A powerful wind was pushing us down the hill at midday. The leaves from the aspens were swirling across our path, covering the field in a chaos of yellow and brown. It’s dark now and in the distance the fireworks are exploding and the dogs are anxious although safe behind thick walls.

Beautiful moon of last few nights is gone. The wind is huge as though nature took the deepest breath and let this enormous exhalation burst forth to wipe us all out. Probably disgusted with what we’re doing to her. But she’s generous too as she’s strewn a large crop of crab apples in the lane way for me to gather for my favourite jam. It’s going on for 10pm and she really blowing now. Glad I’m not on the ferry crossing the Irish Sea right now – hopefully she’ll be gentler by the time I make the journey. The dogs are peaceful in front of the fire heedless of the great surge outside. I sit with them remembering Terri and though I only met her on a few occasions, how she had impressed me with her tremendous spirit and her great love of nature.

I went over to Coole Park on Tuesday for the launch of their Autumn lecture/music programme. And who did I meet but Martin who took my baby bat all those weeks ago
So you can imagine that when he approached me I was somewhat apprehensive. However the news was good. After just 3 days of feeds and liquids administered by Liz – what an exceptional skill to be able to tend to a tiny creature in distress like that – they deemed the bat was fully recovered and ready for the great outdoors again. They’d brought him back to my lane way at dusk, placed him on a tree that he didn’t like, then moved him onto another to which he instantly responded and scurried off into the shelter of the covering ivy. Mission accomplished. Brilliant!

The First Public Meeting of the Green Sod Land Trust was held in
Athlone last Saturday, October 13th 2007 at The Prince of Wales Hotel.
A presentation was given by Directors of the Trust, Melissa Griffith
and Sheila Gallagher, to a large crowd informing them of the work of
The Trust.
The meeting was opened by Chairperson Nellie McLaughlin, who spoke
of the importance for all of us of recognising that the living systems
of our planet are under serious stress and that we can no longer talk
of human need only.
 ’Land and all species- are a one time endowment –  once extinct they’re gone for ever. This makes it very urgent for us to work and protect the land for present and future generations.’

Noreen Lyons of The Trust, spoke of balance of all living things,
and of how disconnected we humans have become from the earth and how
most of us have lost our capacity to listen to what it has to say.
‘We are all familiar with the Native Indian adage “What we do to the Land we do to ourselves.” We know this in theory but to translate it into practice is radically challenging. How would it be if our relationship with the land was one of a harmonious relationship, not one of domination?

The Trust is preparing a National Fund Raising Campaign to kick start
the acquisition of their first parcel of land.

People attending the Meeting came from as far away as Cork and
Donegal, Carlow and Clare. ‘I am delighted with the turnout for this
first public meeting of The Land Trust and we are very grateful for a substantial donation which we received subsequently.’ said Melissa Griffith,
Secretary of The Trust. She encouraged people to log on to
www.greensodlandtrust.com to learn more and to keep informed about
future meetings and happenings.

There are many Land Trusts in England, Scotland and all over Europe.
But with the exception of groups like the Irish Peatlands Conservation
Council, The Green Sod Land Trust is the first of its kind here. The Trust is confident that is has arrived in time to keep Ireland Green for it’s indigenous inhabitants and for the sake of the spirit and soul to Irish people.

Nancy bought a new bicycle – ‘Try it’, she said as I walked round, eyeing it like some exotic creature. Goodness I haven’t got up on a bicycle in years. ‘Go on’ she urged as I hesitated but finally wheeled it down the green drive and set off by the sea road. Initially progress was unsteady and wobbly but soon momentum was picked up and I was off peddling madly with the enthusiasm and delight of a 12 year old with a new toy. The exercise opened the lungs and the heart and the hedgerows still clinging to a late summer whizzed by, the soft blue of the delicate hairbells tossing their heads in my wake. The late evening sun is catching a hollow between the Burren hills as I make my more gently paced return trip. I am rosy cheeked and grinning when I finally returned the new bicycle to Nancy. ‘There you are now, didn’t I tell you,’ she said. And she did.