When our children started to move out of home and begin their independent lives, we decided that the best Christmas present for all of us was an opportunity to spend time together. Better again if we got to learn something while we were at it, and of course picking a beautiful location was a vital part of the planning.
On March 13, 2020, myself, himself, and our grown-up children walked around the beautiful Glebe Gardens in Baltimore, as Jean Perry encouraged us to pick up, and smell, handfuls of her ‘black gold’ – a crumbly, rich and highly-nutritious compost, ready for use after a year of maturing. This was our Christmas present that year to the family – a gardening course with Jean in her glorious garden. The timing was perfect. From that weekend on, we all spent more time than ever before in our gardens.
I’ve mentioned our boat trip on the Shannon before. That was also a Christmas present, and it was one of the best weekends away ever. We all had to learn how to manage the boat, with some definitely coming out as having more skill than others. Whether or not you’re a natural skipper, jumping off the boat and swimming in the beautiful waters of the Shannon is a magical experience, as is mooring up alongside the mythical Clonmacnoise.
Whether it’s for adult children, your young family, just you and your partner, or a friend or group of friends, gifting an experience for Christmas really lasts so much longer than the event itself. The time together is so valuable, and if you come away with a new skill, it can last a lifetime.
I recently did a beginners’ sewing course at The Common Knowledge Centre in the middle of the Clare countryside. The accommodation is simple but comfortable and cosy, and the food is amazing. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are served each day, all eaten together at shared tables. They offer a range of courses and, while I was there, there was also a DIY course on which the attendees (mostly women incidentally) were learning how to use power tools and make and install a shelf. It was a gorgeous learning environment – convivial, supportive and fun.
Many of us have been inspired by Manchán Magan, and other champions of our native language, to improve on our Leaving Cert Irish. Even if you are starting from scratch, there are many Irish courses, which are not academic, but focus on communication, music and culture. I found myself in a hall in Donegal this summer, dancing Baili Luimni and Tonnta Thoraigh, with the melodic sound of the Donegal Irish all around me. I realised how rarely I am in a room full of Irish speakers. It was completely natural for them to speak to me in Irish, and to be patient with my faltering reply.
Diarmuid Lyng puts together weekends in different locations in Ireland, including Kilkenny and Cape Clear, where you can immerse yourself in the language, while having plenty of craic along the way. He also offers family-orientated events.
There is a growing ecological and restoration movement, quietly and steadily spreading out around the country. Hometree, based in County Clare, is dedicated to establishing and conserving native Irish woodland. The Ardnaculla Summer School is a community and ecology festival, run every year in May, giving an immersive experience of landscape restoration and ecology, with walks, talks, workshops, music and great food. Camping is available in Hometree’s beautiful HQ, a five-minute walk from Ennistymon.
What about gathering wild plants, leaves, and any other found items you fancy and making art with them in a nature reserve in the Wicklow hills? After an afternoon at Windrush Farm with Sophie and Lucy, you’ll come away with the ability to make Hapa-Zome (Japanese leaf dyeing) eco prints using natural materials, and have your own creations at home with you.
Or learn woodturning in Galway with Ambrose and Bríd, or…You get the picture, the list is genuinely endless!
If you fancy somewhere more exotic, Dearbhla Glynn takes a group to incredibly stunning places in France and Majorca for a yoga retreat. Swimming, walking and wonderful food are all part of the restorative process.
Of course, you could also join myself and Karen Austin in a beautiful 15th century villa in Tuscany for a week next May, exploring the food and wine of this magical region. If someone in your life, including yourself, would love to immerse themselves in the joy of Italy, this might be the Christmas present you’ve been looking for!
Contacts:
glebegardens@gmail.com
emeraldstar.ie
ourcommonknowledge.org
Donegal Gaeltacht Summer School – www.liofa.eu
diarmuidlyng.ie
hometree.ie/
ardnacullasummerschool
windrushfarm.ie
@dearbhlaglynn on Instagram dearbhlaglynn.com
lettercollum.ie or
fmharkin@gmail.com for details of Tuscany trip.
