Hey everyone! What a great response in just a few days...woohoo!!
I just want to give some context to the idea behind the creation of Ballyglass GIY:
Recently, Mayo County Council has re-opened the beautiful laneway through d'annagh (the bog) in Ballinaglea. A stretch of this now accessible walking route, we've heard, was once a choice spot for picking fruit.
My co-conspirators Noelle Staunton, Nora Conroy and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be lovely to reinstate the fruits and nuts to the laneway, banks and ditches?' Apples, nuts, damsons, wild cherries, berries, wild strawberries...a wild orchard! And perhaps a tea garden?
Of course this is only the beginning... local food from the ditches, gardens and window boxes of the community, could there be a more delicious ambition?
This group is for the whole community so spread the word to everyone in your area who likes to eat. Joining in can simply mean offering suggestions, sharing experience, knowledge of the area, encouraging words, tools, plants or physical labour and some good recipes will be needed too!
When the weather cuts us some slack we will organise a walk through d'annagh, have a cuppa in the community centre and get going.