) Leaves can be used in salads. But if using the peas, they must be pressure cooked for 20mins to destroy toxins.

18. WILD STRAWBERRY (21) Leaves can be used in salads and of course don't forget the fruit!

21. 20. 19.

29

Arts of the Hearth

Christmas whitewashing Long ago, farm families cleaned and then whitewashed every building on the farm in December. They were covered in white paint or limewash, to symbolically purify them for the coming of the savior. The tradition traces back thousands of years, not just through Celtic culture, but through other Central European cultures as well. While the men were busy outside, the women took to cleaning the house from top to bottom inside banishing every cobweb, clearing cupboards, washing curtains and cleaning windows. In some cases women were know to put up fresh curtains, place a Christmas quilt on the bed and change cushions and table linens.

Superstitions relating to Christmas · To have good health in the coming year, you should eat an apple on Christmas Eve.

· Shoes placed side by side on Christmas Eve will prevent a quarrel.

· It's said to be lucky to eat breakfast by candlelight on Christmas and New Years morning.

· You should eat plum pudding on Christmas Day to avoid losing a friend before next Christmas.

· Refuse a mince pie at Christmas dinner and you will have bad luck for the coming day.

· Drink three sips of salted water before Christmas dinner for good health.

· Snow on Christmas means Easter will be green.

· A blowing wind on Christmas Day brings good luck - but, wearing new shoes will bring bad luck.

· The child born on Christmas Day will have a special fortune and good luck will come to the home where a fire is kept burning throughout the Christmas season.

· To bring luck and blessings, you should take a wisp of straw from the nativity scene at the church and bring it home.

· The weather on each of the twelve days of Christmas signifies what the weather will be on the appropriate month of the coming year.

· December 27, the feast of St John, was believed to be a good day for farmers to borrow money in order to buy new seed for the coming season.

· On New Year's Eve, it's lucky to receive a lump of coal from a black-haired stranger.

· One should always wear something new at Christmas (and Easter, too) or new garments will be few in the coming year.

Christmas Trivia · In 1171, King Henry II took Christmas festivities to Ireland. He went there to get the Irish chiefs to swear allegiance to the English Crown, and on finding them very agreeable, so history tells us, he had a huge hall built, in traditional Irish style, in a village near Dublin, called Hogges. There he laid on a sumptuous feast, introducing the Irish to the customs of tournaments, Christmas plays, and mumming.

· The words to the carol "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night" were written by hymnist, lyricist and poet-laureate of England, Dublin-born Nahum Tate (1652-1715).

· "Once in Royal David's City" was written by Irish poet Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (1818-1895) She also wrote "All things Bright and Beautiful".

· Long before Christianity came to Ireland, it was customary to place holly leaves and branches around the home during winter? This was intended as a kindly and hospitable gesture as it was believed that the good people who inhabited the forests would come into the home and use the holly as shelter against the cold.

31 Arts of the Hearth

es ade cloth omem e 5 Skills I wish I had learnt from ories of h pers for th my grandparent Mem m per for itted all jues a jumand mes my kn etim ade h Patch working from Granny Mum d som · boys an e also dancingm costu Dad. Sh e for m s and embroidered Irish rtain nctional and y made dresses, cu m all very fu Mum practical. quilts – e every year cam hich unt. an A et beretsfrom w Croch

Memories of crafting Baking – by my mother and father (he was in the army)

Churning of butter Father making new soles for our shoes cut from a big piece of l Father putting steel caps on my shoes, so that they could be us eather tap dancing Father made stilts from tins and string ed for Needle craft was a necessity – things like turning sheets, maki

making tea towels from flour bags Father baking tarts – and with the left over pastry he madeng spe repairs, mini ones for me and my brothers with our names on the top with

strips of pastry cial Mother knitted jumpers when needed Uncle would have repaired shoes in the family

Making rag rugs

32 Arts of the Hearth

Memories of re-using/recycling at home (hand-me downs,

repairs etc) Using old flour bags as tea towels Recycling clothes down through my sisters.....every M Summer 'frocks' were let up or down for each sister. M from our cousins...and so they went around the extended family

ay the Mum sitting by the fire and turning the sheets to recycleany came them (where they might have been ripped) we had a

large family of 12 Used to go to the butcher for wooden skewers and use them as knitting needles – we used twine for wool! Holding out your hands around which a hank of wool had been wound while M I remember the rag and boneum manrolled and the giving wool into away balls. my father's one and only suit by mistake in exchange for a St. Christopher' ring.....but he realised the mistake and brought it back.

s

33 Arts of the Hearth

Mem ories of Growing things..... Potatoes had to be planted by St. Patrick’s Day

Sorting potatoes in the Easter holidays from

...in preparation for the harvest to com

around Hallow the old pit This was a collective effort by neighbours,e'en sowinge, usually and picking spuds (a m

eithil, although we did not use that

term My granduncle used to tell us ).stories of witches around

Hallowe'en on the night we finished the harvest

Memories of Customs... ” - bread in warm milk, with sugar +/-

raisins -a real treat! ith them for eggs/ When we were sick, we were given “Goody

milk supply y, so we would find Men going to the bog for a few days used to take a hen or cow w

and eat Sorrel ded them onto grass of the cow's milk. When coming home from school walking, we would have been thirst

ront of the hearth Walking home from school, we picked wild strawberries and threa heads to carry home and have with the cream skimmed off the top

Collecting rushes to make St. Brigid's34 Crosses with Granny in f Arts of the Hearth

Memories of Mother’s Recipes...

Smoked fish cooked in milk, with onion & seasoning, mash- yum yum! sauce made with remaining milk, Serve with creamy

Rhubarb & Strawberries (cold)

Cold Tongue

Rhubarb stick & sugar in a poke (of newspaper)

Goosebery/ Apple jelly jams

Gingerbread baked by Granny in 3-legged skillet

Soda bread on a griddle & Treacle bread

My great-granny used to make us raspberry jam, if we walked all the way to the raspberry patch and carried them home in a biscuit tin

Soup & vegetables

Nanny's Stew

school.- yummm! The smell of baking bread when you came home from

35 COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR PEACE BUILDING RESOURCES Community Resources for Peace Building

The Conflict Pyramids compiled by Jason Donaghy (www.jasondonaghyconsulting co.uk) Member of the “Shared Heritage & Myths” Team

A Quick Overview of the Model

The Conflict Pyramids illustrate really clearly and simply what often happens in a situation of conflict between two friends, neighbours, work colleagues, communities, businesses and nations, etc.

Fixed Positions

Dig down 2. 2. beneath Different Different Positions Interests Interests to Shared Interests

3. 3. Conflicting Conflicting Interests Interests 1. Shared Interests

At the top of the two pyramids there are their respective points identified as the 'Fixed Positions' e.g., [Parent) “You are not going out tonight?” [Teenager] “I am going out tonight!”

From this perspective, it appears that the situation is one with two very clear cut choices i.e. staying in or going out. The option to succeed is the one which will present the greatest “will” – “You'll do what I tell you to do!” In this type of approach, there is no merit or principle in the decision.

What this model tells us is, dig down beneath the respective fixed positions and try and understand the respective parties 'interests' which underpin their position. We need to uncover what is going on beneath the fixed positions. What is motivating the parties, what are their hopes and fears, goals and ambitions, etc.

In the diagram, ‘Shared Interests’ are labelled 1. This is very intentional. Key to the success of managing a situation of conflict is the need to establish some sense of shared space within which communication and relationships can be fostered.

This gives a chance to foster a greater “We” philosophy over an “Us versus Them” or a “You versus Me” mentality which pits one party against the other or others. We have very little space for dialogue and creativity. Through the shared space we can begin to cultivate a sense of shared responsibility for success, by “going hard on the problem, not the person”.

By exploring interests we give opportunity to unearth and connect.

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We might find in the example above for instance, that both the parent and the teenager have a number of shared interests i.e. the young person wants to show that they are trustworthy and grown-up, whilst the parent will want to nurture their believe in their young persons trustworthiness and their sense of independence. The parent may want the young person to be safe, and the young person may want to be safe.

In terms of different interests, the young person may want to head out with his/ her friends, whilst the parent wants the young person to complete their coursework, which needs to be in for the following Monday.

These interests don't necessarily conflict, but they are different. We just need to think about how we balance the two.

The ‘Conflicting Interests’ which are shown at the extreme left and right of the pyramids indicate that these interests are the ones which take the greatest effort, time, commitment and creativity to manage and potentially resolve.

All too often in the conflict situations, parties involved in the conflict, and or outside interveners, jump to the conflicting interests at the start of the process (if there is any semblance of a process at all), without having first warmed the parties up by looking at the shared and different interests.

The model tells us to “go slow to go fast!” Get beneath positions to interests.

We always shared a lot more in common than will first be evident. The more someone tries to keep the discussion position focused, ask the '5 W's & H' (Who, What, Where, Which, Why & How).

On the basis of this deeper understanding we can genuinely begin to think beyond the normal responses to ideas that might just move our relationship and communication to a higher level as well as reducing and or eliminating the cause of the 'negative conflict' and or realising and harnessing the potential of 'positive and creative conflict'.

“Don't leave your imagination outside the door when you enter the room!”

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41 Community Resources for Peace Building Community Resources for Peace Building

How to write a press release

Whatever type of organisation you are involved in, a good press release is one of the most effective ways of getting news about your organisation, its activities and achievements covered in the media.

What is a press release? A press release is a story or interesting news, presented in a way that journalists and media in general, can easily use. It allows them to tell at a glance what your story is about and to pick out the key points.

There are a number of things to remember when you are writing a press release in relation to layout and presentation, however the most important thing is its content. It should be new and newsworthy. Some of the themes to consider when you are looking to get press attention:

· The news has to be recent - talk about what is happening now or what is going to happen i.e. an event, a launch, an activity of some kind;

· Stories with a human interest angle are very popular - people are interested in people, so is there a personal angle you can focus on, one person’s experience, achievement or some such thing;

· Is there a controversial angle about the story, one which mich cause debate?

· Unusual or unexpected events or activities are also interesting to media and could allow for good photo opportunities

· Is there a well know face or celebrity involved in the story - the higher the profile of people involved the more newsworthy in general

· Focus on the local angle to a story even if its is a national issue, getting an insight into local impact will sell local papers.

· Ask yourself the question “Why should people care about this news?” and make sure you have a strong answer before you start writing your press release!

Top Tips to remember · Know the media you are writing for and their style of article. Check their deadlines for copy and if possible introduce yourself to the journalists first of all and chat to them about the issues you want to publicise. Pick your time to ring the journalist, being mindful of their press deadlines and when they may be likely to have time to chat with you.

· BE CONCISE - Never, ever, write more than two pages - preferably one. Two-hundred and fifty words is enough to say everything. Add a link to a longer blog post or on-line article is there is specific detail that needs to be added.

· Headlines should be as short interesting as possible - short enough for a Twitter update (144 characters). The headline should encapsulate the essence of the press release and its value to the reader It should not contain the name of the issuing organisation.

· Keep the language used in the press release appropriate to the publication you are sending it to i.e. avoid technical terminology if it is going to a mass media publication.

· Summarise what you are telling early on in the press release, ideally using the target of 25 words and addressing the “who, what, where, when and why” of the issue.

· Once you have written your press release go away and make a cup of tea and come back to it with fresh eyes. Edit and tighten it us as appropriate.

· If e-mailing your press release, do not send it as an attachment, place it in the main body of the e-mail. Also make the subject line of the e-mail reflective of the core content of the press release - make it easy for the journalist to what its about.

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Top Tips to remember (continued)

· If you are including quotes in the press release, make sure it sounds plausible and don’t quote anyone who might not be available for an interview.

· Avoid the use of unnecessary graphics in a press release - they clutter the message and clog up the journalist’s in-box. The press release should be really easy to scan quickly and graphics can get in the way.

· If images are an essential part of your press release, supply clear, usable photographs. Attach them to the e- mail rather than referring the journalist to another web source to find them. · Don’t send out a press release and then go off on holidays the next day. Make sure that someone is available to comment on the press release or add to it if required. · Always put your phone number clearly on the press release instead of hiding behind an e-mail address. There often is not time for e-mail enquiries. How should your press release be presented?

Here is a handy template for writing a press release. All text in Blue needs to be included in the press release. Text in italics needs to be introduced by you.

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: (place the appropriate date here) (If you want the media to use the story as soon as they receive it) or Embargoed until: (place the appropriate Time/Date here) (This is a good way of giving journalists time to prepare and to ensure they don’t use it until a specified time)

HEADLINE (Start with a short catchy headline - 5 words or so)

Photo opportunity: (What is it, where it is, when is it and contact details)

Paragraph 1: Summarise the story - who, what, where, when and why. Paragraph 2: Put in more details to flesh out the story Paragraph 3: Quotes from you or someone relevant to the story Paragraph 4: Extra relevant information

ENDS

Notes for Editors Provide background information in case the media is able to run a longer piece Outline what you have to offer : pictures, interviewees Outline any additional relevant information or facts and figures, but keep it short. ______

Contact details: Make sure you supply telephone numbers where you can be reached day or night. This can make the difference between your story being covered or not.

Name: (type your name) Tel: (type your no.) Mobile: (type your mobile) Organisation name: (Type your group/organisation name here) (Type your address, e-mail and web address here)

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How to Run an Event compiled by Ruth Daly, Sort-it

So you want to run a community event? This article will give you some pointers on how to bring it all together. The following suggestions may need to be re-ordered to suit your event, however they will provide a check list of all activities to be undertaken.

Planning

l Put a team together with a good range of skills to help with the planning - then they can help with everything from preparing budgets, to making posters and invites. l Make sure to gather volunteers - if they have broad range of connections, they can make the job of finding guests easier. l Prepare a budget - all possible expenses, incomes, sponsors, and contingency expenses should be included. l Prepare a draft poster - this draft should include the suggested date, time, venue, speaker, name of the event and a theme or tag-line for the event. l Prepare a draft schedule of activities in the event - the lead time necessary into an event will depend on the type of event. For example, a festival may require planning to commence as much as a year in advance depending on its complexity, where as a local seminar may only required 4-6 weeks of planning to bring it to delivery. l Prepare a timeline (with deadlines) for each activity. l Keep the team members up to speed with plans through regular communication.

Take Action

l Fix the date, venue, speaker/chief guest, name of the event and the tag-line. l Get approval for the budget, schedule and other details from other team members. l Meet with team members to brainstorm any problems that might arise, go through a risk assessment and identify any contingency plans to work around these risks. An action plan would be useful to develop at this stage. l Delegate elements on the work to different people and appoint one person to co-ordinate the activities and updates on progress. Specific time frames for each delegated task. l Make sure any related websites connected to your organisation or the event are updated as regularly as is appropriate. l Source sponsorship for the event and identify any other potential sources of funding. l Market the event - prepare a brochure/leaflet, a press advertisement, press releases for the media, send e-mails about the event, make phone calls as necessary. l Look into the administrative arrangements for the event and ensure they are taken care of well i.e. accounting, registration, mailing of invites etc. l Meet regularly with the team member to ensure that all communication is working well and that there are no internal problems. l Gather physical equipment/props required for the event i.e. medals, prizes, tables/stands, podiums etc. Make a list of all items required and give responsibility to one person to collect them for the event l Make arrangement for photos on the day of the event or for the event to be video recorded if appropriate. l Make arrangement for food and refreshments - you might want to get quotes from a number of sources. Also make sure you ask people to RSVP if it is appropriate to the event to ensure that the right amount of food is secured.

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l Check the need for special dietary requirements of guests and other special arrangements like parking close to the venue entrance for those with disabilities. Ensure the venue is disabled accessible. Is there a requirement for signing for those with hearing impairment? l Make arrangements for chairs, tables, backdrops, microphones, speakers, computers, projectors, podiums etc to be set up at the venue. l Prepare a list of all relevant mobile, telephone numbers, e-mails of team members and ensure each member has a copy. If appropriate make a similar list for VIPs and suppliers of specific services like sound, catering, photographs etc. l Visit the venue with your team members to look around at the practical implications of the space on the event flow. Check out fire exits, administrative support and any other support which might be required on the day of the event. l Give proper instructions to each team member on how to handle every situation that may arise. l Make sure you give out clear instructions to all those attending on how to reach the venue and where to park.

Work to be done 24/36 hours before the event l Check the final numbers of RSVP’s and create a delegate list. l Confirm numbers with the catering service. l Contact all speakers/VIPs to run through final details and ensure all is on track. l Check if all activities are going to be on schedule. l Go to the venue and check if all things are ready or ready to be set up. l Make arrangements for payment of services as if appropriate and if payment is require at the event make the appropriate arrangements for the right team members to be available to make payments. l Check that all the items that may be needed by participants at the event are ready i.e. pens, paper, water, sweets, brochures and any other information. l Prepare a minute-to-minute agenda for team member. l Prepare a checklist of things to be taken to the venue. l Double check that you have enough staff/volunteers for the event and that all volunteers are fully briefed and available.

After the Event l Thank all team members, especially sponsors and volunteers. l Finalise and settle accounts. l If appropriate have a “Thank You “ party for all those who helped. l Distribute any souvenirs or other publications to relevant people. l Deliver receipts to sponsors and others. l Distribute photos to those who require them and upload photos to your website. l Develop a post-event press release and distribute it with appropriate photos. l Evaluate feedback forms. l Have a post-event team meeting to review the progress of the event and learning for next time.

Remember to enjoy the event!

46 Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon Seat of Queen Maeve of Connaght

The “Shared Heritage & Myths” Programmet is supported by the European Union’s PEACE III Programme, as awarded by Louth Peace and Reconciliation Partnership.