Happy Christmas



Robert Cresswell's 1956 image of the kitchen at Cloonasee

 In 1956 Robert Cresswell, an anthropologist, lived on this farm for a year and completed a major photographic study of farming life around Kinvara.

The two room, corrugated iron roofed cottage that he stayed in, with no running water or electricity, has since been renovated. The original fireplace is the only part that remains (although stripped of its gloss paint showing the beautiul original cut stone finish.)

In 2010 Robert Cresswell donated his archive to the nation and the photographs can be viewed at Robert Cresswell photographs. It is a wonderful and valuable resource, especially the colour kodachrome slides which were very high tech at the time.

Since my last post I have been submerged in the tidal wave of work for design and tender of the nature centre.  I have handed over my voluntary job at Irish Therapy dogs to the new Galway rep Becky,  I havn't done any work with the young pony in the last month, there has been no zumba, qi gong or running and I have been unable to get time to write my blog.

We have decided on the name 'Burren Botanic' as it will focus on the rare and unusual flora of the Burren that will be viewed on the nature trail. We hope to begin work in the Spring.

To try and stay in budget we will be doing the barn conversion with direct labour so every item has to be priced for the Galway rural development board meeting at the end of January. We have to get three quotes for everything....decisions, decisions... With Christmas approaching the pressure was on but as from today there is no point attempting to work on it until after the holidays as the country will be closed for business.

I want to wish my readers a very happy Christmas and to thank everyone for their support over the last year. It has been a very enriching experience engaging with such a positive and interesting audience.

I hope to pick up my writing at a later stage and any of my readers who would like to keep track of progress on the nature centre please be our friend us on facebook at 'burren botanic' and if you ever land in Kinvara come and visit the 'Burren Botanic' nature centre and farm cafe.

Opening soon!

The website address will be http://www.burrenbotanic.com/ -hosting will begin in January and I will open up a twitter account asap.

By my sister Caroline Assheton

Have  a COOL YULE