Category: Irish Adventures

Myross Wood House and Green Skiberreen

Myross Wood House, in Leap (pronounced Lep) has a long history of family life starting back in the 1700’s by the Rev. Arthur Herbert. It was also a retreat center housing priests and those that came for assistance. Today it is being revived by Pete Martin (Red Door Photography) and Trish Lavelle… as a community-involved centre for sustainability in West Cork, which is called CECAS-Center of Excellence for Climate Action & Sustainability.

Myross Wood House, in Leap (pronounced Lep) has a long history of family life starting back in the 1700’s by the Rev. Arthur Herbert. It was also a retreat center housing priests and those that came for assistance. Today it is being revived by Pete Martin (Red Door Photography) and Trish Lavelle… as a community-involved centre for sustainability in West Cork, which is called CECAS-Center of Excellence for Climate Action & Sustainability.

On these amazing grounds there are many outreach programs: Markets, Artist’s Studios, AirBnB rooms-which once housed priest and retreat goers, along with many more events and activities and many more to come.

I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful setting with Monica Jones, an amazing artist friend that is fortunate enough to have her studio in this stunning location. It is surrounded with all kinds of inspiration both through nature and the energy that it exudes.

There will definitely be a repeat trip to Myross Wood, as I think time steeped in history creating would be so inspiring. Since a child I’ve enjoyed history and all that you can both learn and glean from it.

The walled gardens, orchard and walking trails, are being slowly restored to their grandeur and will be a wonderful place for solitude and reflection over the years to come. There is a tremendous amount of love and passion being injected into these historic walls. I definitely felt a warm hug as I spent time walking the grounds and buildings.

Seeing what can be created and developed in these spaces is so inspiring. I love seeing these treasure give way for new development as opposed to having them empty and nature slowly taking back. More opportunities of this nature should be explored in all corners of this big wide world.

Thanks for having such amazing vision Peter and Trish! Look forward to seeing where your vision takes this amazing adventure.

Ireland in My Heart

Over this last year and a half I have really spent a lot of time longing for Ireland and the adventures that I have during my travels.

On Tuesday the blues, greens and grays along with the fragrances and sounds of the sea welcomed me back to where my heart is…Ireland. It feels like so long ago and yet only yesterday all at the same time that I have been here.

  • Sunrise in Baltimore, County Cork, Ireland

This morning I woke to a beautiful sunrise and breezes from the water. It is such a nice break from the long summer of heat at my home in Alabama. Although masks and distancing are still in place here in Ireland, I am still rejoicing in the ability to see new venues and vistas other than that of my home and studio. My studio for the next month is this beautiful countryside.

  • Breakfast with a view at Beacon Shore Guesthouse in Baltimore.

The slight chill in the air has brought out the burning of the turf and the wonderful fragrance of it burning. I always welcome the cool crispness of the evenings.

Follow along over the next month follow as I spend the days re-filling my creative soul in Ireland.

  • I’ll be make my way through this beautiful country finding creative inspiration
    and amazing people around every corner!

Bogs Are Like Pages of History

Treasures and inspiration are found in these layers of history that bring warmth and a distinct aroma to a cold, rainy evening in Ireland.

Many time I get asked travel questions about Ireland. When it comes to where to stay I always quickly respond with a local BnB. My reasons for this are always that you are getting to know those who know Ireland best…they were born and raised there. A favorite stay of mine was in Tipperary at a BnB called Old Farm hosted by Margaret & Alfie McCaffrey.

While spending a few days, Alfie took me to visit several local sites, foraging for mushrooms and answered absolutely any question this American Artist could come up with, in regards to Ireland and her ancestors.  I have to say one of my favorite sites was the Redwood Bog.  While walking the bog Alfie explained the process of owning part of the bog, harvesting turf, what makes the bog and the different plants that were in the bog.

Being a gardener I was totally attracted to several of the plants.  One of the plants that really caught my eye is the bog asphodel.  This plant produces spikes of beautiful bright yellow flowers in the Summer and the foliage turns a stunning burnt rust in the Fall.  This rusty orange color plays off beautifully against the lavender heather that also grows in the bog.  So if you can imagine the two colors together it will quite literally make you stop your car to take a look!  Along with these plants are also the bog cotton.  It is as its name would imply a plant which appears as a wispy boll of cotton.  When you see this plant there will be wetland and acidic soil beneath.

“A Walk in the Bog” | 14×11 | oil on board | SOLD

These waterlogged, nutrient rich patches of land are layers and layers of plant material that have decomposed over years and years of time.  It creates an entire ecosystem for wildlife and plants which has been a source of fuel for the residence for many years.  Between the layers of the bog are the stories of time.

The remains of animals and humans have been discovered, along with swords, ornaments, bog oak and many other wonderful gems can be found accidentally deposited over the years  in the bogs. Due to the properties of Sphagnum moss in the bogs, which has preservatives built into it’s cells, whatever dies or is covered in it will decay much more slowly and therefore have many more stories to tell of the past when discovered.

Bog Asphedol and Heather

I have found the bogs to be inspirational because of their history, intense beauty and significance to the people of Ireland over the years.  If you make it to Ireland please take the time to walk and discover these pieces of ground steeped in history and significance throughout the West and midlands of Ireland.

We Are All Irish for March!

Tóg go bog é & Celebrate the month of the Irish!

There are many reasons to love the arrival of March…Spring, Warmer Weather, Flowers &

ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

This is the day we are all Irish…if even for just one day.

We don the green, we pinch those who don’t and we love heading to the parades and pubs.

Being Irish, I love watching everyone celebrate my Irish ancestors!  Talking about my times in Ireland, time spent traveling the countryside, getting to know the history and people of the Emerald Isle is something I really enjoy sharing.  St. Patrick’s Day invites me to do all of it!

“The Wilds of the Atlantic” | 16’x20″ | Oil on Board | $720

One of the pieces of Ireland that I’ve brought back and love to experience in my own kitchen is the art of making traditional brown bread.  Inbetween working on new works of art I enjoy stirring-up a quick batch of Brown Bread.

If you are looking for a special Irish treat to celebrate the holiday with I highly recommend Traditional Brown Bread.  It is super easy to make and brings the warm homey fragrance of freshly baked bread to the entire house.  This wonderful fragrance has a way of transporting the entire house to the beautiful green sunny shores of Ireland.  My favorite recipe for brown bread is one I picked up from the Gouganebarra Hotel in County Cork.  Gouganebarra  is a really special place to visit and spend some quality time.  It has made it into many of my photographs and paintings.

Brown Bread for Lunch Anyone?

One of the reasons this recipe is a favorite is that it contains treacle .  If you have never had treacle before it brings a sweet syrupy molasses/honey flavor to the bread.  I have found that I love this bread toasted in the mornings as much as a sidekick to a hearty soup.

Another ingredient this recipe calls for is Irish Wholemeal Flour.  In the states this ingredient can be challenging to find at the local grocer but I choose to do an online order from King Arthur flour.  This flour is a special coarsely ground, dense red whole wheat flour.

Another way to enjoy the bread is with some Kerrygold Dubliner Cheddar Cheese, Kerrygold butter or live on the edge and include BOTH!  This bread also is terrific to take on a long hike for an energy snack.

Whatever you do in March enjoy the refreshing outdoors and bring a bit of the Irish to your kitchen.

Tóg go bog é – Take it Easy!

If you’d like me to email this brown bread recipe,  in the comments below leave the best way to send it or message me and I’ll send it on over.

Bringing Simplicity into Life and Design

“There are two ways to live: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle” Albert Einstein

Last Summer I took a course on Abstract Painting at the Burren College of Art. Set in Ireland’s famous Burren you can’t help but absorb all its natural beauty.

While there I had a time of both personal and creative growth. 

The campus contains centuries of architectural grandeur including a castle as its center axis and fields with rows and rows of stonewalls carefully stacked by generations prior. Each wall has its own little micro-garden growing on, in and over it. They were each and every one of them exploding with colors that would fill a rainbow.

While walking the lanes and narrow roads around the college I had times of great peace and contemplation which resulted in a harvesting of a wealth of creative research.

My abstract painting instructor, Rita Wobble challenged us to think of our world in a more simplified manner. I’m talking circles, rectangles, triangles and flat colors. I found it to be an interesting but yet a tall challenge to a realist painter. However, by the middle of the week I realized I was starting to get the hang of it.

One morning middle of the week I was eating my breakfast while watching birds on a wire only to find myself creating those simple lines and colors just as we had talked about several days earlier.

I found it to be both relaxing and peaceful to not need to include every detail and leave a bit to be interpreted later. I no longer had the demand of many little feathers to draw but a circle with two triangles coming off of it that now represented my small bird.

Could life really be this easy?

Part of simplifying life for me includes working on myself. One of my favorite places to collect my thoughts, create and write is Dzogchen Beara, a Buddhist meditation center in Ireland. I can’t think of any place more peaceful for reflection, contemplation and strengthening of my inner-soul. In order to make changes in my life I must be strong and at peace in myself.  Where is your favorite place to recharge and collect yourself?

In order to give the best of yourself, you need to be the best of yourself!

Prints Available!

Little reminders I like to have around the studio and my home are quotes. I find having a few simple wise words to be just that meaningful or funny message I need as I’m going through a tough time or just having a cup of coffee trying to decide how to proceed with my day.

Combining the ordinary (weeds) and the extraordinary (favorite quotes) is such a great juxtaposition! By combining the ordinary with the more refined I think allows you to realize that life isn’t perfect and that we can meet it where it is at and transform it into the simple life it was meant to be. This series of work is one I really enjoy working on so I’m continually adding to it. Do you have a favorite quote I should use? I’d LOVE to hear it! Leave it in the comments below.

During my creative adventures I rejoice in finding the ordinary, that which is passed by, and turning it into a work of art in an attempt to show people that there is beauty all around them. Some of my favorite “flowers” to paint are those “weeds”. They are wild, not planned and still they evoke a life lived to their fullest.

The world has so much to offer if we will open our hearts and minds to the love, beauty and kindness of who and what is around us.

Way too often we magnify the differences and conflicts of this world are brought out.  I challenge you to look more closely for the similarities next time and what can inspire you to be a better person. Which can in turn inspire you to be the best, whether that is more simplified or not, person you can be.

Prints Available!
Prints Available!

Over the next week look for the beauty in this world so love and kindness can win!

Prints of the two inspirational designs with quotes above are available in my etsy shop MargaretDukeman.etsy.com

My Adventure to an Abandoned Fishing Village on Cod’s Head

Take the time to get out of your car & walk the countryside or you will miss the best of the “Céad Míle Fáilte”

Today  I’m  reminiscing about a beautiful sunny day in Ireland a year ago full of big puffy clouds.  This hike took me to Claonach, an old abandoned fishing village at the end of  Cod’s Head, County Cork.  This hidden gem is a short walk along the coastline out by Gortahig, on the wonderful R575, which I spoke about in my last post.  This is yet another reason to make this lovely road part of your trip to experience the countryside of Ireland.

Let me stress again if you are planning a trip to Ireland don’t over schedule your time.  Take the time to get out of your car and walk the countryside while you’re there.  If not you will miss far too much of what you came to this beautiful country of a “Céad Míle Fáilte” or “Hundred Thousand Welcomes” to see.  Trust me when I say, SLOW DOWN…drop your technology…experience the people…notice the landscape around you and the culture.  You simply won’t regret it as it will grab your heart and never let go!

This walk  along the coast out to Claonach allows you to spend meditative quiet time as you lose yourself looking across Coulagh Bay to the Kerry Mountains.  On a clear day the mountains simply echo each other and fade one into another and pull you towards them.  As you walk along the narrow road the coastline appears to fall away to the wilds of the bright blues of the Atlantic crashing the rocks below.  If you feel like you’re being spied on during this walk of amazing scenery you would be right!  There is sure to be sheep around the corner or gazing at your from every corner.  This would be another one of the reasons I love this walk.  You are sure to have a natural zoo built in of animals that look so at home in their environment.  Make sure to take your camera as you will have many opportunities to click away!

After a nearly two mile walk you will crest a hill and see the remnants of the old village with its ruins of old stone cottages and very protected inlet for the boats of the once active fishing village.  You can see walkways and a lone road that makes its way between remaining cottages up the side of the mountain.  From what I understand there are only two part-time residents now as the village doesn’t have electricity.  Even with the lack of electricity, I felt a real draw to spend a day or two in the old village collecting images and spending time in an area that used to be vibrant and active all those years ago.  This village’s claim to fame is the filming of the movie “Falling For A Dancer” in 1998.

Claonach is just one of the many hidden gems that Ireland has to offer if  you lose the car and walk the land.  Take the time to sit and talk to the locals of the area and discover the places that only they know that history has left behind.  They can share what the walls of the ruins would love to speak if they could.  You won’t regret the time spent having just one more pint with a friend either old or new!

Don’t forget to collect all your “Céad Míle Fáilte”