Banana rambles

No Music , No Life

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:30:00 +0000

A Contribution from Bob Morrow, a Regular Visitor to Omagh Hostel

I hadn’t intended to spend any time in Ennis as I made my way down the west coast of Ireland. I’d overheard someone in a hostel in Sligo declare that no one in their right mind would go to Ennis unless they lived there – and he did live there. But it happened to be a convenient place to break the bus journey between Galway and Limerick and I booked into a hostel for one night.

At the door I ran into a friend I’d made a couple of weeks before further up the coast when we discovered a shared love of Irish music.

“You’re going to love this town,” she burst out. “The music is fantastic!”

And she was right.

The music in Fawl's bar was in a back room about six metres square, and only a dozen or so people were listening. One was a stout man in his forties, a farmer, who began talking to me about how the music hadn't died, how skilful young musicians were embracing it, how Fawl's was one of the few places that presented the music as it always had, and how the bar had managed to preserve itself pretty much unchanged over the years. This music had been all over the country when he was young and you didn't have to go to a bar to hear it. It was in the farmhouses at the end of the day.

"They'd come in from the fields or the cattle and they'd take down the fiddle or the flute or the box and play somethin’ while the dinner was cookin’."

He was a flute player himself but he wasn't playing tonight. He said he had to get home to milk the cows, though I couldn't see any dawn milking being done, since it was already after midnight. He called over the man with the flute from the group and hummed a tune. The young musician listened intently, whistled the tune back. My companion nodded. His listener returned to his seat in the corner and struck up the tune on the flute, warm and slow. The accordion and banjo joined in, hesitating till they were confident they had it right.

"The last time I heard that tune I was carryin’ me father's coffin," the farmer said at the end.

I offered my condolences.

"No, no, no, no. There's two ways to look at death. Ye're sad at the loss, but ye celebrate his life, all he did, like. It's a special thing to carry yer father's coffin and hear that music. Ye think about all those generations who've gone before, everythin’ they've left us, all this music they've given us. No music, no life. I was up in Dublin last year, me first time in Dublin, can ye believe it? There was a young fella playin' there beside the road, on the footpath, ye know. That's what he had on a sign: no music, no life. It's true, so.

"If there was no music here tonight, would we be here? Ye come in here and ye like the music and we talk a bit and ye're in my life and I'm in yer life and maybe we'll never meet again - me name's Michael, by the way ..."

"I'm Bob"

"That's grand ... and we've just talked a bit and if ye come back on Friday for the music in Mickey Kerin's, up by the court house - great music, that - if I see ye there I'll be able to say, 'Here's a man who likes his drop of Guinness.' The fella playin' - Dave Connolly - he's a Kilfenora man. Well, he's a Donegal man originally, but he married a girl from Kilfenora and he lives there now and he's a legend on the fiddle. So many tunes he's composed and there's so much in those tunes ye can't believe it. A legend he is. Ye'll love that music."
The audience had been growing steadily, and now the tables were crowded with glasses, full and empty. A woman was bringing pint after foaming pint from the bar, at least two, it seemed, for every person in the room. Conversation blazed among the little groups of friends. The musicians rolled cigarettes and chatted among themselves. They began the next piece, a fast one. They threw themselves into it, feet stamping time, bodies swaying. The flautist broke off for a moment and murmured a comment. The accordion player threw back his head and laughed. The night and the music flowed on.

How to effectively ignore the wettest summer in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:14:00 +0000

Yes the blog has been getting less and less entries over the last few months . The intentions were always good but somehow I just couldn't seem to get the time to get near it . So just how does one manage to get through a very wet summer in Ireland and almost fail to notice it? Simple! get offered a job that entails publishing the Organic Guide for Ireland !

Easy really, just gather the information, write a bit of editorial and bung it all in a book, nothing left to do except get it into print and follow up with a bit of marketing.......Oh and there is also a website to be designed and populated with same information........Was I so wrong?Another weary long learning curve,followed by endless hours on the phone chasing up information, testing emails, correcting details and on and on and on.

In the end we got there that's me, my family and every friend that I have ever had, the list of acknowledgements reads like a who's who of a guided tour through my life!.....Its printed and will be available shortly in a shop near you, also available at www.organicguide.ie . Big thanks to everyone who gave me a hand.

Snails Wwoofers and Irish Weather

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:03:00 +0000

This summer the weather has been universally bad even by Irish standards.This has been both good and bad for Omagh Hostel. The daily delivery of rain means that the wetland lakes are now full to brimming and the whole scheme looks marvellous.I have written about this in an earlier blog in June and July this year so if you check the archives you will understand what I am on about .No up to date photos as one of my adorable kids has made off with the batteries from the camera and consequently I am unable to download the photos of same.

But the daily deluge brought fantastic amounts of snails and slugs to the gardens . One of our wwoofers Celine from France thought that she would fix them for ever . She proceeded to collect them, fed them with special herbs, marinated them and cooked them with more garlic and wild plants and turned them into an interesting meal for us here at the hostel. Thank you Celine for the local food for local people whilst I idly speculate if this constitutes organic cuisine!

Eleven Weeks in the life of Robin Hickey

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:46:00 +0000

Billy and I drove to Dublin today and met up with some old, old friends. They were all, in some way connected with hostels in Ireland. There were people there from án Oige, from the Independent hostels IHH, from the University Accommodation Sector, from Failte Ireland and so on, they came from every part of Ireland. The reason for this ....well you see, last Tuesday at precisely six o clock in the evening the hostel movement in Ireland lost one of its greatest ambassadors and each and every one of us lost a friend and mentor.

For the past twelve years Robin Hickey has been chairman of the Independent Hostels of Ireland (IHH). He skilfully steered the organisation through good days and bad times, ever ready to dispense a bit of advice in his own frank straight forward way. He was remarkable for his vision, his energy, his depth of knowledge and his Dublin humour.

We will be ever grateful to him for the words of encouragement he gave to us at Omagh Hostel, after the bomb went off here in Omagh town almost 10 years ago to the day on the 15th August 1998 . Things were very grim here at that time and we were on the point of closing the hostel. It was only his words of quite certitude, that things were getting better here in the North of Ireland,that stopped us from giving up and leaving altogether. It was his words that gave us the courage to continue and build a business that we could make a living out of . It was also at his instigation that our membership fees to IHH were much reduced for some time after 1998.He always applauded our efforts at turning the hostel into an example of environmental good practise and could see the potential for the IHH to adapt a green policy for all of its members.

We are sad tonight, in common with many other members of the IHH . Robin died eleven weeks after diagnosis, still in post as chairman of the IHH. It is truly unbelievable that he could not be with us today, enjoying the meeting again of old friends remarking on the good turn out by members......he should have been there.

More about the wetland at Omagh Hostel

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:43:00 +0000

Big Changes

Well we are almost there, the wild flower meadow has been sown around the lake and the pond . The reed beds are on the right hand side of this picture not really clear.These will act as a belt and braces to the existing septic tanks. The first pond should have water clean enough to drink out of in one year . Some time I will get around to doing a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) count and will let you know how we are doing!
In the lower fields to the left hand side of the ponds all the white spots on the ground are the trees that we have planted and despite an onslaught by hares, Soy sheep and new grass most of the trees have survived. We still have to plant up the pond and the lake with oxygenating plants and marginals etc. This will have to wait until the piggy bank is replenished!
Thanks to Gordon Dunn for the photos (Our friendly local passing airman)

CREATIVE CONNECTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:18:00 +0000

ARTISTIC APPROACHES TO CROSS BORDER PARTNERSHIP A ONE DAY CONFERENCE

THURSDAY 28TH AUGUST, 2008 STRULE ARTS CENTRE, OMAGH

This one day conference will explore good relations through the arts and
arts practice as well as showcasing the work of very successful Omagh Sligo
Joint Cultural Events Project.

The Conference programme for the day includes an exhibition of photographs,
performances from the Youth Theatre project and the Polish Theatre project,
short films made by the Travelling Community in Sligo and guest speakers on
themes including arts & disability (Padraig Naughton from Arts & Disability
Ireland), intercultural good practice using the arts (The Equality
Commission for Northern Ireland), photography and film as a creative meduim
for an oral community, youth theatre and the visual arts.

For further information please contact -:

Susan Glass
Project Coordinator
Omagh/Sligo Joint Cultural Events Programme
Omagh District Council
c/o Strule Arts Centre
Townhall Square
Omagh, BT78 1BL
tel: 028 (048) 82245321 [ext 405] / fax: 028 (048) 82240774

Questions of the Great Grey Ones

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:15:00 +0000

Words from the Vagabond

When the world was young and all was new

Did you feel it as a whole,a part of you?

Experienced it all,bloody red to iced blue?

Are you one of the few?

Have you seen the eldritch skies,

The sombre clouds with tears in their eyes

And heard the wind tell you cold lies?

Did you ask your "Whys"

Have you looked in the wild one's face,

The strange beasts in their lonely place

And felt yourself out of the race?

Did wonderment start apace?

Have you felt the rock 'neath your feet,

The soft moss yield and retreat,

Smelt the land and it was sweet?

Are you really complete?

Have you learned the lesson yet

From the cold,the heat,the wet

Or is your mind like concrete set?

Are you still in life's debt?

Is there a place on some far hill or ness

Where there are neither vital or useless

Questions whose answers you must guess

"No" or "Yes"

Beaghmore Stone Circles

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:28:00 +0000

Some of my friends went to visit the Beaghmore Stone Circles to see the sun come up on the morning of the solstice. I didn't go myself as I was still reeling from the after effects of a flue. What a perfect morning,

Discovered during peat cutting in the 1940s the site at Beaghmore consists of 7 stone circles. All of the rings are associated with cairns and a stone row runs towards these cairns.

It is possible that Neolithic occupation and cultivation preceded the erection of burial cairns and ceremonial circles and alignments: some irregular lines and heaps of boulders resembling field-fences or field-clearance may predate the ritual structures.

At some stage peat started to form over the site, and it may conceivably be that the cairns and rows were erected in a futile propitiatory attempt to restore fertility to the soil by attracting back the fading sun.

We as locals feel lucky that we can still just go and visit there ! For more information on the site check out this link here

Five ducks, nine hens, one rooster

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:35:00 +0000

We went to the farmers market in Dungannon and purchased our new fowl for the palatial hen house.Being new to the game I wasn't too sure what to expect . We got there about 10.30 and were surprised at the size of the market, and in the very words of bardster Colm Sands "you could have bought anything from an anchor to a pin!"

Parked randomly all over a big field were hundreds of cars, vans and lorries all busy selling like there was going to be no tomorrow. Amongst this chaos were scattered the fowl breeders and sellers. Where does one start?We wandered aimlessly for awhile until I started to get tired (recently on my feet from a bad dose of the flue ). Right I thought, lets pick a face that looks like its a bit honest...ended up talking to Trevor who seemed like he didn't really want to sell his ducks at all,we bought two runner ducks from him, well actually drakes, as he kindly pointed out. Why drakes? well they were cheap and are supposedly good for keeping down slugs and snails.

Having discovered the knack of purchasing, we then went on and acquired 9 point of lay pullets , two others (a rooster and hen) I thought they were quite pretty...I am sure there was another reason for buying them..... and finally 3 duckling chicks. Not a bad start. We drove carefully home and they were introduced to their new home . Very quickly a pecking order was established,runner ducks get to bully everyone, the hen of the couple, gets to bully the nine point of lay pullets, the rooster is ignored by all and the wee ducklings get chased by everyone. Up early this morning checking for eggs, none.....hopefully I was right about trying to pick an honest face! Updates to follow.

It's Offical Omagh Hostel is an Ecoescape!

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Well done Cathy Mack what a magnificent achievement!Let me explain sometime during the last year a certain blond journalist came hurtling in to our lives here, to experience the joy of Wwoofing (see earlier posts in archive under wwoofing ) at Omagh hostel . I will admit I was seriously under awed, years in the hospitality business had long since taught me that when the media comes to visit, one simply stifles the yawns, tell them what they want to hear and consider it a lovely surprise if anything at all comes from the experience! Cynical or what !

Catherine came and from the start proved to be a delightful, guest/wwoofer, obviously attentively listening and absorbing every detail . She then proceeded to unleash a deluge of editorial content to the world about Omagh Hostel. We have been featured in publications as diverse as the Metro "the free newspaper given out on the subway in London" to the Irish Times "the leading newspaper in the Republic of Ireland" to meriting a whole three pages in her great new book "Ecoscapes" the handbook to responsible Tourism
How much better can it get?

Cathy's book "Ecoescapes" is an absorbing "tinkers tour" (to use a phrase) of hidden Ireland.If you want a great holiday that is ethically acceptable i.e where you don't have to tell your conscience to go and sit in the corner!!! and at the same time have something to boast about when you return home, then I suggest that you buy this book and simply visit some of these fantastic places . Ecoescapes would also make an excellent gift for someone planning to visit Ireland.

Nature Reserve and Wetland Area

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:12:00 +0000

Work continues at Omagh Hostel nature reserve

The great weather we have had this May has helped us with the construction of our new wetland area, nature reserve and reed bed system, however there is a saying "Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles .Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well . Some times your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else"-Brian Tracy.

Three men looking in a hole for water

Well that just sums up this project for us, we have had numerous unforeseen difficulties which have made us grit our teeth with frustration and disappointment. Problems such as "its the wrong type of soil, lack of water (yes I kid you not in Ireland of all places) on top of mounting costs are starting to make us think twice about what we have taken on! Keeping the final objective to the forefront we are trudging on in the firm belief that we will pull it off!

Reed beds almost completed

Here you’ll find out what the labels on your favourite products really mean.

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:57:00 +0000

Eco-labels and what they mean

As the popularity of green product claims continues to grow, it’s important to know which claims you can trust and which ones you can’t. Use the search tools on this website to learn about the evaluation of labels on food, wood, personal care products and household cleaners. You can search by product, category, or certifier, and easily compare labels using the report cards.

Uli's Henhouse

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:38:00 +0000

Life on the farm at Omagh Hostel.

Last week Uli came to volunteer for us , she is a travelling carpenter and has been on the road for over two years . This is an ancient tradition in Germany, the following description is taken from their handbook which they carry with them " they are known as companions on a traditional walk , they do not take the the road in order to obtain economic advantage but only to become acquainted with the practices of work and way of living of other people, and thus improve their knowledge about their profession and extend their experience of life.We kindly request everybody particularly all honourable masters, authorities and other institutions - who meet this companion to assist him in his intention and thus help to realize the idea of agreement between nations.The companion is bound and obliged to behave at all places in an honest and respectful way"

Thank you Uli constructing the most delightful hen house for us.

Whats on near Omagh Hostel

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:22:00 +0000

Biodiversity Day at The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co. Leitrim

Sunday 25th May 2008 from 11am – 5pm
Programme of the Day

Eagles Fly - Native woodland walk - The importance of hedgerows
-Nature trails -
Biodiversity in organic gardening - Companion planting - Wildlife gardening -
Walk to a protected site at Dough Mountain -
Protection of birds and community gardens -
The Community Food Project in the Robin’s Garden -
Medicinal herbs workshop - Bat walk - Dawn chorus - Walk to Foleys Falls - Wild herb walk

For more information call The Organic Centre at 071-9854338,
e-mail: info@theorganiccentre.ie, website: www.theorganiccentre.ie

Whats on near Omagh Hostel

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:00:00 +0000

Upcoming Events at Dún Uladh Cultural Heritage Centre

Cappagh Badoney CCE will host our weekly Traditional Music Seisiún; on Saturday night with the best in local Music, Song & Dance from around the region in our front bar. Music starts at 9pm. Come along to Omagh’s ONLY dedicated traditional music venue.

Old Tyme Dancing Class will finish on Thursday May 15th with Dancing in the Main Hall from 9 - 11pm (supper served). Everyone is welcome.

Sean Nós & Old Style Traditional Step Dancing Classes will be held in Dun Uladh Heritage Centre on Tuesday nights during May from 9 - 10pm. For further Information please contact Marie Garrity or Dun Uladh (82242777)

Living with teenagers

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:48:00 +0000

Precious Life

My eldest daughter and two of her mates climbed out of this car with a few scratches and bruises after it turned over on its roof, slid a couple of hundred meters down a road into oncoming traffic, then flipped back up on its side before coming to a halt on Friday evening last. Witnesses to the accident cannot understand how they are still alive.

From the Vagabond

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:58:00 +0000

QUICKSAND

The rain was pouring on the tent one summer day at noon

I peeked out and shortly said"It'll be off soon".

My companion merely snorted saying "Silly buffoon"

But the sun came out and we packed and went

Leaving behind in the sand only the slightest dent

Recognisable for some time as the site of our tent

And so laden we pushed our bikes along the sand

Thinking to ourselves"Wouldn't it just be grand"

If we had a support team to lend a helping hand.

We hadn't gone but a quarter of a mile

When something suddenly made me smile

I think it must have been the style

With which my pal (some six foot three)

Quite suddenly appeared to be

Coniderably shorter now than me.

The speed with which one disappears

Is very rapid as far as one's ears

Thus is explained the average person's fears

Of quicksand.Not really true - at best

Most sink only up to their chest

Still it's very itchy with sand in your vest.

I fear from my tale I have digressed

It gave us an excuse for a little rest

And we agreed in future to carefully test

The lie of the land

Quite well beforehand

In case it's quicksand.

Whats on near Omagh

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:46:00 +0000

There are samba drumming classes from Sat.24th May - Sat 14th June 2- 4pm
> in the Dance Studio, Strule Arts Centre from 11 years upwards.

Dún Uladh weekly Traditional Music Seisiún;
Our weekly entertainment continues on Saturday night with the best in Music, Song & Dance in our front bar. Music starts at 9pm. Come along to Omagh’s ONLY dedicated traditional music venue

They Have Arrived

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:32:00 +0000

The digger men have arrived!

All this week the earth as been reverberating with the sounds of heavy machinery. The bulldozer men have been busy working at creating our new wetland area . This includes three new reed beds , a settling pond and what seems to be an enormous lake. The new track has gone in and over a thousand trees have been planted. Work has come to a halt as we are currently awaiting the arrival of a specialist liner for the excavations.

Bonzo enjoying a run on the new environmental trail

Have You Heard The First Cuckoo Call Of Spring?

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:23:00 +0000

Spring at Omagh Hostel

Omagh District Council, in partnership with the Ulster Wildlife Trust, needs your help this spring to listen out for the call of the cuckoo. As part of the Cuckoo Species Action Plan for Omagh, Biodiversity Officer, Julie Farrell, is appealing to local people to report when and where they first hear the cuckoo call.

Julie explains: “For many people hearing a cuckoo is a sure sign that spring has arrived but in recent years it is thought that their numbers have gone into decline.

As the cuckoo is one of nine species selected for priority action in Omagh, we need local people to help us record when they first hear the cuckoo and continue to do so throughout the spring.

“Vital information we need includes where they hear or see it (postcode or grid reference if possible), what type of habitat they hear it in, and the dates they hear the cuckoo call. This information will then be used to build up a picture of when the cuckoo first arrives in Omagh and where it lives whilst it’s here. Unfortunately the opportunity to spot cuckoos is quite brief so we need all the help we can get."

A successful cuckoo campaign was run in 2007 by the Environment and Heritage Service, the National Museums of Northern Ireland and the RSPB. A similar campaign is planned for Northern Ireland this year.

Cuckoos have a fascinating lifestyle, where they secretly lay their eggs in the nest of other birds. Their eggs hatch earlier and their chicks grow quicker, usually bullying the other chicks out of the nest! They don’t go to the trouble of building their own nests!

You are much more likely to hear a cuckoo than to see one as they stay well hidden. Their distinctive call is easy to identify.

What to listen for: Males – Cuc-cooo while females have a bubbling call. To hear their calls, log onto the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk and search for cuckoo.

What to look for: Dove size, blue grey birds with a slim body and pointed wings like a small bird of prey such as a kestrel or sparrowhawk. Juveniles are grey-brown and heavily streaked.

Where to look: Cuckoos are found across Northern Ireland in moorland, wetland, woodland and farmland. They’re most common in western parts.

To report your sightings or records, please email the details required to Julie Farrell, Omagh Biodiversity Officer at Julie.farrell@omagh.gov.uk or post them to Lisnamallard House, Old Mountfield Road, Omagh BT79 7EG. Alternatively, telephone 028 8225 6202 to request a recording card.

Orchard Acre Barn

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:34:00 +0000

What's happening near Omagh Hostel.

Teresa O Hare is running her popular course Beauty from Nature; again in May.Teresa says If beauty is not your “thing” . We have the Willow weaving weekends in June and September which you can attend on a day basis too.Great value courses, all materials, lovely food and expert tuition, not forgetting of course that you bring your works of art home.She says "I still have my own, first hand made basket 18 years later and still in daily use!!!"

A full course programme will be launched on the web site shortly in early May www.orchardacrefarm.com .Expect to see craft, cookery, eco building, herbs for your health, willow, gardening and more much more.So far the feed back has been amazing about our courses and our new Eco Barn facilities

"Best course ever"…………………Janet from Bangor
"Fantastic food"……………………Caroline from Fivemiletown
"Really friendly and relaxed atmosphere will definitely come again
Fermanagh Women’s Network"
"A gorgeous building in such a tranquil location" ....Joe from Armagh

Climate Change and Omagh Hostel

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:22:00 +0000

As part of the Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland Environment Link are asking their members to write to their local MLAs to encourage them to sign up to the Climate Change ‘No Day Named Motion’ (first signatory Mark Durkan) calling for Northern Ireland specific targets in emissions reductions.Below is a web address for you to get the names of all local MLAs. You can also write to them via email using this website. It would be great if you could help put pressure on the MLAs to increase the signatories to the No Named Day Motion.

Click here for Link to MLA's

Multiple life sentences

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:43:00 +0000

The Vagabond has been at it again and penned this for my birthday

Each line that he writes
Takes most of his lifetime
See how he fights
Just to make them rhyme
But they must be done
And done right away
Else they're no fun
The critics would say
So he scribbles some more
Until his fevered brain is quite dead
And his fingers are sore
But at lest the thoughts are out of his head

Holy Fool Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:46:00 +0000

Things Happening near Omagh Hostel

Holy Fool Workshop

Led by Angela Knowles at Jampa Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre, Co Cavan

Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June 2008

A ‘holy fool’ lives in simplicity and trust; awake, present, accepting and spontaneous. Through a playful combination of meditation and silence, movement and clowning, the weekend generates a warm sense of community and fun. No previous experience is needed. The structure of the workshop enables each person to slow down, re-find their joy, explore their spontaneity and delight in the present moment: to be holy fools.

Visit www.thefoolstory.com to read an article about the Holy Fool Workshop.
Angela Knowles trained in physical theatre, clown and storytelling. She has since travelled to 18 countries performing and teaching. She also develops projects in peace, reconciliation and interfaith dialogue and has been a speaker at conferences in Australia, Canada and the US. After spending six years with a monastic community, she began story pilgrimages, retreats and the Holy Fool workshop. Angela is trained in The Work of Byron Katie.
The workshop is residential and the food will be organic vegetarian. The complete price is €245/£190. To reserve a place, please contact Susie Minto on +353 87 996 1031 or susie_minto@eircom.net for details on sending the fee. A deposit of €100/£90 is required immediately, followed by full payment by 14 May 2008.
Go to www.jampaling.org to read about the venue and get a location map.

Here's a view

noreply@blogger.com (marella) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:49:00 +0000

No its not another Sunday Cycling Excursion! The Omagh hostel blog hasn't taken to weird stunts in order to get a picture. Picture taken by our local friendly passing airman , many thanks Gordon! Check out his all things flying website here