A River Runs Through It.
I revisited the Avondale estate this weekend after a long, long absence, replaying fond memories of a most beautiful place. Avondale is home to the Irish national Forestry. The estate was developed by Samuel Hayes and he built Avondale House in 1779. When he died in 1795, the house passed to the Parnell Family. Avondale House was the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891) one of the greatest political leaders in Irish history. It is now a museum in his memory. The house contains fine plasterwork and many original pieces of furniture. The American Room is dedicated to Admiral Charles Stewart — Parnell's American grandfather who manned the USS Constitution during the 1812 war.
Avondale is synonymous with the birth of Irish forestry. The State purchased Avondale and in 1904 and it was in Avondale that the first silvicultural experimental plots were laid out along the lines of a continental forest garden with a collection of tree species and shrubs from around the world. The forest park lies mainly on the west bank of the Avonmore river on 505 acres of land. It provides an endless variety of walks with scenery ranging from the magnificent openness of the Great Ride to the towering impressiveness of the massed conifers on the banks of the river.The park has four way-marked walking trails and a family cycle trail.
At the terminus of the Great Ride is the Cairn. Tradition has it that the Cairn was constructed by early forestry students from stone collected when clearing old field boundaries on the estate. It now provides a focal point on the Great Ride. As you look south from here you can see the Vale of Avoca with the Avonmore River.
Many broad leaf and coniferous tree species were trialled here and mature specimens of these are still standing, along with many venerable Oak, Beech and Sycamore trees planted originally by Samuel Hayes. In additions to Douglas Fir seven true fir species were tested including Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana — favoured by lutanists for soundboards on harps etc.) European Silver fir ( Abies alba), Noble fir (Abies procera) and Grand fir (Abies grandis). The Grand fir grew by far the best in terms of production and form but the quality of the timber was poor. Noble fir and Nordmann fir have been examined again in recent years as they are popular Christmas tree species. Seed for a new field research trial on Noble fir was collected at Avondale and work continues.
The meeting of the waters is the name given to where the Avonmore (Abhainn Mhor, Big River) and the Avonbeg (Abhainn Bheag, Little River) rivers join, before going on to enter the sea as the Avoca River at Arklow. The natural beauty of the area has always been appreciated. This is a great angling area, despite the lower reaches of the river being polluted in the past from mining run off and from the Chemical manure factory at Arklow. But Brown trout have made a comeback. The Avoca Valley has had a long mining heritage, spanning over 250 years of copper and sulphate production which continued up to 1982. It is known that gold found in ancient celtic ornaments came from this area.
The steep slopes of the valley are extensively wooded with both deciduous and coniferous tree species. The native species of Oak, Ash and Birch support a diverse wildlife, with an understory of Holly and Hazel, and the ground flora of Honeysuckle, Wood rush, Bluebells, Wood Sorrel, Lords and ladies and various ferns.
A study has shown that the most common species of bird are Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Coal Tit and Chaffinch, with the rare Redstart also recorded. In 2007 the Red Kite, which had been extinct in Ireland for over 200 years, was reintroduced in the Avoca area. This was chosen by the Golden Eagle Trust because of the varied natural landscape. A successful breeding population now inhabit the area.
The Thomas Moore tree, Thomas Moore is reputed to have spent many happy hours composing songs and poems under a tree at this spot in the early 19th century. The tree became the focus for visitors and was much valued by local people. IN 19 11 Moore‘s famous tree at the meetings of the waters was re-erected having fallen done some years previous. The tree was knocked again in the storms of 1938 and was again put up. It fell again in and sections were carried away in 1964. The remaining portion was re-erected and occupied the site until 2008 when it was damaged and was virtually washed away in the river spate. Today this portion is all that remains, but look at the new growth forming from the remains of the dead tree. In 2012 a new tree was planted an re-dedicated to the memory of Thomas Moore.
A poem referencing Avondale which i wrote inthe 1980s.
Collections
At Avondale we found cones
Concealed in fescue. Like armadillos, they
Sensed a nourishment deep in the rich earth,
Their scales sheltering dormant forests.
We placed them in a Paul Masson carafe
Among our miscellany of stones and shells.
They are fossils, lost to the potential
Of wet earth; and sterile in our gaze.
Later, in the National collection
We found armadillos caged in glass —
The sad sheen of glass eyes staring.
Their whole impotency coated with dust
Worn on their sacred, scarab-like scales —
A veil of Isis — like the graying of age.
These impresarios of curiosity beckoned our gaze,
Armadillos and cones remembered in each other.
— © Frank Callery.
I revisited the Avondale estate this weekend after a long, long absence, replaying fond memories of a most beautiful place. Avondale is home to the Irish national Forestry. The estate was developed by Samuel Hayes and he built Avondale House in 1779. When he died in 1795, the house passed to the Parnell Family. Avondale House was the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891) one of the greatest political leaders in Irish history. It is now a museum in his memory. The house contains fine plasterwork and many original pieces of furniture. The American Room is dedicated to Admiral Charles Stewart — Parnell's American grandfather who manned the USS Constitution during the 1812 war.
Avondale is synonymous with the birth of Irish forestry. The State purchased Avondale and in 1904 and it was in Avondale that the first silvicultural experimental plots were laid out along the lines of a continental forest garden with a collection of tree species and shrubs from around the world. The forest park lies mainly on the west bank of the Avonmore river on 505 acres of land. It provides an endless variety of walks with scenery ranging from the magnificent openness of the Great Ride to the towering impressiveness of the massed conifers on the banks of the river.The park has four way-marked walking trails and a family cycle trail.
At the terminus of the Great Ride is the Cairn. Tradition has it that the Cairn was constructed by early forestry students from stone collected when clearing old field boundaries on the estate. It now provides a focal point on the Great Ride. As you look south from here you can see the Vale of Avoca with the Avonmore River.
Many broad leaf and coniferous tree species were trialled here and mature specimens of these are still standing, along with many venerable Oak, Beech and Sycamore trees planted originally by Samuel Hayes. In additions to Douglas Fir seven true fir species were tested including Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana — favoured by lutanists for soundboards on harps etc.) European Silver fir ( Abies alba), Noble fir (Abies procera) and Grand fir (Abies grandis). The Grand fir grew by far the best in terms of production and form but the quality of the timber was poor. Noble fir and Nordmann fir have been examined again in recent years as they are popular Christmas tree species. Seed for a new field research trial on Noble fir was collected at Avondale and work continues.
The meeting of the waters is the name given to where the Avonmore (Abhainn Mhor, Big River) and the Avonbeg (Abhainn Bheag, Little River) rivers join, before going on to enter the sea as the Avoca River at Arklow. The natural beauty of the area has always been appreciated. This is a great angling area, despite the lower reaches of the river being polluted in the past from mining run off and from the Chemical manure factory at Arklow. But Brown trout have made a comeback. The Avoca Valley has had a long mining heritage, spanning over 250 years of copper and sulphate production which continued up to 1982. It is known that gold found in ancient celtic ornaments came from this area.
The steep slopes of the valley are extensively wooded with both deciduous and coniferous tree species. The native species of Oak, Ash and Birch support a diverse wildlife, with an understory of Holly and Hazel, and the ground flora of Honeysuckle, Wood rush, Bluebells, Wood Sorrel, Lords and ladies and various ferns.
A study has shown that the most common species of bird are Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Coal Tit and Chaffinch, with the rare Redstart also recorded. In 2007 the Red Kite, which had been extinct in Ireland for over 200 years, was reintroduced in the Avoca area. This was chosen by the Golden Eagle Trust because of the varied natural landscape. A successful breeding population now inhabit the area.
The Thomas Moore tree, Thomas Moore is reputed to have spent many happy hours composing songs and poems under a tree at this spot in the early 19th century. The tree became the focus for visitors and was much valued by local people. IN 19 11 Moore‘s famous tree at the meetings of the waters was re-erected having fallen done some years previous. The tree was knocked again in the storms of 1938 and was again put up. It fell again in and sections were carried away in 1964. The remaining portion was re-erected and occupied the site until 2008 when it was damaged and was virtually washed away in the river spate. Today this portion is all that remains, but look at the new growth forming from the remains of the dead tree. In 2012 a new tree was planted an re-dedicated to the memory of Thomas Moore.
A poem referencing Avondale which i wrote inthe 1980s.
Collections
At Avondale we found cones
Concealed in fescue. Like armadillos, they
Sensed a nourishment deep in the rich earth,
Their scales sheltering dormant forests.
We placed them in a Paul Masson carafe
Among our miscellany of stones and shells.
They are fossils, lost to the potential
Of wet earth; and sterile in our gaze.
Later, in the National collection
We found armadillos caged in glass —
The sad sheen of glass eyes staring.
Their whole impotency coated with dust
Worn on their sacred, scarab-like scales —
A veil of Isis — like the graying of age.
These impresarios of curiosity beckoned our gaze,
Armadillos and cones remembered in each other.
— © Frank Callery.
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| The Great Ride, Avondale. |
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| Part of the Broadleaf plantations of Oak, Beech, Spanish Chestnut and Sycamore. |
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| If the cap fits, they fit the cap! Sweet Chestnuts, there is an abundant harvest to be had. Some for roasting and some for planting. |
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| A felled Sweet or Spanish Chestnut. Many of the great hammer beam ceilings in English manor halls were made from these, having long been thought to be of Oak. It is a most beautiful and valuable yellow timber. I have planted a small wood at Tullahought. |
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| An ancient oak beyond the Beechwood. |
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| The bounty of late October. |
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| Venerable tree on the Northern side of the Great Ride. |
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| Nearing its last days. |
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| The Cairn at the Terminus of the Great ride. Behind is the valley of the Abhainn Mhor River. |
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| Looking south-east from the Cairn. |
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| There is a seat at the Cairn,facing down the Great Ride on which is a bilingual quotation of a verse from Seamus Heaney’s Buille Suibhhne. |
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| Gaelic version. |
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| The Great Ride looking from the Cairn. |
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| The bole of a specimen Grand fir tree. |
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| The over 200 year-old Sycamore is one of those believed to have been planted by Samuel Hayes. |
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| The Abhainn Mhor (the Avonmore river looking back towards the Avondale Estate), at the Meeting of the Waters where it joins the Abhainn Bheag to run to the sea at Arklow as the Avoca river. |
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| The ancient three-spanned bridge over the Abhainn Bheag. |
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| A Bullaun stone at the bank of the river. Bullaun stones are stones containing one or more depressions made into the stone. The originated in the Neolithic period although most of the remains have been found in early monastic sites. They have a strong superstitious link and there original function is not clear. They were also known as 'cursing stones'. |
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| The Thomas Moore monument at the Meetings, with the remains of his old tree and the New one planted in his memory. |
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| A closeup on the remains of the Thomas Moore Tree with some new saplings which are growing from the decaying wood. |
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| Thomas Moore. |
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| The memorial with a couple of verses from The Meetings of the Waters in the Sweet Vale of Avoca. |
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| Closeup on the right-hand span of the bridge, showing some of the masonry at the bridge foot. |
