On Saturday we went on the Dublin Food Cycle.Organised by Dublin Cycling Campaign and the Dublin Community Growers. If you scratch an Irish Person deeply enough no matter if they are a City Slicker they will show a great Yearning to own a bit of Land to grow Food in,it seems to be embedded in the Psychic and sooner or later it was natural to hold something like this to do with Food and Hobby Farming on Allotments.
It is four Groups of Cyclists setting out from different parts of the Suburbs of Dublin Visiting the different Community Growers in various Gdns ,some very large and some quiet small. Our Group set out from Saint Annes Estate Parkland Allotments. These are only new and there are 80 Plots of Land and because there is so much interest a lottery is getting held to get a Plot of 6+6metres 20+20feet. The Park Ranger gave us a Talk about the History of the Great House that once stood in the Grounds but Burned down in the 1940ties and about the new Allotments.
I am in the Fourth Picture in Olive Green Tee Shirt. The next Picture Cycling along the Clontarf Road.Next 6 Pictures in the Community Gdns in Nth Summer Street. Next 3 in De Coursey Square Community Gdns in Glasnevin. Two Pictures of one of the two Members of the Irish Police Bicycle Unit that accompanied us as far as Great Western Square in his Judge Dredd Uniform( an Garda Siochana)The Civic Guards They were two very friendly Chaps who loved Talking about Cycling as we went along the Road. Next two Pictures en route to Great Western Square in Phibsborough. Next three Pictures in the Community Gdns in Great Western Square.
Last Pictures in the Iveagh Gardens off Harcourt Street and Earlsfort Terrace and behind St Stephens Green South,It is Dublins Secret Garden hidden away that not many People realise Exists. The last Picture is the Park Keepers House.
At every Garden we went to we were treated like Royalty with the Members giving us loads of Fruit Drinks Tea and Biscuits and Cake. We Ended up in the Iveagh Gardens with the other three Cycling Groups who all converged together and we had a Great Picnic and a Chat in the Blazing Hot Sun. It was an amazing Day out for all the Cyclists.
2 comments:
Looks great!
I know in Vancouver (and I believe Toronto), there are more and more community gardens. People who live in condos or have little to no yards take care of them. They plant fruits & vegetables.
Yesterday was pretty hot here. 28C, with humidity felt like 35C. Today is going to be even hotter.
There always was Allotments in Dublin with around two on the Nth Side and the same on the Sth side of the City but now after being in the Doldrums for years it has picked up an interest now again.
Some of these like Great Western Square and Nth Summer Street are only very small. In Nth Summer Street it is a Working Class area where new Housing was built and the Waste Ground was left where they Demolished Old Cottages. The Ground was not suitable for Housing so the Local People asked the Council to be able to use it for Growing Vegetables,they have done a marvellous job. You can see what it was like from those Photo's on the Railings in one Picture.
In Great Western Square,this was a piece of Commonage Land around 200 + 20 metres beside the entrance to the Square so it is only small.
In De Coursey Square this is a big Square that the Residents asked the Council to use as Allotments.
In these Allotments you can grow Flowers you are not restricted to growing Vegetables,but People mostly grow Veggies and only some Flowers.
I took loads of Photos but as this is a Bicycle Blog this is what I mostly show with maybe a couple of Photos of thje Gdns to show People what it was like.
The Iveagh Gardens is a Typical City Park hidden away at the back of City Buildings.
Post a Comment