Join Birdwatch Ireland At Cabragh Wetlands Sunday Next

Posted on July 9, 2014 by George

Are you wondering how to enjoy some truly high quality family time this coming weekend?
Why not bring the whole family along to Cabragh Wetlands from 9.00am to 12.00 noon this Sunday, 13th July 2014, when Birdwatch Ireland will open their ‘ringing nets’ to the public and giving you a chance to look at and hear about the birds that have been caught and tagged that morning.

To view video in HD please click HERE .

Ringing nets are the process used to attach a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird. This later enables individual bird to be identified should it be recaptured or recovered.

It is common to take measurements during this capture for ringing. The subsequent recapture or recovery of the bird can then later provide valuable insight on migration, longevity, mortality, population studies, territoriality, feeding behaviour and many other aspects that are studied in detail by ornithologists.

There will also be a Star Systems television crew filming and recording, for public broadcasting later in the year and they would truly love to film your children busily active and engaged with ‘Mother Nature.’

Insect traps will be set up and the pond dipped, so there will be plenty to see and lots to learn from a team of experts under the supervisory and informative wing of senior Birdwatch Officer Alex Copland.

This will be a great family morning, and we advise that you come earlier rather than later, as trapped birds and insects can’t be kept for too long and must be released back into the wild as soon as possible after capture.

Trust me when I say that this educational primary source experience will be the total conversation around your dinner table for many days to come.

There will be a small charge of €5 for adults and €2 for children, with same being used as a contribution to the Cabragh Wetlands current and very important environmental building programme.

Posted in County News, Environment | Leave a comment

A Taste of Lough Derg 2014

Posted on July 7, 2014 by George
Tipperary Fayre

A Taste of Lough Derg, Tipperary

Food producers and restaurant owners surrounding Lough Derg have joined forces in an effort to promote the region as a food tourism destination. ‘A Taste of Lough Derg 2014’, a pilot initiative for 2014, features 13 separate food events taking place in villages and towns along the shores of Lough Derg in counties Clare, Galway and Tipperary.

Commencing this week and continuing through mid-September, the series includes;  Sunday Picnic at the lake in Killaloe,  Butcher Masterclass in Terryglass, Farm Walk and Cheese Tasting in Portumna, BBQ Garden Party and talent show in Garrykennedy and Chocolate Making and Tasting in Tuamgraney and Newtown. The series will also highlights the excellent country and farmers markets around Lough Derg.

The initiative is one of the recommendations of the Roadmap for Lough Derg, which was launched in conjunction with the Lough Derg Marketing Strategy Group (LDMSG) and Fáilte Ireland in March 2014.  The strategy has identified a number of areas to focus on over the period of the plan in order to achieve the vision for Lough Derg which is to develop it as a key destination for superb water based activities combined with a range of very high quality walking, cycling, heritage, culture and food experiences that will entice the domestic and international visitors to stay longer.

 “One of our objectives early on was to establish an initiative that showcased the local food sector, something that has not previously been done in a coordinated fashion,” explained Joe MacGrath, Chairperson of the LDMSG.

He added: “The local food tourism sector is fortunate to be served by a number of high quality artisan food producers and established chef-led restaurants. ‘A Taste of Lough Derg’ brings these various elements together as a method of promoting Lough Derg as a destination for food and illustrating the food produce in the area. As well as being aimed at attracting new visitors to the region, we hope this series will also inform people in the surrounding area of the quality food providers and suppliers that exist on their own doorstep.”

The participating stakeholders from around Lough Derg include Brookfield Farm, Tuscany Bistro, The Derg Inn, Lough Derg Chocolates, Sunny Meadow Farm, Good and Green, The Wooden Spoon, Larkin’s Bar & Restaurant, Killeen Farmhouse Cheese, Irish Seed Savers, Wilde Irish Chocolates, and Paddy’s Bar & Riverrun House & Cottages.

Áine Mc Carthy, Tourism Marketing Coordinator for Lough Derg commented: “The development of a new food tourism initiative is one of the objectives of the Roadmap for Lough Derg which seeks to enhance the overall visitor experience around Lough Derg and to establish an identity that is unique to this region. We are delighted to partner with local businesses to develop this initiative and further enhance the Lakelands ‘Lough Derg’ experience.”

‘A Taste of Lough Derg’ includes ‘Walk, See & Taste’ on Sunny Meadow Farm with a BBQ and Killeen Cheese Tastings, Portumna (Sun 13th Jul); ‘Taste & Make’ at Wilde Irish Chocolates Real Working Chocolate Factory, Tuamgraney (Thu 17th Jul); Pizza Picnic, Riverrun House & Cottages (Sun 20th Jul); Chocolate Demonstration and Tastings, Lough Derg Chocolates, Newtown (Fri 25th Jul); Tuscany Bistro World Cup of Forrestal Wines & Feast of Local Produce, Ballina (Thu 31st Jul); Scariff Harbour Festival 2014 feat. cooking demo with Chef Adrian Martin (Sat 2nd Aug); Farm walk on Brookfield Farm All Ireland Permaculture Gathering feat. workshops, foraging, wild swimming, Coolbawn (8th-10th Aug); ‘Meet the Producer’ organised through Paddy’s Bar, Terryglass (Tue 12th Aug); ‘Making the most of it – 50+ foods from an Irish garden’ at Good and Green, Annacarriga (Fri 15th Aug); Larkin’s BBQ Garden Party & Talent Show, Garrykennedy (Sun 24th Aug); A Celebration of Tipperary Beef and Lamb feat. Master Butcher demo & craft beer tasting, The Derg Inn, Terryglass (Sat 6th Sept); ‘Apple Week’ at Irish Seed Savers, Scarriff (11th-14th Sept); and ‘Sunday Picnics at the Lake’ with The Wooden Spoon Killaloe (Sun 14th Sept).

A nominal charge applies to some events while others are free. Pre-booking is recommended.

For complete details on each event, visit www.facebook.com/ATasteofLoughDerg.

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What Is Free To Tourists Visiting Tipperary?

Posted on June 30, 2014 by George
Fairy Park

Templemore Park Fairy Trail, Templemore, Thurles, Co Tipperary

With the exceptional fine weather being enjoyed around Tipperary and forecast for the next week, the Hidden Tipperary Tourism Group are pleased to point out that on the first Wednesday of each month all Office of Public Works (OPW) managed Heritage Sites, here in Co Tipperary, will continue to offer Free Admission to all individuals wishing to visit their venues, for the complete duration of the 2014 holiday season.

These ‘First Wednesday of each month Free Admissions’ will include Cahir Castle, Swiss Cottage in Cahir, Rock of Cashel, Roscrea Heritage (Castle and Damer House) and the Blackmills.

Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, however visitors may experience delays at some of the busier sites and therefore are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Note: Opening times can also change at these venues at short notice, so those intending to visit are requested to check all websites for updates, prior to their intended visit.

Do you and your family members enjoy walking?

Other permanently Free Admission sites for strollers, not managed by the OPW, but well worth visiting in Co Tipperary include Templemore Park Fairy Trail at Templemore, Thurles, Co Tipperary, plus the Clare Glens at Newport, Co.Tipperary and The Glen of Aherlow, at Aherlow, Co Tipperary.

Please remember that all young children, visiting these areas of great curiosity, should be fully supervised at all times, in the interests of safety.

Posted in County News, History, Tourism | Leave a comment

Gratuitous Famine Relief Book 1847 Goes On Display In Thurles

Posted on June 23, 2014 by George

The recently discovered ‘Gratuitous Relief Ration Record Book,’ (or the ‘Distribution Book,’ as it was also called,) for the electoral divisions of Holycross, Thurles and Ballycahill in 1847, has now been digitized, allowing an instant search facility for those anxious to trace their family roots.

The rare book, found in private collection, is now on public display at St. Mary’s Famine Museum here in Thurles and will be available to be viewed by all those attending the forthcoming Thurles Sarsfields International Festival Of Gaelic Sport (July 4th – 12th 2014).

This book contains the names of those who were classed as paupers in the hinterland / towns-lands of these aforementioned areas, during that most harrowing period of the Great Irish Famine, referred to as ‘Black ’47’.

This extremely rare ‘Rations Record Book,’ contains the names of the heads of each household and in many cases the names of all the adults in each household. It also contains the number of rations each householder was allowed.

Just over 3 million Irish people were being supported by outdoor relief in July 1847. To those it supported, covering the electoral divisions of Holycross, Thurles and Ballycahill while providing records of the food rations distributed in the period May – Sept. `47 and part of `48, it was a very humiliating and an insufficient system. Nevertheless it did keep starvation at bay for a very sizeable portion of Tipperary people at that crucial time in Black ’47.

Admission to St Mary’s Famine Museum costs just €2.00.

Posted in County News, History, Tourism, Video | 3 Comments

Tipperary Welcomes Visit By American Diplomat Dr. Richard Haass

Posted on June 21, 2014 by George

American Diplomat and former Northern Ireland peace talks Chairperson, Dr. Richard Haass, in the company of his wife, son and daughter, will personally make the trip to Tipperary to receive the 2013 Tipperary International Peace Award. This event will take place at a ceremony in Ballykisteen Hotel and Golf Resort on Monday next, June 23rd.

Dr. Haass receives the 2013 Tipperary International Peace Award for his significant role in his attempts to assist the peace process here in the six northern counties which make up Northern Ireland.

Although all the political parties involved did not reach any true and final agreement, the blueprint then laid down by Dr Haass, in his efforts to address Northern Ireland’s future concerns, is observed as representing very considerable progress in the way forward.

This year, on the eve of the award ceremony, the people of Ireland will have an unique opportunity to meet Dr. Haass at a special admission-free Tipperary Peace Convention event – titled “An Evening with Richard Haass,” This event, beginning at 7.30pm, will feature Dr Haass being interviewed by Mr Martin Quinn at Ballykisteen Hotel, where it is hoped Dr. Hass will discuss his life and diplomat involvement in the presently stalled Northern Ireland peace talks, while accepting questions from the audience in attendance.

Previous recipients of the Tipperary International Peace award have included Sir Bob Geldof, South African President Nelson Mandela (Madiba), Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, the late US Senator Edward Kennedy and his sister, the former Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy-Smith, Dr Sima Samar, Irish President Mary McAleese and her husband Senator Martin McAleese and just last August, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, latter who also collected her 2012 prize in person.

Music for this year’s events will be supplied by members of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland.

Further detailed information on this welcome visit to Tipperary, by Dr. Richard Haass, can be obtained by Telephoning 062-33990.

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