tree walk - 11-15th april

by dunk Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:08

great day, trees planted, connections strengthened

yesterday the tree planters left from the brains collective warehouse (vegan cafe and bike workshops) @ northstrand, crossed the canal and swung a left on seville place into sheriff street community.

first stop the 1936 modern school with its own roof garden; St Lawrence O'Tooles senior boys school. Known better as Larriers, it where luke kelly and mícheal o`muirehuirtigh served their time.
We were warmly invited in and David Bailey who is doing a great job there, gardening with the kids, got 3rd class who were doing maths to come up to the roof where they each got a tree to put into a pot which will be taken home to their gardens soon.
The kids then went down and planted 3 birch trees in the little bit of green space there was there alongside the school carpark, there was a great amount of energy from the kids and many were telling us how they love to plant things, daffodils planted in boxes in the classroom windowsills could be seen. even the fish in the tank had a treat as many of the small worms found by the young gardeners were saved for them

next stop was into Gerry Fays shop, he is head of the north wall residents asociation and has done great work over the last 20 + years to fighting on behalf of the community. We went into him to tell him what we were up to and to find out what news there was in the area. Gerry told us how a new architectural competition had been devised for the area to create a new linear park alongside the canal, a great city amenity which is now completely off limits to the community. Gerry told us about the present lack of healthy green space in the area and the lack of "cultural buildings" in the new docklands that were promised to them by the DDDA, stack A being the example given; more shops and fancy reataurants. We asked Gerry about the possibility of creating a community garden in the "park", he said it was a space for football but there is a little more space there now as the razor wire fence has been taken down.

we called into the building that houses the other 3 schools in the area, larry o'tooles junior boys, junior and senior girls. they have no green space and the boys had planted a few sastirsums that morning in pots. i went in to them for a little chat and was told all about their upcoming communion in a month and all the spiked dyed hairstyles they would have for the big day and how they would celebrate the day. one lucky granny is having her birthday the same day so the young lad is taking her out for a treat with the cash he will get.

next stop was into the womens centre where again we were very warmly greeted by Sylvia, this building is connected to the "little treasures" creche and it was in their lovley little garden that stories were told, songs sang, a garden cleared of its rubbish by the little workers, and a new tree planted. we were all kept in stitches by the little 3 year old comedian gary. after the tree planting we stayed in the womens centre kitchen and had tea and more banter, monto weddings and even plans for further weddings.......?

we called into Geraldine in the after schools project who are doing great work for the kids, they have 3 separate age groups and work out of wherever they can, as they have none of their own facilities.
so our next planting stop was in the garden of the parish priest, father Ivan, as his basement is used by the "smallies" after shcools group. here erik and his mates dug 2 holes and planted 2 ash trees. some of the kids parents were down to collect them and we had a chat about making an orchard in the park beside the playground. erik said he and his mates would take care of it if it happens, leah and some of the other girls said they would care for their 2 new trees they just planted in the garden.

so after our few hours wandering around sheriff street it was time to move on.

a tree for the vegan cafe

step into summer, c/o Larriers

young tree planters on Larriers roof garden

kevin and the little treasures creche kids talk about birds nests

kids planting their new tree

by dunk Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:16

.

smallies with dirty hands after planting tree

gary the comedian

bye bye

sylvia, head of the command at her battle station

smallies after schools crew

by dunk Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:20

..

erik gets stuck in

a new tree for the smallies

by dunk Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:27

we then went up to maple house, a mens homeless shelter near croke park. a prior connection had been made but there had been no planned time to meet and plant so there was not too many men around. We were given tea and offered to join the men for the meal later at 5, we were also told how recently one of the residents had asked about making a shrine for one of the other residents who recently died. We had a chat and will be back down at breakfast time on thursday to plant the 3 trees we left there.

the lads carried on up to finglas.
not sure where they are at present but they will be at the community garden in dolphins barn later this evening at 7pm

maple house, mens homeless shelter

by dunk Wed Apr 13, 2005 13:12

the tree walkers have been in finglas and will be in singh street school later today
last night they came and helped open the new community garden in dolphins barn

greening the city

new tree for dolphins barn

by dunk Wed Apr 13, 2005 17:59

brief photo report from synge street school
the lads were able to plant trees in behind the fence where there are have been tree planting ceremonies beofre, notice the plaque on the wall behind the new tree

all the trees the lads give out are native irish
3 trees were planted in the school; ash, birch, rohan

ill leave you with a great quote from one of the most famous people to have lived in the synge street area, george bernard shaw:

"You see things, and say, "Why?" but i dream things that never were, and say "Why not?"

the lads are on their way down to CREATE, art group in the liberties
http://www.communityartsireland.com/homepages/home_history.htm

http://www.edunet.ie/synge/
history in the area
http://www.dublinks.com/index.cfm/loc/6-7/pt/28/spid/8277C92E-4FB6-49CB-80A64CD6D1FF22EA.htm

previous tree walk
Tree Walk 2005 Cork
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68394&topic=environment

THE TREEWALK HOMEPAGE
http://www.fourmilab.ch/treewalk/

the lads get ready to dig

onlookers look in

new tree planted, plaque later?

the lads have lunch

why not

by dunk Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:27

this morning 3 trees were planted in as a shrine by men in a homeless shelter, Maple House, whose friend Billy died tragically recently
a few words about the late Billy
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/billy.wav

The 3 trees were planted directly outside the window where Billy Merigan lived for the last few years, he lived for 83 years and was tragically killed some time back when a bus struck him outside the shlter.
When we called into the shelter last monday we were told that his friend John had asked the staff could they make a sort of shrine to the memory of Billy, so this morning I met John and he plated an ash tree directly outside the window to what used be Billys room. on either side of the tree a birch tree was planted. Johns friend Dermot came out and together they planted the second tree. Then Harry came out and toghether they planted the last tree.

The lads want to make a plaque to commerate their friend.

John plants the first tree in memory of a dear friend

John is joined by Dermot

John and Uncle Dermo

Harry, Dermo and John plant the final tree

the lads and the new trees

by dunk Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:35 fuspey at yahoo dot co dot uk

3 new trees for Larriers
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/larriers.wav
little treasures tree talk (small wind interference at start but well worth listening to for Garys inputs)
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/little_treasures.wav

community garden opening evening
mac opens the ground
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/opening_the_barn.wav
learning about the plants in the garden
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/alexander.wav
sounds from the garden
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/sounds_from_the_garden.wav
3 new trees for synge street school
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/synge_st.wav

by gardener Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:05

~ Mind Games

We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers, planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla
Chanting the mantra, peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil
Doing the mind guerrilla
Some call it magic, the search for the grail

Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower, you got to let it, you got to let it grow

So keep on playing those mind games together
Faith in the future, outta the now
You just can't beat on those mind guerrillas
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever
Projecting our images in space and in time

Yes is the answer and you know that for sure
Yes is surrender, you got to let it, you got to let it go

So keep on playing those mind games together
Doing the ritual dance in the sun
Millions of mind guerrillas
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel
Keep on playing those mind games forever
Raising the spirit of peace and love

Love...
(I want you to make love, not war, I know you've heard it before)

by dunk Fri Apr 15, 2005 17:47

this morning we visited the tibetan buddhist centre directly across from seoidins gaf, they had said they would plant a tree today but they decided that they would take a hazel tree so that their gardener could plant it.
the garden has an old well, one of the citys 100+ sacred spaces with pure water

there we met Finnish guy in the centre who came back over to seoidins for tea. the lads looked and listened to imc-ie reports of the tree walk.
their plan was to head up toward st. josephs school for the deaf in cabra and to head to phoenix park for a picnic after.

tibetan script

the holy well

the shrine room

feedback and tea back in seoidins kitchen

by dunk Fri Apr 15, 2005 18:17

sorry, forgot to post above

by onlooker Mon Apr 18, 2005 00:46

...in an act of simplicity . Fairplay to all of you.

by Eanna Dowling Thu May 05, 2005 18:25

I'm delighted to read about the Tree Walk in Dublin, it warms the heart!
I remember the epic John Crossan led Tree Walks of the '90s, 3 months on the road in all weathers;

I remember the first reclaim the streets in Dublin, '98, the guardians of the Glen and Frank Corcoran's Glending Massive all in peace and love of trees in the Dublin traffic;

I remember winters in the Glen of the Downs, saplings spirited to safety;

I remember the work of Crann, Feile Shamhna na gCrainn, the seed procession up Grafton Street and a hundred heads passing out seeds to the punters, dreads and skins and colours and drums;

I remember the tree walk CD of '98, I was glad to contribute:

"for every living soul, dancing beyond control,
for every blossom that must fall,
for every ancient wood, clear felled in chainsaw bolod,
for every tree that is cut down,
I'll plant a seed, and then another"

more power to ye!
Éanna