Events(Past)

 

Christmas 2022: The offspring of Santa Claus's favourite tree takes root in the soils of Terryland Forest Park!

A green Christmas gift to the people of Galway: Connecting Galway's past to Galway's future.

 
Thanks to the genoursity and foresight of Tuatha volunteer Ruan Kelly and his mom, we now have in Terryland Forest Park a sapling grown from a seed of the elm tree which has stood proudly for decades at the front of Galway city's oldest church that dates back to 1320.
Ruan's family for years had a lovely popular food stall at the St. Nicholas Market serving the most beautiful vegetarian dishes. Thankfully for us they managed to obtain some wind blown seed and then nurtured it in their home garden for many years.
Tuatha volunteers Andreas Almqvist, Victor Whitmarsh and myself recently planted this heritage sapling at a prime location in the grounds of Terryland Forest Park.
The church of Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) now has a direct connection to the community-driven public park which serves as a key wildlife sanctuary and 'carbon sink' in the heart of the city leading the way in urban reforestation and in reversing biodiversity loss.
Hopefully the tree of St. Nicholas will bring some much needed heavenly protection to the Green Lungs of the city in the years ahead
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Harvesting in 2022 the Fruits from Trees planted by volunteers in 2013

 Over the last few weeks the Tuatha volunteers have been picking apples from trees planted by volunteers in 2013, as part of that year's annual community Plantathon in Terryland Forest Park.
The apples once picked (after leaving behind windfall fruits for the rest of nature to enjoy) were converted by my good wife Cepta (with a little help from me!( into delicious tarts that were happily eaten by volunteers onsite!

Top of photo shows four volunteers from 2022 (Paul, Ruth, Victor & Tobias) holding a wicker basket of apples made possible by the efforts of Terryland volunteers from 2013 including the four people shown in the lower part of the photo, namely Caroline Mc Donagh and daughter, and Sarah Knight and son Cian.
We thank these four people and the other great volunteers of nine years ago as well as all of the thousands of volunteers who have given their time and effort since 2000 to rewild what is now a Terryland Forest Park comprising a mosaic of diverse wildlife habitats in the heart of urban Galway.

Earlier this year volunteers planted in the same area a linear orchard of rare varieties of native Irish apples donated to us by Martina Finn who obtained them from Seedsavers. Looking forward to harvesting their fruits in future years.
Finally a big 'bualadh bos' to Cepta Lynch Stephens who donated the lovely handcrafted wicker basket to me a few years ago.
 
p.s. Join us every Saturday morning from 10am at the Sandy Road entrance to Terryland Forest Park

 

 

Join us in a Walk through History and into the Future of a green-blue Galway city

February 2022

 

Sign up for an exciting journey through a unique urban park comprising a wonderful cornucopia of wildlife habitats and heritage sites that is Terryland Forest Park. Commencing at 11.30am on Saturday February 12th from the ‘Plots’ sports field at the beginning of the Dyke Road (opposite the public carpark), participants will walk past former war-era allotments, see the remnants of the old Clifden railway line that will be transformed into the terminus for the Connemara Greenway, step onto the top of a dyke wall completed in the early days of the Irish Famine that separates lush wetlands from former farmland that still shows rural features of long ago, see a field of gorse that provides a protective home to foxes, marvel at the tens of thousands of trees planted by the people of Galway over 20 years ago, come near an island that resonates with memories of the brutal Cromwellian occupation of Galway before arriving at the ruins of Terryland Castle, a fortification originally built by the Norman invaders that was burnt down during the Williamite War of the late seventeenth century fought between armies from Ireland, England, France and the Netherlands.

Then looking across a scene of natural landscapes and waterscapes that would be the envy of any city in Europe, one will stand near the mouth of a river that starts and ends within our urban boundaries responsible also for the birth of modern Galway and which defines the parameters of Ireland’s largest community-driven urban woodland, we enter a magical place of native Irish forests, wildflowers meadows, farm pasture and hidden heritage trails that is home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna and which has been lovingly developed by the people of Galway and the staff of Galway City Council since 2000.

This expedition will represent not only a walk through history but a journey into the future as we assess together what needs to be done to protect and enhance this unique natural manmade biodiversity-rich green oasis in the heart of Galway city that reaches into the rural lands of county Galway and reinforce its role in a time of Climate and Biodiversity Crises as a ‘carbon sink’, a wildlife sanctuary, an ecological corridor hub, a passive outdoor leisure facility, and as an Outdoor Classroom for the schools and colleges of Galway.

We also want the event to act as a recruitment drive for the new volunteer unit of Terryland Forest Park whose members will serve as guardians and nurturers of this unique green resource. We hope that participants will be especially excited to sign up when they witness the new park onsite base that is being installed for the benefit of volunteers and visitors alike!

 
 
 
Making Homes for Bats
Photograph shows participants from Men's Sheds of Oughterard and Galway city at the recent bat making workshop mentored by Peter Finnegan at Cumann na bhFear premises.
Twenty of these bat boxes will be installed by volunteers on Saturday (May 27th) in the Terryland Forest Park under the auspices of Caitriona Carlin and Kate Mc Aney.
Meet up will be at 11am in the Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden.
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Save the Bees: Help Create a Wildflower Woodland tomorrow(Sun April 2nd)
 

Join Operation Bláthanna (Irish = Flowers). and help in the ongoing efforts to create a Wild Garlic Wood in Terryland Forest Park tomorrow (Sunday) at 10am.

Hundreds of 'wild garlic' flowers will be planted at this event as volunteers continue to create thematic flora areas in certain locations within this 180 acres nature and farmland reserve.
So we ask you to please join us and be part of the campaign to establish habitats for bees and other pollinators.

Rendezvous: 10am near the Curry's (Galway Retail Park) entrance to Terryland Forest Park.
Google Map link: https://goo.gl/maps/Xo3AUoXC8aS2


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Workshop: Pruning Fruits Trees

Location:  Ballinfoile Mór Community Organic Garden.
Date:  11.15am Saturday March 25th
Tutor:  Kay Synott

Fee: The workshop is free. But participants in return are expected to volunteer in the community garden for two weekly sessions.

Pruning is the selective removal of certain parts of a plant such as branches, buds or roots.  With fruit trees, it relates to removing dead, damaged and diseased branches in order to help prevent decay organisms from entering the tree and reducing  dense canopies to increase air and sunlight. The process benefits the health of the tree and increases crop yields.

To book a place, email Brendan at speediecelt@gmail.com

















Creating a Bluebell Woods in Terryland Forest Park - Saturday July 2nd 2016

After the success of last year's major native wildflower 'meadow' project and the recent Wild Garlic planathon, the transformation of Terryland Forest Park into an urban biodiversity zone of multiple habitats continues this Saturday with the creation of a Bluebell Woods.
The efforts of volunteers in Terryland Forest Park is helping to reverse the serious decline of wildflowers in Ireland over the last 50 years which has impacted so negatively on our indigenous wildlife, from insects to mammals.
Many of Ireland’s native wildflowers face extinction due to pollution, invasive species, urbanization, loss of habitat and intensive commercial farming. The use of pesticides and herbicides in farming in order to increase specific crop yields has meant that wildflowers and pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies are being poisoned. Hence flora and fauna species are declining alarmingly and a countryside that was once populated with flowers representing all the colours of the rainbows, that throbbed to the sounds of a wide of variety bees and birds is sadly becoming a thing of the past.
Help undo this process and to save Ireland’s indigenous flowers and associated pollinating insects and bats. Under the expert tutelage of Padraic Keirns, Conservation Volunteers Galway and Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park are once again teaming up to organise another major re-flowering within Terryland Forest Park. This time it will be in woods near the Quincenntennial Bridge.
Nearly 1,000 plants have again been collected for Saturday's 'plantahon' with the primary species being 'bluebell' as we continue to create thematic flora areas in certain locations within this 180 acres nature and farmland reserve.
So we ask you to please join us on this Saturday(July 2nd).
Rendezvous: 10am near the Curry's (Galway Retail Park) entrance to Terryland Forest Park.
Google Map link: http://bit.ly/1NE6S2o


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Create a Countryside in the City this Sat!

Volunteers are needed to transform a barren grassland in Terryland Forest Park into a traditional Irish meadow populated with a wide variety of native wildflowers such as clover, buttercup, daisy, ragged robin, poppy, bird’s-foot trefoil and yarrow.
This man-made habitat will provide a haven for butterflies, bees, hoverflies, moths and will represent one of the most exciting biodiversity initiatives to take place in Galway city.
Anyone interested in taking part should assemble at 10am on this Saturday (August 29th) at the Quincentennial Bridge entrance to Terryland Forest Park.
Wear suitable clothing and if possible bring along a spade and/or rake.
You can contact me by messaging me or emailing me at speediecelt@gmail.com
Further details can be found at my blog - http://bit.ly/1UY0IJN
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The 'Wildlife of Terryland Forest Park' exhibition

The Mayor of Galway city, Councillor Frank Fahy, will officially launch an exhibition entitled The Wildlife of Terryland Forest Park by artist Helen Caird   at 11am on Tuesday August 25th in the DERI Cafe located at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics of NUI Galway in the Dangan Business Park.

‘Wildlife of Terryland Forest Park’ is a fascinating artistic insight into the wonderful biodiversity of one of the largest community-local authority partnership urban woodland projects in Ireland. As part of an ambitious scheme to transform this man-made natural heritage area in Galway city into an ‘Outdoor Classroom’ and ‘Outdoor Laboratory’ for the benefit of schools, colleges and the general public, artist Helen Caird was commissioned to draw illustrations of flora and fauna found in Terryland Forest Park for a series of digitally-connected information posters that form an educational trail across its woods, grasslands and wetlands.
The exhibition will be on display in the DERI Café of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics at NUI Galway from 9am to 4pm on August 25th until August 28th during Heritage Week.

Biography of Helen Caird
Helen Caird is a graduate of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (2011) with a BA (hons) in Fine Art (Painting) and is now a practising visual artist in Galway City.  She is currently a member of the Loft Studios in the Briarhill Industrial Estate, Galway City.

In the last number of years, she has been involved in a number of shows including the RDS Student Art Show, as well as its travelling exhibition, the PrettyvacanT Dublin “UnUsed and Unloved” Exhibition  in Dublin and 126 Artist Run Gallery (as part of a month long residency in 2012).  Caird is also a founding member of the KitchenTable Artist Collective which formed in June 2011. 


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Night-time Bat Walk in Terryland Forest Park
 
Galway Bat Group is undertaking a bat-walk on the night of Thursday July 23rd commencing in the section of the Terryland Forest Park behind Dunnes Stores and beside Liosbaun business park.
Meet up at 9.30pm in the Dunnes Stores car park.
Bat detectors will be available to go around on the evening.
All are welcome!
Note: Drawing shown is of a Leisler Bat by Helen Cairdwhich is a feature on the 'Mammals of Terryland Forest Park' information display board that forms part of the new Outdoor Classroom nature trail of this great urban woodland

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Save the Bees -
Join us in planting Native Wildflowers for Operation Bláthanna
Saturday June 14th
Many of Ireland’s native wildflowers face extinction due to pollution, invasive species, urbanization, loss of habitat and intensive commercial farming. The use of pesticides and herbicides in farming in order to increase specific crop yields has meant that wildflowers and pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies are being poisoned. Hence flora and fauna species are declining alarmingly and a countryside that was once populated with flowers representing all the colours of the rainbows, that throbbed to the sounds of a wide of variety bees and birds is sadly becoming a thing of the past.

Please help us reverse this trend and save Ireland’s indigenous flowers and associated pollinating insects and bats. Under the expert tutelage of Padraic Keirns, Conservation Volunteers Galway and Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park are once again teaming up to organise another major re-flowering of the forest of Terryland. So we ask you to please join us at 10am on this Saturday (June 13th) to plant over one thousand wildflowers such as sanicle, bluebell, wild rose and honeysuckle.

Rendezvous: 10am Saturday at gate entrance to Terryland Forest Park near Currys in Galway Retail Park, Headford Road.

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Reflowering the Forest - April 25th 2015
The Terryland Forest Park Conservation Volunteers & Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forrest Park during Spring and Autumn 2014 undertook a series of native wildflowers plantathons in the Terryland Forest Park. 
Our first large scale flower planting for 2015 will take place on Saturday April 25th. 
Rendezvous: 10am in car park in front of Galway Bay FM.
Fro further information, contact Brendan at speediecelt@gmail.com.

The Terryland Forest Park area designated for the April event will be a woodland behind Riverside estate & Liosban business. will include Bluebells, Bugle, Cow Parsley, Crow Garlic, Ground Ivy, St. Patrick’s Cabbage, Pendulous Sedge, Sitchwort and Wood-rush.
There will also be a clearance of long grass and briers.

During June 2014, volunteers collected the seeds of Bluebells and Wild Garlic from mature forests in Galway and spread them across suitable areas of Terryland Forsest Park.
In September, hundreds of Primroses were planted in the forest.

Last year then represented the beginnings of a major biodiversity project to plant appropriate indigenous species in the meadows, woods and hedgerows of this unique urban natural heritage resource. The flowering of the forest with sanicle, foxglove, st. patrick's cabbage, cow parsley, raspberry, primrose, wild garlic, bluebells and many more indigenous varieties will dramatically increase its attractiveness to a wide variety of insects, birds and many other types of wildlife.


The project is being overseen by horticulturalist Padraic Keirns.


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Terryland Forest Park: Reviving the Celtic link between Nature &
the Bardic tradition
 
Michael Longley & Maidhc Danín Ó Sé plant trees in Terryland Forest Park, April 2013 with James Harrold (centre) & Brendan Smith


Good to see in yesterday's Galway Advertiser that the Cúirt (Irish = court) International Festival of Literature is continuing to hold an annual tree planting event in the Terryland Forest Park that will over time create a natural reflective space for writers and others to enjoy.
This initiative was started in spring 2013 by Galway City Arts Officer James Harrold​ with Michael Longley and the late Maidhc Danín Ó Sé being the first writers invited to plant native Irish trees on what will become over time a major Poets’ Nature Walkway along the banks of the River Corrib close to the Black Box.
This year, director Dani Gill will plant a tree to mark the 30th anniversary of the festival and to celebrate her fifth season with Cúirt.

It is appropriate that the reconnection of the world of the Irish literati with Trees occurs in Galway, a city that has for decades kept alive the ancient Celtic bardic respect for Mother Earth. Here in this urban landscape, environmentalists and artists often came from the same womb and share the same eco-values and beliefs.
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Saturday April 12th sees the return of Slí na gCaisleán (Way of the Castles).
This ‘Off the Beaten Track’ heritage cycle tour covers a route that encompasses seven castles on the north and eastern side of Galway city and into Galway county. The trail will start from, and finish at, Terryland Castle in a 25mile looped cycle route that will include castles at Menlo, Cloonacauneen, Killeen, Ballybrit, Castlegar and Ballindooley.
This leisurely cycle will journey over hills, along botharins, past abandoned farms, ruined castles, karst outcrops, bogs, lakes, dykes, turloughs and meadows.
Check out http://bit.ly/1q2UIzo
It is hoped that the route will become part of a new Greenways network that is being developed by local communities in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council.
Start time: 10am, Sunday April 12th
Rendezvous, Terryland Castle, Dyke Road.
Duration: approx 7 hours
Organiser: Cumann na bhFear.
Note: Participants should bring along their own bicycle, suitable clothing and packed lunch. There will be a stop over at Cloonacauneen Castle where participants can have lunch.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must sign a form agreeing to abide by the rules of the tour.

Should you be interested in participating, please contact Brendan at speediecelt@gmail.com.

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Native Tree Detective Walks
Discover the characteristics and cultural aspects of the native trees of Ireland.

Botantist Matthew O’Toole, from Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park, has undertaken a number of exciting investigative guided nature walks through the Terryland Forest Park.

Participants have the opportunity to become arboreal detective by studying the bark, shape and form of the Oak, Alder, Hazel, Ash and other native flora and find why such trees were so important in the lives and beliefs of the peoples of Celtic Ireland.


 For further information, contact Brendan at speediecelt@gmail.com
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