Thursday, March 31, 2011

Easter Camp Days in Lismore: Hopping Good Fun for your Holidays

Could you create a disguise using… a lollipop? Or turn an egg into a bird? Lismore Heritage Centre will have its first ever Easter Camp this April and we’ll be doing all these things and more. We’ll be dying eggs, doing the chicken dance, playing games and we’ve even got some science eggs-periments up our sleeve! Easter Camp Days will be held Tuesday 19th- Thursday 21st April from 10.00a.m-1.00p.m daily. Camp costs €12.00 per child per day. Each morning’s activities are different so a camper can attend all three days at a special discounted rate of €32.00. Easter Camp is suitable for primary school children aged 5-12 years. Campers need to bring along a drink and a small healthy packed lunch. Kids should come along in older clothes; we’ll be having far too much fun to keep our clothes clean! Booking is essential as places are limited; please call Arlene on 058-54975 or email Akenny@lismoreheritage.ie

Free Gardening Guru Workshops at Blackwater Garden Centre

Blackwater Plantsplus Garden Centre in Kinsalebeg is continuing their series of free gardening workshops each Sunday at noon. The workshops, which commenced in February, have proved very popular and Blackwater have announced a further six sessions. The Workshop Schedule: March 27th: Sowing and planting herbs for health Choosing and using herb varieties that are good for your health and the health of your garden April 3rd: Tips for the easiest ways to grow your veg April 10th: Choosing and using evergreens – the backbone of the garden April 17th: How to make amazing garden compost April 24th: Secrets of fabulous hanging baskets May 1st: Companion planting – using herbs and flowers to protect veg plants from insect pests Workshops are completely free of charge and no booking is necessary. For enquiries please call 024-92725. For directions and further information on Blackwater Garden Centre please visit http://www.itsafeeling.com/gradens/167-blackwater-plantsplus-garden-centre-.html

Tourin Film Club

On Saturday 2nd April Tourin film Club will show Neighbourhood Watch and His and Hers. The evening will commence at 8.oopm with the screening of Eamon Little's short film Neighbourhood Watch. This will be followed by the evening's feature film, the acclaimed His and Hers by Ken Wardrop. The Film Club convenes in The Red Room at Tourin Estate. All are welcome. Admission is €5.00 and light refreshments will be provided. Enquiries: call Ciarán on 086-8337462.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A Warning to Accommodation Providers

It has been brought to our attention that accommodation providers are the unhappy targets of an ongoing scam. The typical pattern of the fraud is that an enquiry is made about renting accommodation. You then request the customary deposit. So far so good; however a communication then follows that a certified cheque has been sent in the post. The cheque, you are told, is for a greater amount than necessary for the deposit. You are asked to refund the excess. The certified cheque when it arrives will fail to clear with your bank. The scam received some national attention recently but we now know it has reached Waterford. Luckily the accommodation provider affected was not caught out as they were aware that such a scam was being operated. In the Waterford case the query arose through an advertisement on an English website. All communication between the parties was by email. The booker claimed to be male. Warning signals in advance of the request for a refund included a request for dates that were clearly booked out on an availability calendar and an oversupply of details- the accommodation was being booked for a honeymoon; it was being paid for by the fraudster’s boss etc. Hopefully this warning will help prevent anyone falling victim to this scheme. If you fear you may have been affected by the scam you should contact your local garda station immediately. Telephone Lismore Garde Station on 058-54222

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Mothers' Day at Salterbridge Gardens

Sunday 3rd April is Mothers’ Day and Salterbridge Gardens, Cappoquin are the perfect destination for you and your mum on the day. The gardens will be open in aid of Cappoquin’s two churches from noon until 5 o’clock. There will be teas, a plant sale and a treasure hunt.

The garden which surrounds Salterbridge , a Victorian country house, is filled with many camellias, magnolias and beautiful rhododendron. Green shrubs are dotted throughout the garden as well as many species of tall, mature trees including, most notably, four fine Irish yews and a cork oak. 3rd April is an ideal date for a visit as the six-acre garden is at its best in the spring.

To get to Salterbridge from Cappoquin, take the Lismore road (N72) and after half a mile the first house on the right is the Salterbridge Gatelodge. Go through the black gates and three quarters of a mile up the avenue you will find Salterbridge House

Entry is €5.00 for adults. Accompanied children go free. For further information please contact Philip or Susie Wingfield on 087-2030763.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Lismore Among the Waterford County Winners at the Irish Restaurant Awards

The Munster Region winners of the Irish Restaurant Awards have been announced. Winners are chosen from nominations made by Sunday Independent readers, members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and by regional judging panels.

The Best Customer Service in County Waterford is to be had in Lismore: the O’Brien Chop House added the accolade to their list of achievements. Owners, Justin and Jenny Greene, tweeted a big thanks to all the staff who work so hard to deserve the title.

The big winner in Waterford was The Tannery, Dungarvan. The well known Dungarvan eatery scooped the Best Restaurant Award with proprietor Paul Flynn taking the gong (well nicely framed parchment actually) for Best Chef.

Lismore and Dungarvan are foodie heaven these days as the towns gear up for the Waterford Festival of Food, 15th-17th April.

Other parts of the county also got a look in at the Awards: Bodéga! came out on top in the Casual Dining section of the Awards while Beckett’s earned pole position in the Gastro Pub category. Both popular spots are located in Waterford city.

All the County winners will now compete for the Irish Restaurant Awards Regional and All Ireland Titles in their respective categories. We look forward to hearing a Lismore name called when winners are announced in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin on Wednesday 25th May 2011. Biased…us?!

Ballysaggart's First Community Council

Lismore Heritage Centre's Courthouse Theatre is being used to count votes today as Ballysaggart has voted for its first Muintir Na Tire County Council.

Muintir Na Tire's Regional Development Officer, in the presence of a Peace Commissioner, will determine the five individuals who have been nominated to form the Council from the huge 90% turn out of votes.

The Community Council will be a voluntary group aiming to promote the social, educational, cultural and economic welfare of the whole community. We wish the new council all the best with its endeavours.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Kenneth Cox: Rhododendrons and Azaleas on Four Continents

The Waterford Garden Trail is delighted to welcome the world famous Kenneth Cox to speak on “The Amazing World of Rhododendrons and Azaleas on Four Continents.”

From a family considered to be the world’s leading experts on rhododendrons, Kenneth Cox has led plant-hunting expeditions to Tibet and India and authored seven books on the subject. An experienced and entertaining speaker Kenneth has lectured throughout the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Cox’s lecture will take place in the Town Hall Theatre, Dungarvan on Tuesday 26th April 2011 at 8.00p.m. Tickets priced €10.00 include a complimentary Cheese & Wine Reception beginning at 7.30p.m.

Tickets are available now from Lismore Heritage Centre. Please telephone 058 54975 or email Akenny@lismoreheritage.ie.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Closed St Patrick's Day

Lismore Heritage Centre will be closed St Patrick's Day. We will re-open Friday 18th March at 9.30a.m.

Happy St Patick's Day everyone!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

St Carthage's Cathedral Lenten Lunches

St Carthage's Cathedral is organising a series of "Lenten Lunches"on Fridays throughout Lent. For €5.00 all are welcome to enjoy a lunch of homemade soup and bread. All money raised will be donated to Christian Aid for use in various Third World projects.

The luncheon series began on Friday 11th March at The Deanery. The remaining lunch locations are:

Friday 18th March: 'Alana', Chapel Street (opposite Blackwater Books)

Friday 25th March: St Vincent de Paul, Fernville

Friday 1st April: Maureen Doherty, East Main St

Friday 8th April: St Vincent de Paul, Ferville

Friday 15th April: The Deanery (beside St Carthage's Cathedral)

For further information please contact Catherine on 058-54105

Lismore Farmers Market 2011 Season

Lismore Farmers Market launched its sixth season last Sunday, 13th March ,on Devonshire Day.

The Farmers' Market Committee is looking forward to a very exciting year in 2011 with several new initiatives planned to bring the quality of the market up to the next level.

As well as many of the regular stallholders the Committee invites newcomers with novel ideas for innovative products to diversify and enhance the range and quality of produce provided.

The stallholders will convene on Castle Avenue, Lismore on Sundays at 9.30am throughout the spring and summer.

For further details contact the Chairman of Lismore Farmers Market Management Committee, Michael J. Walsh 086-8377590.

Knockout Knockmealdowns

Old habits die hard when Tony Doherty, writer of “Go Walk” in The Irish Times Travel Supplement, gets to the Knockmealdowns. The walking correspondent freely admits to retracing his favourite route up the Sugarloaf and on to Knockfallia time and again. A change is better than rest however and a decision to explore the “rather peculiar” ridge leading to Knockshanahullion (Hill of the Old Holly) exposed “a fine walk to the west of the Vee that’s been undervalued for too long.”

For details of the walk and to read the entire article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/travel/2011/0312/1224291935624.html

Talking Travel and Immrama with the Frommers

The phenomenon of a little town in County Waterford that manages to attract the world’s greatest travel writers made quite an impression on Michael Shapiro. The wonder is still in Michael’s voice as he describes his visit to the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing in Lismore last June.

Michael’s awe is was captured in conversation with Arthur and Pauline Frommer, publishers of Frommer’s Travel Guides, the world’s largest selling series of travel guides and hosts of The Travel Show on WOR a major New York city radio station .

Ireland, according to Shapiro who just returned to the U.S. from Dublin, is a country still in love with books, where economic crisis means there are bargains and deals for tourists and where it is vital that visitors get out of the big cities and take a look off the beaten track- in County Waterford for example!

Michael Shapiro is a freelance writer, editor and photographer, a contributor to National Geographic Traveler, the San Francisco Chronicle and Washington Post and the author of A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, Lives and Inspirationand Guatemala: A Journey Through the Land of the Maya.

The Immrama Festival of Travel Writing will be held in Lismore from 9th-12th June 2011. Details of the programme are kept under lock and key until the official launch in April.

Michael Shapiro’s whole talk with the Frommers is available here http://www.wor710.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=5209031

Monday, March 14, 2011

Lismore Leg of the Festival of Food to Give It Welly

Exciting new events and a return of old favourites ensure that 2011 will be the best year yet for the Lismore branch of the Waterford Festival of Food.

Saturday 16th April is the big Food Festival Day in Lismore. Kick off the day with a hearty breakfast at Rose’s West End Bar then enjoy some peace and quiet while the kids roll up their sleeves at the Children’s’ Baking Workshops in Blackwater Community School. Kindly facilitated by Catherine Toomey, the Children’s Workshops are always a sell-out; tickets and more information will be available from Lismore Heritage Centre on 058-54975 in the coming weeks.

That will be the end of the relaxation as Waterford Macra is planning a day of raucous fun in the field adjacent to the Millennium Park and Lismore playground, kindly given by Lismore Estates, and they want everyone to get involved. If you don’t want to ‘Pimp my Welly’ or paint a bale you could dress the scarecrow or milk the “cow”. There’s a Toy Tractor Derby if you think your model Massey or Ford has got what it takes and Farm Skills challenges for the young farmers out there.

If you avoid the wellies and wet sponges being thrown you can make an informative visit to the Teagasc and I.F.A. Mobile Unit. Speak to a dedicated representative of the dairy, beef and sheep sector to gain a greater appreciation of the role of primary producers and the quality assurance scheme. Experience the journey food takes to your plate and gain fascinating insights into areas such as Ireland’s role in the global baby food market.

The Farmers’ Market will convene on Castle Avenue, its scenic home. An extended Festival Market will ensure an abundance of the high quality, locally produced goods we have come to expect from the stallholders. Market Day will begin at 9.30a.m. Music in the Millennium Park will be provided courtesy of Mayor Orla Russell.

Special events are planned over the entire course of the Festival weekend, Friday 15th-Sunday 17th April. Festival menus featuring local produce will be available in participating restaurants. On Friday evening the head ghillie at Ballyvolane House will impart his fishing wisdom to the diners at O’Brien Chop House. The Summerhouse Café will be serving a yummy dessert plate on Friday and Saturday. Saffron, Eamonn’s Place, The Castle Lodge and Foley’s are also getting in on the act with special menus and events.

On Sunday 17th April local chefs Paul & Claire Deevy, Richmond House, Noel & Annemarie Costello, The Bride View Bar, and Justin & Jenny Green from The O’Brien Chop House will bring “A Taste of West Waterford” to the monster Farmers’ Market in Dungarvan Town Square.

In preparing this extended new programme of events the Lismore Festival of Food Committee would like to thank Lord and Lady Burlington, Denis Nevin and Jerry Twomey of Lismore Estates, Mayor Orla Russel and Lismore Town Council, Lismore Heritage Centre, Lismore Mochuda Development Company Ltd. and the businesses of the town.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Researching Local History Course at Cappoquin Community Centre

A 4 week course of lectures on how to research your local history by Joanne Rothwell, Waterford County Archivist.

Week 1: An Introduction to Sources The sources that are available for local history and how you can access them.

Week 2: Heading for Town Ceapach Choinn and sources for research in towns and villages

Week 3: Land Equals Power? Sources for research in rural areas

Week 4: Tall Tales and Fierce Facts Tracking down the truth of local stories and legends

The course starts Wednesday 9th March and continues every Wednesday for 4 weeks from 7-8.30pm at Cappoquin Community Centre until Wednesday 30th March

Cost: €5 per session

For more information contact Cappoquin Community Centre at Telephone: 058 52746 or e-mail: ocappdev@eircom.net

Monday, March 7, 2011

Cookery Demo in Aid of Liosmór Mochuda National School

Beth-Ann Smith will host a Cookery Demonstartion in aid of Liosmór Mochuda National School on Wednesday 23rd March.

Beth-Ann Smith is a free lance chef working partly in Lismore Castle. She is also the proprietor of Amuse Bouche, the catering company launched at last year’s Lismore Music Festival. Beth-Ann and her team kept over 450 opera-goers content with tapas, paella and cupcakes- quite a debut! Beth-Ann has been working as a cookery teacher for several years. Combining the training she received at the world-famous Balymaloe Cookery School with professional catering experience Beth-Ann has something to teach everyone from the kitchen-shy to the Ramsay wannabes.

The Cookery Demonstration will be held in Cappoquin Community Centre from 10.00a.m.-12.00p.m.

Tickets cost €15.00. All proceeds go to Liosmór Mochuda National School.

Booking is essential as places are limited; please call Zoe on 087-6168303.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Dished Up! Waterford Festival of Food Programme for 2011

Fresh and fun new ingredients in the Waterford Festival of Food 2011 include “Three Chefs Kitchen Supper” and “Brunch in a Blaa with the Boys”.

Favourites from previous years return: the Bus Bia Tour, the Crude Food Trail and Breadmaking at Barron’s Bakery.

Talented chefs on hand to serve up a great weekend: Martijn Kaujiter and Ross Lewis will be clinking Michelin stars; Paul Flynn, Conor Foran, Richard Corrigan and Mark Hix will slice, dice and demonstrate…though things could get a little Fishy Fishy with Martin Shanahan in town!

Some of the best things in life are free; the opening Pig Parade, Food Camp 2 at Dungarvan Castle, BBQ by the Sea and Sunday’s monster Farmers’ and Country Market in Dungarvan town centre.

Big plans are being cooked up for out West too; details of great events in Lismore on the way.

The Waterford Festival of Food will run from Friday 15th- Sunday 17th April. For more events, information and ticket prices please see www.waterfordfestivaloffood.com

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Lismore Music Festival 2011 Presents Don Giovanni

Lismore Music Festival launched its expanded programme of events for 2011 and this summer’s featured production Don Giovanni, in the elegant surrounds of its home at Lismore Castle on Monday evening.

The Festival will take place over two days; Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June. A new production of Mozart’s much loved Don Giovanni, directed by Dieter Kaegi will be the weekend’s central attraction.

Recitals at Salterbridge House and concerts, “Opera for Guitar & Voice”, at St Carthage’s Cathedral are among the events planned for the June bank holiday weekend. Free music events will be staged around the town and the Opera Supper Club will return to O’Brien’s Chop House.

The LMF box office is now open on 00 353 87 1680258 or 00 353 58 52769. For more information please visit www.lismoremusicfestival.com or pick up a programme at Lismore Heritage Centre.

Wednesday 2nd March is Fair Day!

This Little Piggy Went to…The Pig Fair in Walton Park!

Walton Park, Dungarvan is about to be taken over by pigs; colourful, crafty "pigs" that will launch the programme for the 2011 Waterford Festival of Food, Dungarvan.

The pigs, which have been lovingly created by schools, clubs, groups and even girl guides, will be judged by a team including RTE’s South East correspondent, Damien Tierney and Jim McGrath of Truly Irish, sponsor of the event. The winning pig will become the mascot of the Festival of Food 2011.

If you would like to see the pigs be judged visit Walton Park at 3.00p.m on Wednesday 2nd March. If you can't make it on Wednesday all the pigs will be paraded through Dungarvan on the opening day of the Festival, Friday 15th April and will remain on display around the town throughout the Festival weekend