March 6th Green Drinks - Folklore of Irish Trees

The March Green Drinks Talk was given by Branch member and author Niall Mac Coitir about the myths, legends and folklore of Irish trees. Did you know that the birch tree was the best tree to make a cradle out of, as it would protect the child from the fairies; while the elderberry tree is the worst, as the fairies would come and pinch the baby black and blue? Or that the oak tree was associated in ancient Ireland with royalty and kingship and an oak tree often stood outside the rath or dún of the chieftain in Gaelic times? The oak tree was also sacred to the druids, and some Christian sites were probably located at sacred groves of oak trees, such as Derry - Doire Colmcille 'the oak wood of Colmcille' and Durrow - Darú - 'the oak plain'. Another important tree is the ash, which is of course used to make hurleys. A mature tree is needed to make the hurley, and Ireland is now so denuded of mature broadleaf trees that ash has to be imported from Europe to make them! All in all, a very interesting and informative talk.

 

January 7th - Birdwatching Bull Island

The Dublin branch of IWT went birdwatching again on Bull Island, and despite cold weather some 40 people turned up for the event. Led by our ever knowledgeable guide John Fox, lots of different birds were seen, including the following: Grey Heron, Little Egret, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Shelduck, Pintail, Brent Goose, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Kestrel, and Peregrine Falcon. The usual suspects such as Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Hooded Crow were also in evidence. All in all a very interesting day.

18th November Otter Walk

Early on a cold and wet Saturday morning in November, over thirty Dublin Branch members turned out at the Dodder to see if we could see any otters. Led by naturalist Tim Clabon,we spotted no otters, but learnt lots about them, and also saw plenty of birds on the Dodder, among these kingfishers, dippers, long-tailed tits and goldcrests. A worthwhile morning's excursion!

28th October - Creepy Crawly Event Phoenix Park

Armed with sweep nets and pooters a happy bunch of youngsters set off in search of creepy crawlies in Phoenix Park on Saturday, 28 October. IWT member Kevin Delahunty had explained to them what to look for and how to handle the insects, spiders, worms, centipedes, or whatever else they might find in the grass and under logs and stones. Plenty of these ended up in his viewing trays and were marvelled at through magnifying glasses before they were released again.

A truly eerie specimen had ended up in a trap which Kevin had set the night before; this was a devil’s coach-horse beetle. Kevin has a wonderful way of getting the youngsters’ attention and educating them in a playful way. A big thank you from the Dublin Branch is due to him.

22nd October Phoenix Park Deer Rut

Dublin Branch had its annual outing to the Phoenix Park on October 22nd to see the Deer Rut. We had a great turn out with around 60 people showing up, and as usual Favel was on top form. It was very cold though and the wind eventually drove the last few people away at about 1pm. However we saw the stags doing their thing and locking horns to gain the attention of the females.

All in all a great event with lots of positive feedback.

3rd October - Ireland's Groundwater

This month the Dublin Branch of IWT heard Alex Russell (PhD researcher at UCD) give a talk to about groundwater in Ireland. Alex gave a general overview of the quality of groundwater in Ireland (natural water chemistry and geology). In Ireland, up to 25% of drinking water supplies are sourced from groundwater, with a particular importance in rural areas where public supplies are often unavailable. However, in Ireland private wells remain unregulated for quality testing, potentially leading to significant unknown exposures to contaminated waters, including arsenic, which occurs naturally in may parts of Ireland.

Globally groundwater is a finite and precious resource, which is being used up at a far greater rate than it is being replenished. This is yet another unsustainable use of the planet's resources whih will lead to severe water shortages worldwide in the future.

August 26th - rockpooling in Portmarnock

On Saturday August 26th Dublin Branch member Kevin Delahunty led a rockpooling expedition along the coast at Portmarnock, north Co. Dublin to see what kind of creatures could be found. Lots of starfish, shellfish and 'pinkeens' were discovered, and another generation of kids got hooked on the wonders of nature!

Photos courtesy of Brendan