Tuesday, 8 October 2013

TOMMY TIERNAN, THOMASTOWN, CO. KILKENNY



One of Ireland’s best known award winning comedians Tommy Tiernan kicked off his World Tour of Kilkenny at The Bridgebrook Arms, Thomastown last Wednesday night.  Tiernan a subversive controversial comedian ensured this event was not for the faint-hearted.   A large representation of young people attended the gig alongside older fans like me who remember when he burst onto the comedy scene in the mid-1990s.   Who can forget his first fresh faced appearance on The Late Late Show in May 1996?   He regaled the audience with hilarious tales about people and places in his hometown of Navan.  Like many Irish performers he describes this appearance on The Late Late Show as a landmark in his career.  Since this first television appearance his material has become more subversive and he has stumbled into controversy more than once.  However, these foibles have not detracted from his popularity judging by the full house and the number of young people in attendance last Wednesday night.  
                                                        View of Thomastown
In February of this year Tiernan was interviewed by broadcaster Tom Dunne on a national radio station.  The banter and humour between the pair was entertaining but the interview was a revelation.  Tiernan revealed due to the break-up of a teenage romance when he was sixteen he became the victim of ‘huge neurosis, insecurity and self-doubt’.   He decided he would ‘pray himself out of it’. He was attending boarding school in Ballinasloe at the time and the description of his religious fervour was hilarious.  He was the only student in attendance at early mass every morning and he prayed and prayed hoping the neurosis would subside. When the other boarders were in bed at night he remained in the oratory praying. He ordered religious music cassettes and sang along to the hymns alone in his room.  He became extremely religious and toyed with the idea of entering the priesthood.   He approached the Redemptorists in Galway.   Unfortunately, they requested that he repeat the leaving certificate and as he said himself ‘the vista changed’.  When he finally left boarding school and all the praying behind he veered in another religious direction and joined a group called Basic Christian Community on the Aran Islands.  This community was started by an ex-priest he met at boarding school.  The idea of an alternative Christian lifestyle appealed to him.  He spent a few years in this community before finally moving to Galway.  His father, who incidentally never goes to his shows, used to jokingly refer to him as a ‘martyr without a cause’.  
 
Tiernan the man is a complicated contradiction and this reflects in his comedy.  He bounded on stage at The Bridgebrook Arms dressed like the last Playboy of the Western World.  Wearing a cravat, a white shirt, a brightly coloured tweed waistcoat and trousers he launched into a hilarious, irreverent set.  Tiernan’s humour is quintessentially Irish and his stories are like streams of consciousness. They weave, digress, twist and turn like their creator on stage.   He alternately whispered and roared into the microphone drawing the audience to the edge of their seats.  His mastery of accents and facial expressions ensured the show was more a high energy theatrical performance than straight stand-up comedy.  Drawing maximum drama from his material Tiernan paced the stage toying with the audience.  Challenging, cajoling, pouncing but above all entertaining confidently.  Tiernan laughed with the audience many times obviously enjoying the great energy and mischief in Thomastown.  He revealed he was completing a World Tour of Kilkenny to provide for his six children.  Nothing escapes his hilarious observations and social satire.   Even Thomastown didn’t escape a barb.  When heavy rain pounded on the roof of the venue he quipped, ‘Is Thomastown near the river or in the river?’  Lots of laughter emanated from The Bridgebrook Arms that rainy Wednesday night and a mischievous Tommy Tiernan left Thomastown to continue his world tour of Kilkenny. 

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

2013 NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS - CO. LAOIS






Last Wednesday I attended the 2013 National Ploughing Championships at Ratheniska, Co. Laois.  The last time The Ploughing Championships were held in Laois it was 1943 and World War Two was raging.  Ireland was in a state of emergency with a wide range of restrictions in place.  Censorship and rationing prevailed.  6,000 people attended the event in 1943 a stark contrast to the 228,000 who travelled to Ratheniska this year.  I chose what turned out to be the busiest day of the three day event to attend.   Over 100,000 people descended on Ratheniska on Wednesday to attend the Glastonbury Festival for farmers.  This year’s event was set on almost 800 acres: 200 acres of competitions, 150 acres of trade arenas and 400 acres of free car parking.  There were almost 1,400 exhibitors, exceeding all prior years.  The prize fund was €18,000 with 340 entries over 21 ploughing classes.



Plough lady handling two large horses.








                                       Vintage 2 Furrow Mounted Plough Class

I approached the site from Portlaoise and was lucky to be ushered to the green car park which was situated adjacent to the competition fields.  I parked the car and in the space of two minutes I was watching the Vintage 2 Furrow Mounted Plough Class, in other words vintage horse ploughing.  There is definitely an art to guiding two strong horses to plough a neat and precise furrow.  I fell in love with a pair of white horses who seemed incredibly in tune with their handler.   The handler wore a wide brimmed hat, long hair and a beard and seemed to whisper directions in the horses ears which they followed nodding obediently.   The judges examined the furrows intensely looking for form, straightness, height and other qualities a furrow contains invisible to the naked eye.




 
Macra 2 Furrow Conventional Plough Class

The Farmerette Conventional Plough Class was taking place nearby and this was my next port of call.   I chuckled when I spotted the East Cork contestant with the Cork GAA Flags flying from her tractor.  Even at a ploughing competition the all-Ireland senior hurling final was foremost in her mind.  I must admit as a spectator I didn’t find the tractor ploughing half as entertaining as the horses. 
East Cork Farmerette checks her tractor above and Sheepdog Trial below 
 
The exhibition area beckoned.  I was not expecting to meet throngs of people milling about like ants.  It was like Grafton Street on Christmas Eve.  It was overwhelming.  I lasted about ten minutes fighting my way from exhibit to exhibit and after consulting a map made my way out of the thronged tented town to watch the Sheep Dog trials – Brace Competition.  Sheep dogs are so intelligent.  The sheep were herded through makeshift gateways, weaving up and down a large field.  Some shepherds used whistles and some shouted orders but I reckoned the dogs would have herded the sheep in an orderly fashion without human intervention.  
 
Participant in the Junior Hunt Chase above and a sheepdog trial below
 
 I watched a junior hunt chase and looked at various vintage displays.  Screams emanated from a large amusement park with people being hurled in the air by terrifying machines. There was something for everybody at this event.  Lely Astronaut Robotic Milking Parlour Display proved popular.  A sign read ‘COWS MANAGE THEIR OWN TIME’.  Cows wandered in to the parlour one by one when they felt like it and a robotic arm milked them automatically.   When the milking finished they wandered off to manage their own time. Fashion shows, cookery demonstrations, sheep shearing, candle making, crafts the list is endless.  I have come to the conclusion that the place to be at The Ploughing Championships is out in the fields where the competitions are taking place.  

 
Exhibition Area

Monday, 9 September 2013

EXHIBITION AT GRENNAN MILL CRAFT SCHOOL, THOMASTOWN, CO.KILKENNY

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                                               PAINTING BY DEBRA BOWDEN


During August I attended Kilkenny Arts Festival .  Having experienced some of the artistic delights in Kilkenny I left the city for a brief sojourn and travelled south 17kms, through Bennetsbridge, to the historic village of Thomastown.  Thomastown hosts an independent arts festival every year in conjunction with Kilkenny Arts Festival.  Many artists and crafts people live in Thomastown so the variety and quality of work is a very high standard.  I was invited to the opening of a group exhibition at Grennan Mill Craft School  by a friend Debra Bowden. Grennan Mill Craft School was founded in 1981 by County Kilkenny Vocational Education Committee.   Students learn metal craft, printmaking, ceramics, batik and textile weaving.   Debra is one of the many talented past pupils of the Craft School.  Having graduated from Grennan Mill, Debra spent a further four years studying in Scotland and subsequently won a scholarship in 2006 to travel to Japan to study the Japanese art of woodblock printing.   She is currently teaching print making at the Craft School. 
 
                                          PAINTINGS BY DEBRA BOWDEN

 The Craft School is located in the converted grain lofts of the Island Mill, an old flour mill dating back to the 18th Century, on the banks of the River Nore.  Six artists showcased their work and Debra exhibited her drawings and paintings in a large gallery area on the top floor of the mill.  Debra, originally from England, has lived in Thomastown for the past twenty years and her exhibition dealt with her preoccupation with various aspects of home.  Her work was inspired by prehistoric drawings, symbols and hand prints found on cave walls.  Four sections of the gallery told her story of Home, Family Home, My Home and Leaving Home.
             RELAXING IN THE COURTYARD OF GRENNAN MILL CRAFT SCHOOL
 A large crowd gathered for the exhibition. Luckily it was a glorious summers day. When visitors had viewed the various exhibitions they relaxed in the courtyard of the mill to discuss the beautiful work and enjoy a refreshing glass of sangria.  Climbing six flights of narrow wooden stairs on a warm day to view Debra's exhibition was thirsty work!


 



SCULPTURES BY NIALL HARKIN









Another talented artist exhibiting on the ground floor of Grennan Mill was sculptor Niall Harkin.  His work is inspired by animal and nature forms.  Niall works with sheet bronze and his method is to cut, shape, weld, make forms and finally patinate the metal. 



BASKETRY BY HEIKE KAHLE





















Heike Kahle of Baurnafea Willow Works created a selection of traditional and contemporary willow baskets and garden structures.  Terry Dunne and Frances Crowe exhibited woven tapestry and Caroline Schofield showcased textiles and drawings.  The exhibition showcased some of the amazing work being produced by artists and crafts people involved with Grennan Mill Craft School, past and present.

                  DEBRA BOWDEN SIGNS COPIES OF CATALOGUES OF HER PAINTINGS

              




 

 

 




Wednesday, 4 September 2013

A SUMMERS AFTERNOON WITH A FRIEND AT LONGUEVILLE HOUSE, CO.CORK


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                                                 LONGUEVILLE HOUSE













An old friend came to stay for a couple of days recently and as a treat I decided to take her to the beautiful Georgian heritage mansion Longueville House.   I rang to check if they were serving food during the day and was informed that on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays a snack food menu is served in the drawing room from 1pm – 6pm.  Longueville House is set in 500 acres of wooded estate in North Cork.  It is a 5km drive from Mallow town heading west along the Killarney road.  The O’Callaghan family own and run Longueville House and even though it is a grand old mansion it is homely and unpretentious. 

 

DRAWING ROOM AND BAR BELOW










We decided to visit on Thursday.  I love to see the wondrous expressions on faces of friends as we sweep up the long drive to Longueville.   Sheep and horses graze peacefully together in rolling park lands and when the secluded house is revealed it is like stepping back in time to a world of Jane Austen and the Bennett sisters.   Entering the house through a handsome Georgian door to an ample hallway the stately drawing room is to the left.  The room is decorated with large guilt-framed mirrors and old family portraits and furnished with comfortable couches and chairs, a perfect place to spend a couple of hours chatting with friends.  In winter a heart-warming fire burns in the large open fireplace but as we were there on a fine summers day the room was warmed by glorious rays of sunshine streaming through enormous sash windows.





The kitchen is supervised by internationally commended chef/patron William O’Callaghan.    The snack food menu is reasonably priced and consists of delicious soups, terrines, lasagnas and other tasty nibbles.  Longueville House practises a field-to-fork policy offering the freshest produce from their gardens and farm.  Dinner in one of the stately dining rooms is next on my list.   When my friend and I finished our  delicious relaxing lunch we left our comfortable couch to take a postprandial stroll around the gardens. 
 
 



STATELY DINING ROOMS







Longueville house offers a myriad of activities to visitors and guests.  Salmon and trout fishing on the river Blackwater, simulated clay shooting, October mushroom hunts, May dawn and dusk chorus walks, cookery demonstrations with lunch and various tours and tastings.  Longueville also houses Ireland’s only brandy distillery.  Artisan cider is brewed on site and artisan foods and hampers are for sale all year round.
                                              HALLWAY OF LONGUEVILLE HOUSE
The magnificent Victorian glass and iron conservatory was added to the house in 1866 by Richard Turner and is a stunning location for weddings and gatherings. When we had finished our tour of the gardens my friend thanked me for a wonderful afternoon.  I think you’ll agree that Longueville House is a very special place to spend an afternoon with an old friend.


   RICHARD TURNER'S VICTORIAN CONSERVATORY CONSTRUCTED IN 1866
 
 
 
 
VIEW FROM GARDEN AT LONGUEVILLE HOUSE
 

Thursday, 29 August 2013

BLACKWATER CASTLE, CASTLETOWNROCHE, CO.CORK - GUIDED TOUR DURING HERITAGE WEEK 2103



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                      VIEW OF NORMAN CASTLE AND ADJOINING WEDDING VENUE


I live in Cork and never had the opportunity to visit the historical Blackwater Castle. When I noticed a guided tour advertised on the Heritage Week Website for activities  in Cork I jumped at the chance.   Blackwater Castle is situated near the beautiful village of Castletownroche in North Cork.   The castle is located on an elevated site above the river Awbeg.   There are magnificent views of the surrounding countryside from the battlements of the 15th Century  Norman tower which is reputed to be one of the best preserved medieval keeps in Ireland.   The castle is the former seat of the Roche family who travelled to Ireland with Strongbow in the late 12th century.  The Roche family subsequently became the powerful Lords of Fermoy.



DOORWAYS TO THE NORMAN CASTLE AND ROMANTIC WEDDING VENUE BELOW






 
When I arrived at the castle a crowd had gathered in the car park.  We were greeted by our hosts Patrick Nordstrom and his wife Sheila.  Patrick’s father, originally from Finland, bought the castle in the 1991 and Patrick has been running the estate with Sheila since his father’s death in 1998.  Patrick and Sheila are extremely enthusiastic about the history and archaeology of the castle, castle grounds and surrounding area of North Cork.   
               76 NARROW STEPS TO THE BATTLEMENTS OF THE NORMAN CASTLE
Our tour of the castle grounds began in a wooded area with a viewing of the remains of a 14th century defence wall with a triangular tower and lookout post.   Patrick advised us the underlying structure of the defence wall dates back to the Bronze Age when the fort was known as Dun Cruadha and is over  2,000 years old.  I was surprised to see a monstrous 50 ft. modern climbing tower nearby.  Patrick advised us this was one of activities used by Blackwater Outdoor Activities. This company utilises the natural resources of the estate including the river, forestry, walkways, castle and its facilities'  It caters for groups of children and adults.  
  


13TH CENTURY LOOKOUT POST IN THE GROUNDS OF BLACKWATER CASTLE. VIEW FROM THE BATTLEMENTS OF THE 15TH CENTURY NORMAN CASTLE BELOW.





 
 
 
OVER 100 LIMESTONE STEPS DESCEND INTO THE VALLEY
 
Following our tour of the grounds we arrived back to the castle to view the 12th century tower and adjoining chapel building.  To the rear of the tower over 100 steps cut into limestone descend into the valley to what is now a dried up well.  These steps originally open to the elements were covered over in the 15th century so the integrity of the water supply could not be tampered with in a siege situation.  Patrick and Sheila have studied the history of the castle and surrounding area in-depth and Patrick enjoyed recounting quirky tales.  One tall tale was that they have their own ‘Blarney Stone’ which is apparently a medieval latrine situated in the 12th century tower.  Patrick advised us we could kiss the stone for free! We declined graciously.  


INTERIOR VIEW OF FIRST FLOOR OF THE NORMAN CASTLE BUILT CIRCA 1475









 
Our final tour was the interior of the 15th century Norman tower.  This tower is mainly intact with the ground and two main floors, roof and spiral staircase in a remarkably well preserved condition.  The climb to the top is 76 narrow, winding steps and single file but the views of lush, green countryside is worth the effort.

                              VIEW FROM DOORWAY OF THE NORMAN TOWER

This was an appropriate activity for Heritage Week.  Patrick and Sheila were knowledgeable, genial hosts and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  

ANCIENT SHEELA NA GIG IN THE NORMAN TOWER
VIEW FROM THE CASTLE 

 

Sunday, 25 August 2013

'COSTUME' - EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY, KILKENNY


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                                                      CREATION BY UNA BURKE

‘Costume’ was a magical exhibition I visited at Kilkenny Arts Festival.  This exhibition is at the National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard opposite Kilkenny Castle  and continues until October 16th 2013.   The visitor arrives at an archway in Castle Yard and through a door to the left is ‘Behind the Scenes’ an exhibition of undergarments created by The Abbey Theatre costume workshop and through a door to the right is ‘Future Fashion’.   Both exhibitions explore fashion, craft and the theatrical, both on stage and on the catwalk. 
 


















The Abbey Theatre is Ireland’s National Theatre, and home to the only full time costume workshop in the country.  ‘Behind the Scenes’ shines a light on the undergarment, a hidden but critical part of any costume.  The Abbey Theatre recreated a range of undergarments for this exhibition alongside original items from past productions, where the inner becomes the outer in a celebration of the sculptural qualities and superb craft skills employed in making panniers, hoops, crinolines, bustles and other surprising forms. The exhibition takes you on a journey from initial concept through to finished piece, looking at sketches, designs, fabrics, traditional construction methods and some unexpected techniques used in making costume for theatre including a birdseed bra!



'BIRD SEED BRA' WORN IN
'THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS'  BY
GABRIELLE REIDY AS BESSIE BURGESS



BESPOKE CORSET, CHEMISE, BUM PAD, BLOOMERS AND PETTICOAT WORN BY DERBHLE CROTTY AS GRETTA CONROY IN 'THE DEAD' BY JAMES JOYCE






                                                      ‘Future Fashion’ focuses on six innovators of fashion and sculpture for the body.  It explores the work of fashion, jewellery and shoe designers who are embracing – and transforming – craft skills and techniques through innovative design thinking.
                                                      CREATION BY UNA BURKE

One designer I really like is Una Burke.  Her leather breastplates have a medieval influence.   She is a leather artist and designer using vegetable-tanned leathers and traditional leatherworking techniques to produce her distinct construction of leather panelling and brass fittings. 


CREATIONS BY UNA BURKE 

 

FINSK was launched in 2004 by Julia Lundsten.  Julia creates handmade shoes in an atelier in Brazil using luxurious natural materials.  Maintaining an ethical production process is essential and all the leathers used are by-products of other industries.
 Andrea Chaves and Marlies Ten Bhomer also exhibited shoe creations and Ana Rajcevic creates wearable sculptures using silicone rubber, fiberglass and gel coat.  
 
SHOES BY JULIA LUNDSTEN OF FINSK


Stephanie Bila’s collection is an exploration of the ability of jewellery to enhance our perception of the human form.  The materials used are beech, bendywood and Swarovski crystals.  The inspiration carries on through to smaller sale ready-to-wear jewellery pieces. 
 



                                                                               
Costume continues at the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny until October 16th 2013.