The Willow Man at the Carrickmacross Arts Festival

Last August I was invited to undertake a special new project as part of the Carrickmacross Arts Festival in County Monaghan. To celebrate the harvest season, I undertook create a living willow sculpture of Lugh, a mythological Irish god and member of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Lugh is synonymous with the harvest festival of Lughnasadh, which traditionally takes place in the month of August or Lúnasa. Known as ‘The Horned God’ in some Celtic countries, he is also known by the nickname Lámfada or long arm, a reference to his skill with spear and sling.

He is the father the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn and the foster-son of Tailtiu, an earth goddess, who died of exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for farming. In his grief, Lugh established the first harvest festival, Áenach Tailteann, which took place in Tailtin or Teltown in Meath.

Lugh had several magical possessions including unstoppable spear known as Sleg and a sling called Táthluib.

Lugh was created from a combination woven living willow trees, dried willow, sugán and ash. His body was created using living willow branches, woven together over the six months before the festival. Parts of the body, including his joints, were made with the use recently trimmed green willow.

Lugh’s face was made from paper mache. His horned helmet was made using dried willow and súgán. Sleg, his mighty spear is made using ash, dried willow and súgán. Táthluib, his sling is made from súgán and dried willow.

Find out how The Willow Man went HERE 

Learn about the wonderful Carrickmacross Arts Festival HERE

Thanks to the Carrickmacross Arts Festival, Callans at the Bridge, Orla and Paul for giving this a go! Cheers, Andy

Burren Berries at the Clare Garden Festival in aid of Milford Care Centre and One Human Race

Spring has finally sprung and that means the always brilliant Clare Garden Festival rocks into Ennis this Sunday. Burren Berries will be doing things a little differently at this year festival - with all the proceeds from every strawberry and raspberry plant sold going to Milford Hospice in Limerick and the One Human Race charity who are working with refugees.
Burren Berries has a very limited supply of 100 per cent natural and organic garden strawberries and raspberries this year so we wont be trading on any other market. So this is you're only chance to get your hands on some Burren Berries in 2016.
The Clare Garden Festival will take place this Sunday, April 24, at the Ennis Showground from 10am. There will be more than 60 stallholders, dozen of expert talks, pop up gardens, kids entertainment and all the best of craic.
See you there...
Andy    

     

Burren Natural Raspberry Plants

So this year hasn't been the best year for growing strawberries - in Ireland at least. Between the rain, the wind and the lack of any real heat or sunshine, the poor strawberries didn't really stand a chance, at least not a chance of producing a decent crop.

The raspberries on the other hand are having a field day. Burren Berries stock a large supply of July/August cropping Irish raspberry plants. So far this year, we had a great crop from our small plantation at home, and there are more coming every day.
I've just uploaded a new blog with details about planting, growing and looking after raspberries. If you'd like to find out how to grow your own delicious raspberries, check it out HERE.
Cheers,
Andy