Take a listen to above first….

More information over at the fire fighters challenge website.

To throw Cian a few bob – drop it into the pub in an envelope or ask for his Dad Ronnie.

Other than that – drop a comment below and wish the man all the very best. Well done Cian my friend – very [...]]]>

Take a listen to above first….

More information over at the fire fighters challenge website.

To throw Cian a few bob – drop it into the pub in an envelope or ask for his Dad Ronnie.

Other than that – drop a comment below and wish the man all the very best. Well done Cian my friend – very proud to support you on this one. Did I mention he starts this Friday and finishes Sunday night!! You’d better hurry up and get that tenner out of your pocket…..

I can see him now, up there hanging out of the magillacuddy reeks…..

Please note:

NEXT CLASS: saturday April 17th 9.30am – 3.30pm

*class needs minimum 8 people – maximum of 10 allowed

Booking[s] over at Peters Landscaping Weblog

...

I did the grow your own gardening course about 2/3 weeks ago now…. It wasn’t until I was out recently at an event [...]]]> Straight from Peter’s Blog…. the garden guru is doing it again:

NEXT CLASS: saturday April 17th 9.30am – 3.30pm

*class needs minimum 8 people – maximum of 10 allowed

Booking[s] over at Peters Landscaping Weblog

1

...

I did the grow your own gardening course about 2/3 weeks ago now…. It wasn’t until I was out recently at an event and I was beig asked was I doing another as the wife would love to do it…. Then a neighbour popped by…. he’d love to too…. then online I got it…

...

So the response from the last/ first class was good. The demand for a second one seems to be there…. that’s also good. It’s now simply a case of can I get the numbers to make a day of it….? That bit is up to you.

Who is the Garden Class for:

• those who wish to be green but not a full time farmer.
• those with an apartment balcony or you that simply just wish to grow a bit on a space about that size
• For those who work 24/7 and watch tv but are willing to do a bit

Whats the day like:

• real coffee & homemade buns on arrival @ 9.30am – with an intro chat amongst the group
• then outdoors until around around 12.30
• homemade lunchin the kitchen until around 1.15
• back out until about 3pm and finish with a fresh cuppa/some homemade biccies and a chat.

Other info:

• Places are limited to a maximum of 10 people.
• Cost is €60 per person
• I supply everything you need. You get to to bring it home with you.
• laughing is encouraged

Louise’s post really does summarise it very well

Wanna come along ?

• Pop your name[s] in the comment box below.
• email me info[at]doneganlandscaping[dot]com
• phone me on [vodafone prefix and then] 6594688

...

Over the last weeks I’ve been researching chatting with some friends about gardening and the usual how to bits of outdoor advice.

From those conversations came the suggestion that I should do a crash course of some format in ‘gardening‘.

I did teach horticulture and courses before. But this class request or what one should get at [...]]]>

....

Over the last weeks I’ve been researching chatting with some friends about gardening and the usual how to bits of outdoor advice.

From those conversations came the suggestion that I should do a crash course of some format in ‘gardening‘.

I did teach horticulture and courses before. But this class request or what one should get at the end of it is to be slightly different as those urging me to do so are not horticulturalists – moreso they have a window ledge/ balcony or only wish to garden in small amounts and stints.

The outcome…? Either a one day course in gardening at my homestead or a 1.5 hour evening course in Dublin City Centre over a 3/4 week period. The majority in this case decided on a one day workshop.

To tailor make this session to the people and their wants I am proposing the following:

• a one day crash course from 9.30am – 3.30pm
• The day/ date for will be in March
• cost of materials only to be covered set at €60 per person
• you take home what you make on the day
• lunch will be included
• to take place in Ballyboughal [it's near Swords/ North Dublin ]
• numbers will be limited to a maximum 8 people only

What we will achieve on the day:

• gardening basics
• how to grow your own from seed
• growing plants on a budget
• window ledge balcony gardening
• looking after your plants
• planting your planters
• growing in a confined space
• not enough hours in the day/ the 10 minute gardener
• herb and salad kitchen gardening

The idea is simple enough and if numbers run over/ demand is great enough/someone approaches me with a suggestion I’ll do a second class/ consider those options then.

If you would like to do this class – or – have any queries or suggestions

• pop your name down as a comment on the gardening blog [not here]
• email me info[at]doneganlandscaping[dot]com
• telephone me on [vodafone prefix - and then] 6594688

...

And so just back from South Africa… I had managed to fall short of the €5,000 required to make the trip. The very kind people of the Trust had given me a little [...]]]>

....

And so just back from South Africa… I had managed to fall short of the €5,000 required to make the trip. The very kind people of the Trust had given me a little extra time to make the difference up.

My sister Jackie and her hubby-2-B Ciarán  have decided to do this table quiz for me.

Also on the list is Quiz Master extraordinaire Michael Nugent…

To book online:

• Leave a note on my mycharity web page in the comment bar that it’s for the table quiz.
• Leave a comment below – and bring the money on the day
• If you are on Facebook simply pop your name down
• Drop by my house and/or give me a call

BUMPER RAFFLE PRIZES:

• 2 Top Gear Live @ The RDS Gold Tickets
• Radisson Farnham Estate , Cavan, 4 ball on their new golf course 
• Kitchen In The Castle, Howth Co. Dublin €60 cookery class voucher
• Family of 4 pass for The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
• 1 crystle clean €55 valet voucher
• 1 crystle clean €55 valet voucher
• 1 plant arrangement by plantsonline.ie
• 1 plant arrangement by plantsonline.ie
• Sea Safari - 2 adult tickets
• 7up on ice - 2 family passes
• Leisureplex – 1 hour bowling for you and 5 friends
• Beauty Boot Camp Dublin - 1 person voucher for beauty/ make day
• Nokia 2700 classic mobile phone
• 4 tickets to Fossets Circus, Royal Hosp Kilmainham - this Sunday
• random bottles of something nice

I’ve uploaded all of my 2009 blitz images/ photographs here

A great overview of the entire week can be read on the official Niall Mellon Township Trust blog - you should also visit here if you are interested in travelling next year.

Visit my charity website and book your tickets

To read post number one of the journey – click here

They say the gardening team were a special bunch. I’m unsure whether some meant that with a touch of humour…. But the truth is we were are. The reality is though that that humour is so necessary. When I [...]]]> update: table quiz dec 3rd malahide…?

To read post number one of the journey – click here

They say the gardening team were a special bunch. I’m unsure whether some meant that with a touch of humour…. But the truth is we were are. The reality is though that that humour is so necessary. When I think to one of last years highlights, that of Gerry taking the tv remote to work rather than his mobile phone… the milage 70 odd adults got out of that. Child like, maybe, but necessary.

With that in mind, it also summises the one thing you must bring with you on your trip and equally as important the one thing you must leave as home…

This year some of us agreed to lay amongst the random dappled paving *ahem approximately 3 metres of just pink and the white…. the laugh it got and I still smile when I see Adrian break out laughing followed by Betty asking who is that man…? as she nods toward head foreman Dermot. It lasted us the entire week…

If you were thinking of travelling across and you were on your own… you’re not. Everyone rooms in with someone. It was my room mate Padraic’s first trip. I never saw him until the Thursday

On the gardeners first night that everyone was in Cape Town dinner was organised for us by one of our pink [t-shirt] ladies Rosetta. On the third night a karaoke inter team showdown was organised…. which the gardeners [jointly] won! It really is very much a case of as long as you have a name badge on you are not alone.

After hearing some of the school children sing happy birthday followed by It’s a long way to Tipperary to Anne Marie for her birthday… the highlight of the week for the gardeners[in my opinion] has to be Sluggers annual awards ceremony [the bit in the vid where we're all in the school desks]. There were awards for best builders bum, legs, crappest workmanship, best excuse…. the list goes on. I won one of my two medals [yet again] for best chat up line… I have to thank [?!!] Niamh for this one It was just after 6am… or at least thats my excuse…

Jees you’ve got lovely hair Elvis

The day starts generally with breakfast at about 6.15 – 7am depending. From there a coach brought us on a 20 minute jouney to the township from our hotel. Everyone is scanned in from the name badge. All t-shirts are colour coded. We had a morning break at about 10am and the lunch at about 1pm. From there is was straight through less a 3pm cuppa until 5, sometimes later. The coach then returned us to our hotels.

During the day, people were brought on a visit to a shack. I did this in year one. One meets a family who may be getting a house. One meets their family… gets an insight. If ever you doubted why you were there… that moment disappears within seconds of this. It is such an important part.

The work is hard. It is tough. I make no bones about that. Physically and mentally. One is away from home. One misses their loved ones, naturally. But what everyone takes from this is life changing and worth every sacrafice second of it. There are medics assigned to each team and believe me no stone in the preparation is left unturned. That said if you only came out to rub sun cream on builders legs, hand out bottles of salted water or plant one tree you have made a difference.

I remember on our final night. The rap party as it is called. Niall told the story of a man who went to the beach every day and threw a washed up starfish back into the sea. After some days of doing this every day, a man approached and asked why he bothers to do this…. after all they just keep on getting washed back up. What difference would it make? The man replied that to that one starfish, it makes a difference. That story is told by a man who every year I have gone has welcomed every single volunteer, individually off the plane from Ireland to thank them for coming.

To those of you who helped me out along the way… either by donation or just a helping hand while I was gone. To those of you who I had the honour of meeting while I was there and to those who are not mentioned here…. thank you, thank you and thank you so very much. I hope this goes a little to show my appreciation. You did make a difference.

I’ve uploaded all of my 2009 blitz images/ photographs here

A great overview of the entire week can be read on the official Niall Mellon Township Trust blog – click here – you should also visit here if you are interested in travelling next year.

To visit my charity website click here

Wallacedene, Cape Town, South Africa.

My third year to travel with The Garden of Hope Team, this year was always going to be [...]]]>

I had disappeared for the last week or so…. and it seems in Ballyboughal terms I missed quite a bit… congratulations footballers!!
This is what I was doing….

Wallacedene, Cape Town, South Africa.

My third year to travel with The Garden of Hope Team, this year was always going to be yet another amazing project. As most of you know by now, I travel not to build houses but as part of a team of gardeners to, this year, build a community playground, football pitch and vegetable and fruit gardens.

What we didn’t bank on was the rain…. and by God did it fall.

But the options were….? We did have one half day of rain stops play… we then worked through as it got worse to make up the lost hours. And in the end it did work out. The sun started shining. It was always gonna happen

I’ve had to pause here writing this post…. It’s upsetting to be honest. My voice is gone. My bones are sore. There’s a pride inside me for what I as part of a team did… and then I think that maybe I could have done more. I’ve tears in my eyes. I’ve turned on the heating and type on my laptop and I’m trying, really trying not to write a sad post. Maybe to speak of the families and children with HIV and on housing lists for over 20 years…. when the rain came down one of the guys was telling me of a man they met with a frying pan trying to keep the water from his shack. I doubt he slept that night. But the people are so happy, friendly and polite. The children still smile. To see them dancing in middle of the water feature… that was the moment I took. Maybe I’ve numbed slightly to it after 3 years…

I heard of one lady. Originally from South Africa. She works in a pub in Ireland and for the last five years has saved her tips. This year she done the trip. She paid €5,000 to come to South Africa to work. The same as all of the Irish did. I worked with ladies in their 60′s and 70′s who laboured as myself and Colin lay cobbles. I met people who had lost loved ones so recently. Those who had no jobs to return home to in Ireland…. I’ve just thought of them too.

I’m gonna sit and have a cuppa now. The vid is done. I have some writing done here and a blog post to thank you all so much for your support. In garden terms… I think you’ll agree the volunteers made the best of it and kept the smile sunny side up… More than that – I know you will agree that our new friends in Wallacedene love it.

Thank you all for everything…. see you in a little.

I’ve uploaded all of my 2009 blitz images/ photographs here

A great overview of the entire week can be read on the official Niall Mellon Township Trust blog – click here

To visit my charity website click here

To view the original post – click here ]]> http://ballyboughal.net/niall-mellon-township-building-blitz-2009/feed/ 0 http://ballyboughal.net/champions/ http://ballyboughal.net/champions/#comments Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:59:26 +0000 Peter http://ballyboughal.net/?p=1475 ...

yes… today, officially, ballyboughal rangers gfc made history and won the league ….as well as the cup.

They got a walk over

That said last night they all headed off out on a bus to Ardcath to kick it off.

I met the three lads outside the pub just before they headed off.

Well done to all [...]]]>

...

yes… today, officially, ballyboughal rangers gfc made history and won the league ….as well as the cup.

They got a walk over

That said last night they all headed off out on a bus to Ardcath to kick it off.

I met the three lads outside the pub just before they headed off.

Well done to all the lads.

Take a look at just what exactly winning this cup really means….

**don’t forget: if you can’t get to the match – there is a solution via live text commentary to your computer courtesy of [...]]]> On the verge of rewriting history…. I went down to meet the men behind the men who will return triumphant to this small village in North Dublin.

Take a look at just what exactly winning this cup really means….

**don’t forget: if you can’t get to the match – there is a solution via live text commentary to your computer courtesy of myself and Maurice [or whoevers next to me... ] just make sure you have the computer set up now… click here for more details