JAPANESE KNOTWEED once again . . .

Thanks to WLR for commenting on the situation, even if it's in Cork.

Check out:

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/national/118338-residents-fear-for-homes-over-japanese-knotweed-infestation.html 

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Waterford Greenway

Rian Glas na nDéise

Greenway Girls + Gent at Ballyvoile viaduct. 

The popularity of the recently-opened greenway  has exceeded all expectations.

Stretching 46 kilometres from Waterford City to Dungarvan,

it has already attracted thousands of walkers and cyclists from all over Ireland and abroad,

some bringing their own bicycles on their cars, or hire them along the way.

Refreshments are also available at a number of places.

There are a number of entrances & exits along the way, each with a map and signage re the entire route,

also fine car-parks.

Nearest entrance from Portlaw, is just down the road at the

Suir Valley Railway entrance.

The Scarlet Pimpernel is back!!!

Keeping an eye on a single Scarlet Pimpernel plant in the Tower Hill area for a number of years, It disappeared completely last year and did not appear either this year. Then, yesterday, on viewing an area about fifteen metres from the same location, lo and behold, there was a number of clumps of this tiny but beautiful wildflower. They had appeared where two years ago approx. some people from Coillte had bulldozed an area where lots of rubbish was dumped inside the wall going N.W along the road from Clonagam church.  Obviously they had sprang up from seeds which lay dormant for very many years.

Dumping in this area has now reached epidemic proportions. Within the last week, a trailer-load of household rubbish was dumped over the wall here, and yesterday within an hour of travelling up the Clonagam road and back, a sackfull of bottles etc. was dumped ON THE ROADSIDE at one of the entrances to the forestry area. Do these people not know that there is a bottle bank much nearer, at the GAA field. Where are the new surveillance cameras we were told of during the past year???

Addendum Friday, May 12th '17:

Within hours of posting the above item yesterday, I was once more walking in the Clonagam area, when what did I see but another trailer-load of rubbish, just 3 or 4 metres from the above Scarlet Pimpernel plant. This time the rubbish consisted of what almost certainly looked like the crap from a dogs run ( large plastic container full of it),some corrugated galvanised and perspex roof panels and some chipboard . . . obviously the contents of a dog's kennel.  Presumably the poor dog had died in appalling conditions!

If you are aware of who done this, or any other dumping, why not contact the City & County Council?

Addendum 31st May 2017:

Within four days of posting the previous addendum (May 16th), lo and behold what was dumped at the same location but a toilet bowl and handbasin plus matching support pillar. Oddly enough, the items seemed to be in perfect condition, and could have easily been sold on the Internet, fetching a substantial amount. A blue bag nearby contained broken tiles.  Obviously the 'dumper' now is showing off his new bathroom suite with matching  tiled surround.

Yesterday, May 31st, I was back at the scene nd now a large tyre was dumped  there.

Further down the road, inside the same wall,  was dumped what was obviously a trailer-load of assorted household rubbish, as can be seen above, which shows a red 'buggy' in the foreground and a large quantity of wood shavings on the left side.

Included amongst this huge array of items was the above distinctive piece of clothing, or whatever. You may recognise it as having belonged to your neighbour? Then there's that Tipperary blue bag. 

Addendum - June 8th, 2017:

Today. just a few days later,
a newly-dumped mattress beside the road to Curraghmore estate and beyond,
and a huge area of Japanese Knotweed immediately behind it!
The problem further up the road has now become a serious traffic hazard,
as the rapidly spreading plant has now reduced the carriageway
to the width of one vehicle, especially by a very sharp bend.

A report to Councillor Dunphy of Kilkenny Council
re a large area of the same invasive non-native species
on bank of Suir at the Fiddown amenity area,
brought two immediate responses,
saying he would immediately contact his county's environment department.
Much appreciated.

A reported sighting, a few weeks ago,  of a large area of the same species,
in the grounds of a public building in Dublin,
again brought a fast response,
saying 'No problem, we'll come tomorrow and cut it all down'
which was done!!!
No further comment on that 'estate manager' !!!

OVER TO YOU!

The Warm Weather Arrives!

After cold and windy weather for some weeks,

the warm weather arrived in earnest on Sunday last,

with top temperature of over 22 degrees Celsius in part of County Mayo.

Here at the junction of Queen St. and William St., enjoying the sunshine were:

L. to R:  'Doc' Morrissey, Ann Laffan and Johnny Crotty.

An April Day 2017

                                                                                                                                                    Curraghmore and the Comeragh mountains looking great 

on one of April's many sunny days, but bitterly cold, and some sleet falling

minutes after this view from

Tower Hill cottages. 

Seachtain na Páise 2017

Signs of Easter are to be found everywhere right now, but especially in our supermarkets and in the literature they are clogging up our letter-boxes with   . . . and not a religious symbol to be seen anywhere on such; just eggs of every description, chicks, rabbits, and offers with the titles - Easter Food, Easter Recipes, Easter Wines, Easter Flowers, Easter Specials, Easter Egg Hunts, Cocoa for Easter, Easter Hen Decorations, Easter Colouring Pages for Children and more. The only surprising offer with a real Easter connection seems to be the one entitled, 'Good Friday Fish'!!! Just like Christmas, where the real reason for the festival has almost disappeared in favour of Santa Claus and expensive presents, the true story of Easter is also rapidly disappearing.

(A high percentage of Dublin houses have a sign over their letter-boxes stating -    NO JUNK MAIL!)                                                                                                                                                                         

However, it was nice to see a much larger attendance than on usual Saturdays at our Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday this year, and a larger choir than usual with some new faces.  Congrats to all concerned!.

Christ before Pontius Pilate.
part of a window at Fourmilewater church, Co. Waterford. 

Upper section of a window at Lahardane, Co. Mayo.

The window above (upper portion of overall window) from the church in the small village of Lahardane (aka Lahardaun), Co. Mayo, must surely be one of the finest depicting the Crucifixion in any church in the country, and a wonderful example of Irish stained glass art.  

Lower section of a window at Lahardane.

The extremely tall window, obscured partly by furniture, had to be photographed from an acute angle from the side, and in two stages. Fortunaterly, using computers, such problems can usually be overcome, but two separate images had to be accepted. A search for the artist’s name brought a pleasant surprise. It was none other than James Cox, a native of Rooskey, who spent most of his life, from the age of fifteen, working for Myles Kearney & Sons, Ranelagh, Dublin.  This was a branch of the Waterford City business which bears the same name.  The Kearney family were natives of Portlaw. There is also a great window depicting St. Patrick in the same church by the same team.

Lahardane has a lot more to tell, but not with a Portlaw connection. Nevertheless, it’s of such historic interest, I will put it online later. 

The Empty Tomb by stained glass artist, Evie Hone (1894-1955)
at St. Mac|Cullin's Church, Lusk, Co. Dublin, which I had the pleasure of seeing on
Easter Saturday last.
This is the lower portion of a memorial window to the Dodd family.

The upper portion of the same window,
depicting The Risen Christ.

-   OOOoOOO   -

The same evening,
I headed for the Hill of Slane, Counrty Meath,
to see the annual Paschal Fire ceremonyy here.
This we also witnessed three years previously.

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