MOUNTSHANNON

Come and see the Mayfly moored in Mountshannon Harbour during the last week in May or join us on Saturday 27 May at the Market House with artist-craftsman Paul Berg and sound-artist Slavek Kwi, both living in Mountshannon. We invite scientist Niall Ó Brolcháin, expert in peatlands conservation, to discuss how and why we should rewet our bogs. We listen to the poetry of Grace Wells and the music of harpist Anna Tanvir and her Indian partner Maninder, before finishing with a cup of tea and a chat.

ECO SHOWBOAT at Mountshannon

IN COLLABORATION WITH MOUNTSHANNON ARTS FESTIVAL

Market House, Mountshannon, Co. Clare, V94 C593

27

MAY

2023

2 pm

Paul Berg with his Crannog Ceoil, Mountshannon, May 2022

Poet Grace Wells at the Eco Showboat ‘Umbrella Academy’, Clonmel Junction Festival, July 2022

Meet Anne & Denis over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Hear about their two year solar journey on the island’s waterways, see their studies and observations of nature and their encounters with artists, activists and scientists who explore with them the problems and promises of the freshwater environment.

Sound artist Slavek Kwi, living in Mountshannon, introduces us to underwater sound-ecology and invites us to listen to sound samples recorded locally in Lough Derg, on Atlantic coast of Ireland and also from travels in various tropical places (Brazilian Amazon, Australia and Tasmania, South Africa…).

Mountshannon artist-craftsman Paul Berg shows his recent work including An Crannog Ceoil, his musical island, and The Black Harp, crafted from 3000 year old Derrainy Bog oak.

Scientist Niall Ó Brolcháin, who studies peatland restoration & GHG reduction, discusses the ecological damage that has been done by draining and cutting Irish bogs and looks at how we can rewet damaged peatlands. Over 80% of Ireland’s 1.5 million hectares of peatland is degraded, meaning it emits millions of tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year. Studies have shown that restoration of these peatlands would result in a significant reduction of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Grace Wells, Clare based eco-poet, reads a selection of her poems focusing on nature, spirit of place and ecological concern.

Join Anne, Denis, Paul, Slavek, Niall and Grace for a chat over tea and some special indo-irish culinary offerings, while harpist Anna Tanvir & her partner Maninder Singh perform music that dips into Irish and Indian folk traditions.