Last of the Bird's Eye Views

Here are the last few aerial shots of Dromahair. Thanks again to Trevor McDaid.

Time to Talk

How many times have we heard news journalists describe a community as "devastated" following a tragedy? These past few days in Dromahair I realised what that phrase meant. A pall of sadness and disbelief has hung over our village since last Wednesday evening. What is a deeply personal tragedy for the Pugsley family is also an issue which greatly affects our wider community, and it is an issue which we must address. This cannot be swept back under the carpet only to rear its ugly head again in tragic circumstances for another family.

At the church on Saturday evening Father McTiernan spoke masterfully and passionately about the dangers of cyber-bullying and the challenges which face our young people on the internet. He spoke of the need for parents and children to communicate and deal with issues in a constructive and healthy way. He spoke particularly to teenagers, assuring them that suicide is never the answer, that there is always an alternative, that help is always available if needed. As I listened to his words I looked around the churchyard and saw dozens of young faces, hurt, frightened, confused, distraught. Our children are struggling to make sense of what has happened, as indeed are we. Our job as adults, as parents, is to help them come to terms with the enormity of the loss inflicted on the family of Ciara Pugsley and on her friends, schoolmates and neighbours. More than this though, we need to help them to deal with the issues which face them on a daily basis. Young minds are fragile, impressionable and easily scarred.

Over the weekend I heard many people call for the banning of mobile phones and the internet. This is understandable but it is also unrealistic. The internet is a fact of life and is not going away. It is an enormous source of information, a marvellous vehicle for communication and extremely valuable if used in the right way. What we need to do as parents is to educate ourselves about its workings and its dangers and to equip our children with the tools they need to navigate safely through its social networks.  We need be vigilant, to supervise, control and monitor effectively and to discuss openly, with our children and with each other. We need to question and we need to listen.

I don't know what is the best course of action for us to take to help our young people to recover from this tragedy and to prevent another. I do know that we have to try. As a community we have to pull together for the benefit of our next generation. We owe it to the memory of Ciara Pugsley and to our own beloved children. We simply cannot skirt the issues of cyber-bullying and teenage suicide. The stakes are too high.

Like everybody here in Dromahair I was profoundly shocked and upset by the events of the last few days. I struggle to make sense of this needless loss of a precious young life. I worry about what will happen next. I don't have all the answers. I'm not sure that anyone does. What I do know though is that we will not get any answers unless we ask some tough questions. It's time to talk.

If you have ideas, suggestions or comments, please get in touch at dromahairdiary@gmail.com

The passing of Ciara Pugsley

It was with deep sadness that the Diary learned of the untimely passing of Ciara Pugsley of Killargue, Dromahair.

Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathy at this difficult time are with Ciara's mother, Aggie, and all her family and friends.

Removal is tomorrow, Saturday, to St. Patrick's Church, Dromahair, arriving at 6pm. Funeral mass on Sunday at 1.30pm, followed by burial in Creevelea Abbey cemetery.

May she rest in peace.

Demons Festival AGM

The Dromahair Demons Festival committee is holding its A.G.M. on Thursday 27th September at 9.00pm in the Blue Devon. Come along and show your support for the festival. More volunteers are always needed to help spread the load of organising this fantastic local event.

Drumlease N.S. Parents Association AGM

Drumlease National School Parents Association is holdings its A.G.M. at 8.30p.m. on Tuesday 25th September in the school. This is an opportunity to review the work the Association has done in the past year and to get involved in the plans for the coming year. In these straitened times a strong Parents Association is vital to support our wonderful school and its teachers, for the benefit of all our children. Why not come along and see what we do, and perhaps even join us?

Cinema North West

Our friends at Cinema North West have a packed schedule of events in the coming days. Check out the list below for something to suit all tastes;

Thursday 20th September
The Listening Room

facebook.com/events/320073584756702/    


Friday 21st September
Culture Night      
facebook.com/events/354461064630257/  


Saturday 22nd September
Leitrim Mobile Cinema 10 years on the road    
facebook.com/events/236265436496713/


Sunday 23rd September
Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey Manorhamilton
facebook.com/events/255624094540306/



Wednesday 26th September
Studio North West Paul Donovan Producing Masterclass
facebook.com/events/134967313316720/

For more information about the above events or for details of this year's Adaptation Film Festival featuring the works of the great John Huston, go to www.cinemanorthwest.com

Jewellery-Making Course

Learn to make earrings, necklaces, bracelets including Shamballa style, beading and wirework.
No experience necessary.
6 Week Course costs €120 including ALL MATERIALS.
Starts Wednesday 26th September at Friarstown, Dromahair, 7.30 - 9.30 p.m.
For more details contact Jean 086-8485078

Adult Ceili Dancing

Adult Ceili Dance classes will commence in the Bee Park Centre in Manorhamilton on Monday 1st October. Come along for a bit of fun and exercise while keeping the culture alive. For more details contact Clare on 087-2720068. Spread the word!

Focus on Business: Loves Legacy

Over the years I have learned that what is most important about a dress is the woman who is wearing it  - Yves St. Laurent

Who could argue with this? Especially on the day of a wedding. After all, the whole purpose of the wedding day is the joining of the bride and groom in marriage. For many women however, their wedding dress is one of the most important purchases they will ever make. Making the right decision is therefore crucial. Perhaps this explains the success of Dromahair's couture bridal gown specialist, Loves Legacy. The bridal wear studio was set up in June of last year by Nicola McHugh, with the aim of supplying affordable couture, and has since gone from strength to strength, with customers from all over Ireland.

What sets Loves Legacy apart from other bridal gown suppliers is its exclusive collections from Chanticleer and Terry Fox, although the studio does offer a wide range of designers, including Paloma Blanca. Dresses are custom designed and fitted to suit the bride-to-be and a professional, personalised service is assured. A complete suite of accessories and jewellery is also available.

Loves Legacy also caters for bridesmaids and mothers-of-the-brides.

In addition to bridal wear, the studio also stocks a varied and elegant range of occasion wear suitable for graduations, debs. nights and other formal situations. Communion dresses are also on offer. Loves Legacy is a member of the Wedding Federation of Ireland, so excellent customer service is assured at all times. Opening hours are 10am - 9pm, 7 days, by appointment only.

Nicola and her husband Eamon are originally from the Letterkenny area but settled here in Dromahair seven years ago. This busy lady combines running her business with looking after her six children, aged from 11 years to 5 weeks (no, I don't know how she does it either!) ably assisted by Eamon who, Nicola says, knows more about dresses than any man in Ireland. Nicola likes to use and promote local suppliers where possible, and is happy to recommend Beauty on your Doorstep by Niamh and GRV Productions to her customers.

Loves Legacy, Cashel, Dromahair     071-9134502    info@loveslegacy.ie

For anyone who cares to leave a comment about this article, Nicola at Loves Legacy has very generously offered to donate a piece of jewellery as a prize for what is deemed (by the Editor) to be the best comment.

Come Dine With Me Events

A message from the DARC side

Thanking all the people in Dromahair, Ardvarney, Killargue, Killenummery and Newtownmanor for making all the DARC collectors feel so welcome at their doors and for the support received to date which today stands at €120,000. The collection teams will be working hard to get back to houses within the next two weeks. Envelopes can also be left into Dromahair Primary Care Centre. Many thanks once again to everyone.

Town Trail: Stop No. 1

Stop No. 1 on the Dromahair Town Trail is St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, built in 1889.

The church is built on a rise overlooking the River Bonet. The site was donated by the local landlords, the Lane-Fox family, who also opened the building fund with a subscription of £50. The church was formally dedicated on 9th March 1890, the foundation stone having been laid on St. Patrick's Day 1889. The first mass was celebrated on Christmas Day 1889. The celebrant was Fr. Cormac McSharry, who in 1888 wrote to the Sligo Champion "for more than fifteen years mass has been celebrated in various houses - most of the faithful have to kneel outside. For some time we have the use of a small school-house in which is a little moveable altar". With this letter Fr. McSharry initiated and began fundraising for the building project. He is buried in the church yard adjacent to the front door.  St. Patrick's church was re-dedicated with a centenary mass on 9th March 1990.

Who's the Genius?

Gentle readers, it would appear that we have something of a creative genius in our midst.......

Dromahair Social Directory

At last the Dromahair Social Directory is ready to publish! Click on the tab at the top of the page to have a look.

There are still one or two groups whose details are yet to be included. Without doubt there will also be groups or organisations which have been inadvertently omitted or which the Diary just doesn't know about. There may also be errors in group names or contact details.

If you are part of a group and would like to have your details included, or if you have spotted any errors, please get in touch at dromahairdiary@gmail.com

Social Dancing

Get your dancing shoes dusted and ready for Social Dancing which recommences In Killenummery Community Centre on Sunday night, September 16th at 8pm. Come out and enjoy an old-time waltz, quick-step, jive and many more dances. No partners needed and both men and ladies are encouraged to come. Continuation will depend on attendances. Please come out and support!

Irish Dancing

Irish dancing classes have resumed in the Clubhouse on Tuesday evenings at 6.30. All beginners are welcome. For more information contact Clare on 087-2720068.

Dromahair from Above

Another few fine bird's-eye shots of Dromahair, courtesy of Trevor McDaid.

Leitrim Business Expo

This year's Leitrim Business Expo will take place on Thursday 11th October at the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon from 4 - 7 pm. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to showcase their wares and for Leitrim consumers to see what is on offer in their local area. The cost for a stand is €35 and booking closes on 21st September. Admission to the public is free of charge. Further details can be found here.

Dromahair Town Trail

Most of us will have seen the Tourist Trail signs dotted about the village but how many of us have actually followed the Trail?

With apologies to cartographers everywhere...

Stop No. 1            St. Patrick's R.C. Church, built 1889.
Stop No. 2            The Old Mill, with cannon from the Spanish Armada
Stop No. 3            Drumlease House (Millbank House)
Stop No. 4            Church of Ireland School (The Library)
Stop No. 5            Gillmor's Yard
Stop No. 6            Drumlease Church, built 1806
Stop No. 7            Church View (house opposite church)
Stop No. 8a          Dervogilla Bridge
Stop No. 8b          The O'Rourke Banqueting Hall
Stop No. 8c          The Lodge
Stop No. 9            Villiers' Castle
Stop No. 10a        Creevelea Cottage (opposite Dr. Jordan's house)
Stop No. 10b        Craven Lodge (Dr. Jordan's)
Stop No. 11          Abbey Manor Hotel
Stop No. 12          Creevelea Abbey

Over the coming weeks the Diary will publish a little more information about each of the stops on the Trail, so we can all get to know our wonderful village a little better.

Sweeties coming?

While on one of my regular walks (reconnaissance missions) yesterday I noticed quite a number of brown boxes piled up in the old Cheese Etc. shop. Curiosity awakened, I peeped through the window and saw lots of jars of lollipops and assorted goodies. Are we to have a confectionery emporium in the village? Tantalising as this sounds to one with such a sweet tooth, I'm not sure my waistline can handle it.....

The passing of Anthony Judge

It is with sadness that we record the passing of Anthony Judge of Beagh, and late of Finglas, Co. Dublin, beloved partner of Brigitte Christoph, our local vet. Anthony passed away suddenly but peacefully while on holiday with Brigitte's family in Germany last week. His funeral took place in Dublin yesterday.

May he rest in peace.

Come Dine With Me Events

Queen clears boards for Stanford crown

Congratulations to Eibhia Ní Mhuireagain who took first place in the Stanford Inn's Chess Blitz on Saturday. Eibhia beat all comers and won the title without losing a single piece. This amazing feat is rendered all the more remarkable by Eibhia's age - she is just 11 years old. Definitely a young lady to watch for the future. Well done Eibhia!

Good Luck Avril

Good luck to Dromahair's Avril Banks, heading for Africa this weekend where she will climb Mount Kilimanjaro (the White Mountain) in aid of Aware, the charity which aims to defeat depression. You go girl!

Coming up at the North Leitrim Women's Centre

What's happening in your Women's Centre this September;

Monday 3^rd September – A Jobs Club will run from 3^rd Sept. – 28^th Sept.  10am-4pm daily.  

To book your place contact the Leitrim Development Company on 071 9641770.

Monday 3^rd September.  Well Woman Clinic.  

Thursday 6th September at 11am. Lurganboy Nature Walk. The walk leads through speckled shade across the beautiful river Bonet Bridge. Guides Tina Pommer and Nuala McNulty from Leitrim Landscapes Guided Walks will point out the flora and fauna of interest, the edible plants and herbs and even give you a cooking tip or two! Suitable for the not so fit, walk will last 1.5 hours and will be slow pace and stop/start by nature. Cost €5

Thursday 6^th September 5.30-7.30pm Meditation.   Explore different meditation techniques including chakra, guided meditations and breathing.  Weekly charge €8

Wednesday 12^th September.  Mind Matters Support Group.  This group will meet the second Wednesday each month at 7.30 -9.30 in the North Leitrim Women’s Centre. If you are  interested in supporting positive mental health issues or would you like to meet and chat with other people to promote women’s mental well-being. Have you experienced mental health problems, or want to understand more about them?  Then this may be the group for you.

Tuesday 18^th September.  Health and Fitness Seminar.  The Women’s Centre has joined up with the fantastic team of Leitrim Sports Partnership and Leitrim Development Company to offer women this opportunity to get information about nutrition and the benefits of exercise.  Following a talk by a nutritionist there will be an opportunity to partake in a 20 min taster fitness programme so don’t forget to wear a tracksuit.  The week after the seminar we will be running a 6 week boot camp programme and if there is enough interest we hope to set up a walking group. 

Monday 24^th September.  Well Woman Clinic.

Monday 24^th September 7pm-9pm.  Happy Talk, Happy Tales Writers Group.  If you can talk you can write.  Come and enjoy sharing light hearted stories, even if you never wrote anything before now.  Try it out, bring a friend. 6 sessions - €24

Tuesday 25^th September 7pm-9pm.  Digital Photography Course covering digital camera settings, composition and creative techniques and how to use computer photography software.  Course of  8 sessions €65

Thursday 27^th September 8-10pm.  Living with Teens.  Introductory session on positive parenting for parents/guardians of teenagers.

To book a place contact the Women’s  Centre on 071 9856220 email nlwrg@eircom.net or simply call into the Women’s Centre, Bee Park, Manorhamilton.

A Giant Leap for a Dromahair Connection?

I love genealogy. Over the last few years I have managed to trace my ancestors on both sides of my family back a couple of hundred years. I have even managed to locate long-lost cousins and solve one or two family mysteries, Who Do You Think You Are? style. The biggest mystery of all though is not in my own family tree, but in my husband's.

Neil Armstrong 1930 - 2012

My mother-in-law's mother was a lady called Florence Armstrong. I have been able to trace her family back two hundred years here in Dromahair, and have traced some cousins in the U.S. and in Australia. The family legend persists however, that there is a connection to the great and recently departed Neil Armstrong. As yet, I have not been able to find any evidence for this, and I'm sure every Armstrong family in Ireland has a similar legend, but the absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence, as they say, and so the search continues.

It is known that Neil Armstrong's great-great-grandfather was born in Ireland about 1730. The family originated in Scotland, but settled in or around Irvinestown in County Fermanagh. Is it such a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the Dromahair Armstrongs might have had similar origins? Genealogy in Ireland is not always easy, as our records would not be as intact as those of our nearest neighbour, but the idea of being related to the first man on the moon is enough to encourage the most faint-hearted of researchers. Perhaps one day I will find that evidence.

I, along with many others, well recall that day in July 1969 when Neil Armstrong uttered his immortal words "That's one small step for man.....one giant leap for mankind." He was one of a small band of men to have walked upon the surface of the moon. He was a self-effacing hero, an inspirational figure to many of my generation. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he were also a man with Dromahair connections? Either way I think it fitting to salute Neil Armstrong as his family requested, with a tribute called Wink At The Moon. The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink. 

Come Dine With Me Dromahair

More Dromahair from the Air

A few more of Trevor McDaid's wonderful aerial shots of Dromahair. When these finish in a couple of weeks, they will be put in a slide show on the Diary.

Chess Blitz

Stanford's Inn is hosting a Chess Blitz on Saturday 1st September. Games begin at 1pm and there should be a minimum of 4 games per player. Entry is just €5. Why not come along and test your wits against the local hotshots in the ultimate war game?

Inspirational Homes "At Home"

Inspirational Homes Leitrim hopes to facilitate the sharing of experiences, knowledge and skills amongst anyone with an interest in making sustainable the future of building in Ireland. We do this via our website and the Green-Door Leitrim weekend, which is a unique opportunity to visit some of the buildings and homes featured on our website. This year it will be held from 14th to 16th September.

In the run-up to and during the Green-Door weekend we will be running a series of at home courses, the aim of which is to complement the website by giving hands-on training in some of the techniques and expertise featured in the builds.

Many of the courses will be held at one of the featured homes on the website and will employ the expertise of the people who worked on that house...in some cases the architect, in others the builders or suppliers. Courses include Wind, Sun & Rain - Living Off Grid, Building with Cob and go through to Cooking from a Straw-Bale Kitchen!

Most of these courses are subsidised by Leitrim Development Company and, where applicable, the small charge is simply to cover the booking fee; however booking is essential. Please go to www.inspirationalhomes.ie/courses.html or telephone 071-9134847, 087-7781914 or email info@inspirationalhomes.ie

Feely wins Dromahair run

On your marks.....

The annual Dromahair 4 Mile Run/Walk took place on Sunday, August 19. There was a great field of 140 runners and 35 walkers for the eighth running of this race.

Weather conditions were ideal for the start of the race, which was excellently organised this year again by Tom and Violet Cullen, Danny and Dolores Hannon, and Trevor and Imelda McDaid, in conjunction with North Leitrim Athletic Club. The race has gained popularity and stature and is now a key event in the Sligo/Leitrim athletics calendar. It is also part of the Filan's Centra Sligo Credit Union Road Race League series. 

Liam Feely, winner of the men's race

Win Koenck, runner-up in the men's race

Sligo AC, North Sligo AC, and North Leitrim AC were particularly well represented in the main race, and it was North Leitrim AC runner Liam Feely who took top honours in an impressive time of 21.15. In second place was a visiting runner from USA, Win Koenck, who finished in 22.05, with Raymond Byrne from the Sligo Triathlon Club coming in third in 22.27. 

Aisling van Rensburg, winner of the women's race

North Sligo AC’s Aisling van Rensburg ran a great race to take the senior women’s title in a time of 25.44 with fellow club mate Una McCool taking second place in a time of 26.08. Third woman home was Elizabeth McCabe in 27.44. 

The weather changed dramatically in the latter part of the race, when the skies opened and rain fell incessantly. Despite the heavy rain, the runners and walkers alike battled on, in the knowledge that there would be the usual excellent Dromahair post-race refreshments waiting for them when they finished.

The main event was preceded by a series of children's races for U-6s, U-8s, U-11s and U-14s. The presentation of prizes took place afterwards in the function room in the Blue Devon. Proceeds from this year's race will go to Dromahair Community Playschool.

Diaspora DNA

The Diary recently received the following email;


Hello...

I just now came across your blog entry about members of the Dromahair diaspora.  I am one of those, although my family emigrated quite some time ago.  We have traced our first ancestor in America as coming into Philadelphia in the early 1730s (the height of the penal law era).  His name is recorded as "Thady Rorke," though that was likely a misspelling of what his name actually was.

My wife and I moved back to Ireland from America about a year and a half ago (living in Galway). We've been up to Dromahair to visit on several occasions (including the 2011 Demons Festival).  I've recently acquired the services of a genetic scientist and researcher here in Galway who has been able to use the results of a DNA test I submitted to Family Tree DNA a few years ago.  By using the occurrence of other surnames I matched with in the DNA results and researching where those names were and still are found, he's been able to conclude that my O'Rourke ancestors were indeed of the famous Breifne / Dromahair O'Rourkes.  He's estimated that they were based right near Dromahair, and possibly up around Kiltyclogher.

What I'm looking for now are other O'Rourkes (of that or other close spellings) in that immediate vicinity who might be willing to have their DNA analyzed to search for close genetic connections. This researcher says if there are any farmers with the Rourke / O'Rourke surname still farming some of the land in that area, that would be particularly useful.  I'm hoping to find at least a few who would be willing to submit their DNA, and if any have family records stretching back several centuries or might know where to find them, that would be wonderful.  Hoping you guys can assist me in this great quest.

It would appear Thady left his home near Dromahair because of the extremities of the Penal Laws at that time.  Perhaps his parents put him on the ship?  I have a fairly detailed snapshot of my ancestors and where they lived once they arrived in America, and I'd be glad to fill you guys in on that for the blog (if that's something you'd be interested in).  What I need now is help linking Thady back to where he came from, and determining which branch of the north Leitrim O'Rourkes I come from (and possibly which of the kings!).

Thanks so much...I'll be eagerly anticipating your response.

~ Ryan O'Rourke

p.s.  I had my surname legally changed back to O'Rourke (it was Roark) a few years ago once I firmly established that this was the older spelling...kind of putting right a wrong, if you will.

Dromahair 4 mile race/walk and children's races

Don't forget that the annual Dromahair 4 mile fun run & walk will take place at 3pm next Sunday, 19th August. There will also be the usual series of Children's races (U6, U8, U11 & U14) at the earlier time of 2pm. Registration for all all races in The Blue Devon, Dromahair, from 1pm. Adults €10, Children €3, Family rate €20. Medals for all children. Lots of trophies for the adults in all categories. Contact Trevor McDaid: 087 649 3491.

DARC Update

It has been a little over three weeks since the DARC volunteers began knocking on our doors seeking donations for this wonderful community project. As 96% of the Diary's readers voted in favour of the DARC in our recent poll, we know that this is something the community of Dromahair wants, as well as needs. It is no surprise then that the volunteers have been getting a great response on the doorsteps, and already the donations have begun to arrive. Some €24,000 has been raised as of yesterday, in addition to the €50,000 already raised by last year's scrap metal collection.

Thermometers showing the collection's progress have been erected at Gillmor's, McGoldrick's Londis and in the Park. It is hoped to have all envelopes collected by 24th September. Any donations not collected by this date can be left in to the Primary Care Centre in Dromahair. Receipts for donations will begin to issue shortly.

The DARC project itself has been open for tenders since last weekend and already there have been an amazing 29 expressions of interest from construction companies. The cut-off date for tenders is 29th August next. Once the tendering process is complete decisions can be made about the final shape and cost of the proposed development. Exciting times!

Dromahair from the Air

Here are a few more shots of Dromahair from above, courtesy of Trevor McDaid:

Leitrim's Own Olympians

As the village of Dromahair celebrates Katie's magnificent win along with the rest of the country, spare a thought for Leitrim's own olympians, Colin Griffin and Laura Reynolds, both competing tomorrow.

Colin goes in the 50km walk at 9.30am while Laura's 20km walk will begin at 5.30pm.Good luck to both!.

Go for Gold Katie!

As the country prepares for an evening of celebration, there is only one thing left to say.....

Male Strippers in The Blue Devon

There will be no male strippers appearing on Saturday 11th August in The Blue Devon. Instead you can see one of Ireland's funniest men, my old friend Paul Malone. I first saw Paul on stage about 30 years ago, and he's been making me laugh ever since. Highly recommended for a great night out!

Table Quiz for Avril and Aware

Please support the Table Quiz being held in The Blue Devon on Friday 17th August in aid of Dromahair's Avril Banks, who will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro next month in aid of Aware, the charity which aims to help people defeat depression.

What is a "Blow-In" anyway?

Recently I overheard a rather uncharitable remark about blow-ins and foreigners in Dromahair. I won't go into detail about the conversation but the words made me think: I'm sure we all know what a foreigner is, but how exactly is a blow-in defined?

The accepted wisdom seems to suggest that a blow-in is someone who was not born in the locality. This however requires further analysis. If a man is 67 years old and has been living in the area since he was 2 years old, is he a blow-in? If he is Dromahair born, leaves at 7 and returns at 67, has he become a blow-in in the meantime? Are children born in the village of non-Dromahair parents blow-ins? How is the locality defined? Where are the borders? Does the distance "blown" have any relevance? Is a person from Ballintogher more or less a blow-in than a person from Ballydehob? Are they both out-ranked in the blow-in stakes by a Belgian? Is the spouse or partner of a Dromahair native exempted from the blow-in test? Once a blow-in, is it possible ever to achieve true non-blow-in status? What are the time limits? 40 years? 50? 60? It's all terribly confusing and frankly, sounds a little childish (I was here first!) and silly.

So is the term blow-in offensive?

I've been called a blow-in for most of my life. I was born in London, raised in Luton and Kildare, and lived in Dublin and Galway on my way to Dromahair, where my husband's people have lived for hundreds of years. I have blown in and out of lots of places. I also have a hide like a rhinocerous and am completely unperturbed by anything I might be called. Others however are of a more sensitive disposition and can be offended and hurt by what they perceive as unkind remarks. So, is blow-in a derogatory term? Isn't it just amusing banter? The answer, as it is so often, would appear to be that context is all-important. If the speaker uses the term in a derogatory manner, then the term is offensive.

A more important question might be: Why are these words used so often in a pejorative sense?

A foreigner is quite obviously someone who comes from another country. Simple. Or is it? When used as a derogatory term, I believe the word foreigner quite simply means "someone who is different to me". Quite often people see "outsiders" as different and therefore slightly frightening. I can understand their fears - they may feel that their way of doing things will be undermined by new people, with new ideas, seeing them as faintly threatening. Of course later on this seems ridiculous, as the vast majority of people, whatever their origins, are friendly and warm, wanting the same things - and to live their lives in peaceful co-existence with their neighbours. When we get to know each other a little better we soon find out that there was nothing to be frightened of in the first place, that we are not so different after all, that new ways of looking at things, fresh ways of doing things can often mingle well with the old ways, and bring an enriched quality of life for all.

So maybe it's time to worry less about where we all come from, as we all blew in from somewhere at some time, and pay more attention to the wonderful village we live in, to our fantastic colourful neighbours, to our beautiful children and to our shared future.

It's also worth remembering that Dromahair's most famous resident was a blow-in, and also a foreigner.

His name was Patrick.

Know your Onions

Onions, garlic and leeks are all members of the allium family.   I can’t imagine life without onions or indeed any of the other alliums.  Soups, stews, dips, salads, the list of their uses is endless.  There are also health benefits which include being good sources of Vitamins B6 and C and sulphur which is good for the liver.  They are cited as being useful in reducing blood pressure, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral and they are thought to be effective in reducing the size of cancer tumours.

It is possible to have your own onions growing or in storage all year round.  I tend to buy onion sets, which are small onion bulbs, as they are very reliable; but you can also start from seed and there is a lot more variety to choose from if you go down this route; but it is more fiddly.

 I plant autumn onion sets around the end of September to the middle of October, there is a variety called Radar which I have used for many years.  The advantage with these is you can start pulling the onions as soon as they are of a reasonable size around March if you need them, or you can leave them to bulk up and they are usually ready a good six weeks earlier than the main crop.  If you like red onions, there are sets for these available for autumn planting too, look out for Electric Red. 

You can sow White Lisbon Winter Hardy until October, with the later sowings you can extend the cropping period with the use of cloches or the protection of a polytunnel or greenhouse.  There is no reason why scallions or salad onions cannot replace regular onions in most recipes. 

Purplette onion bulbs

This year I found a real little gem, a dual purpose salad onion called Purplette.  They start off as a normal salad onion, but the stems are a nice purple/red colour, as they mature, they form mini red onions and get to quite a nice size, handy if you have a small family or just want a smaller onion for your recipe.  Red onions are normally milder and sweeter than the white ones and are lovely used in quiches and pizzas or they would make an interesting pickled onion.

Onion sets for storing are planted as soon as conditions allow around February or March.  They are ready for harvest in late July to mid August when the tops start going over.  Lift the bulbs and put them somewhere to dry out, they can be plaited or stored in nets and hung up in an airy, dry, frost free place.  If your onions start to form a flower spike, cut it off and then use them as soon as possible, if you allow the flowers to form the middle of the onion will eventually become hard and useless, so better to use it up even if it is small than have to throw it in the compost. Do not attempt to store any onions with thick necks, they won’t keep.  Onions usually respond to stress by flowering, so periods of unusually hot weather like we had back in May can trigger this, you can help prevent it happening by covering with some shading/windbreak material which will keep them a bit cooler.

If you like something a bit unusual, look out for Egyptian or walking onions.  The bulbs are planted and grow like normal, then they start forming more onions on the top of the stalk and then bend over which plants the small bulbs into the ground, they also can produce flowers that turn into tiny bulblets which can also be planted, no two plants seem to do the same thing, they are fascinating. You can eat the small bulbs in salads and the larger parts can be cooked like any other onion.  Of interest to permaculture and forest gardeners as they are self perpetuating.

My main crop onions this year have been a complete disaster.  The weather conditions have not been great, the wind and rain have battered them, a great crowd of rooks came down and pecked lots of holes in them and then they succumbed to mildew.  I am going to harvest what is left and get them dried off in the tunnel, if they don’t look as if they will store, I will peel and slice and put in the freezer for using in soups and pasta sauces.

If you want to contact me with questions or your tips, email me, Nelly Dean on cottagegardenerdromahair@gmail.com

Tours de Force on our doorstep

My nieces are visiting. With ages of 21, 16 and 13, along with my 7-year-old, they present a particular entertainment challenge - how to amuse the girls on days when the weather is not at its best. Yesterday looked like being such a day. After a promising start the dark clouds rolled in, so we abandoned plans for an outing to the beach, opting instead for a trip on the Rose of Innisfree tourboat followed by a wander around Parke's Castle. As it turned out the weather was fine, but I'm so glad we chose the local option for our afternoon's entertainment. It was wonderful. 

Our excursion on the Rose was an hour spent drinking in the most beautiful scenery counties Leitrim and Sligo have to offer while being regaled by George McGoldrick's erudite and enjoyable commentary. We were educated and entertained with poetry and song in the idyllic setting of our own Lough Gill. The adults on board were able to partake of the bar facilities, the Guinness being especially popular, with tea and coffee also served. The younger ones were delighted by their turns on the top deck, wearing the Captain's hat and trying to spot the Lough Gill Monster, conjured up by George. 

Once we had disembarked from the Rose of Innisfree we walked the few steps to the castle. Here I was amazed that the entry charge was only €8 for the whole family - really excellent value. Once again a pleasant hour was passed in learning a little of our local history. There is a guided tour available, along with an audio-visual presentation, but we chose to meander at our own pace, aided by the guide brochure provided at reception by Siobhan. This really is a tour for all ages, with history, high walls and towers against the beautiful backdrop of Lough Gill.

All in all we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours being entertained, amused and informed on the shores and the waters of one of Ireland's most beautiful lakes, at a cost which did not break the bank. The cherry on top of the cake was the fact that all of this took place less than 10 minutes from home!

Normal Service will be resumed.......

Well, my little Dromahairies, I'm back. Refreshed and raring to go after a spell in sunny South Galway, I hope to be posting as normal by the end of the week. The Social Directory is almost complete and some more Focus on Business articles are in the pipeline. The Pillars of the Community profiles should also begin sometime in August. As the Dromahair Diary celebrates its two-month anniversary, thank you once again for reading. And, as always, feel free to contribute your news or views!