Áit Dúchais
The adjoining 11 acres running alongside the river Tar for 0.5 km, provides a wonderfully away from it all feeling and picturesque view of the village of Clogheen nestled in under the old red sandstone Knockmealdown mountains, and turning 180Deg., the Galtee Mountains with the highest inland peak - Galtymore - in Ireland, often giving us the only sight of snow for years on end.
The land had been “improved” to a single field grassland monoculture in the early 60s, to provide food and supplementary income for our large family. However, my instinct was to revert it back to the environmentally more diverse many sub-fields apparent in the 1840's map, so in 2010 having joined the AEOS scheme, I created 6 micro-plantations and 5 main field divisions, with linking wide hedgerow corridors for wildlife and plant diversity to re-establish, along with reinstating rainwater ponds where previously these had existed as indicated on the maps.
Now 6 years on, the trees and hedgerows are beginning to flourish and canopies are developing that bring a bit of magic and “wilderness” back to the land with a much wider diversity of plant species and fauna present. In time walks will evolve through and under the canopies and other possibilities including market gardening and events utilising the land and waterway will be fostered.
The story of how the land influenced the timing and order of the site development is a tale in itself, one worth retelling in front of a warm fire, in the snug and very beautifully restored listed building itself. So come and join us for a stay, and experience “Áit Dúchais,” and nature’s inspiration and recovery for yourself.
The land had been “improved” to a single field grassland monoculture in the early 60s, to provide food and supplementary income for our large family. However, my instinct was to revert it back to the environmentally more diverse many sub-fields apparent in the 1840's map, so in 2010 having joined the AEOS scheme, I created 6 micro-plantations and 5 main field divisions, with linking wide hedgerow corridors for wildlife and plant diversity to re-establish, along with reinstating rainwater ponds where previously these had existed as indicated on the maps.
Now 6 years on, the trees and hedgerows are beginning to flourish and canopies are developing that bring a bit of magic and “wilderness” back to the land with a much wider diversity of plant species and fauna present. In time walks will evolve through and under the canopies and other possibilities including market gardening and events utilising the land and waterway will be fostered.
The story of how the land influenced the timing and order of the site development is a tale in itself, one worth retelling in front of a warm fire, in the snug and very beautifully restored listed building itself. So come and join us for a stay, and experience “Áit Dúchais,” and nature’s inspiration and recovery for yourself.