Glenribbeen Lodge

Glenribbeen Eco Lodge: A Holistic Approach.

Eco Friendly Accommodation - winner of the top EU Green Flower Award for eco accommodation 2009. See our breakfast menu at bottom of page.  To follow Peter's eco-Blog  - Press here (DIY, recepies, eco-news, music venues for seessions and much more).
The Green Flower Flag was raised at a garden party (filmed by Irish national TV) in Sept '09 See amateur footage; LINK

At Glenribbeen Eco Lodge we believe in taking the "holistic approach" to our way of living and that includes how we grow our food and how we heat /light Glenribbeen Lodge. We believe in using all possible resources to reduce our carbon footprint in the world. Have a look at Catherine Macks iPhone Apt for Ethical travellers; www.ethicaltraveller.net

                                                World Clock
Glenribbeen B&B Accommodation Waterford is regularly referred to as an oasis of peace and tranquillity by guests. As well as accommodation in the B&B and self-catering apartment there is a thatched stone tower in the corner of the South garden by the fish pond that provides a quiet spot to contemplate or simply watch the garden and Glenribbeen wildlife. In the house we try to provide a holistic form of accommodation that helps sooth away the cares and woes of the rest of the world.
To that end we -

• Grow our own organic food when we can, using old water-filed jerry-cans to raise the temperature for near year-round growing. (Solar-water-heating).
• We buy 'Fair Trade' products when and where possible.
• Offer music and archery lessons.
• Offr free use of our bikes and canoe - though both bike and canoe-hire can be arranged locally. See below.
• Dammed the stream to create electricity. (see note 1 below). A 'fish ladder' helps fish pass.
• We use timber and waste paper to heat the house.
• We collect waste vegetable oil to make bio-diesel and pre-heat the central heating system. (see note 2).
• We use a 30 tube solar-panel system to heat the domestic hot water.
• A simple (home-made) windmill provides heat and light in the winter months in the glasshouse.
• Rainwater is collected and used to wash clothes and provide water for the garden, filling the fish and terrapin ponds etc.
• Kitchen sink water is used for irrigation and car washings.
• We offer various sorts of sports equipment of a non-mechanised type for our guest's pleasure as are various garden games. (see note 3).
• Some great walks start right at our gateways guests are provided with maps and/or directions and encouraged "to build up an appetite".
• Echo-locator and instructions are provided for "Glenribbeen Bat-Watch". See;http://www.batconservationireland.org/pubs/reports/BAT_KEY_IDBATLAS2010.pdf for great guide to Irish bats.
• Only organic type soaps are used to keep the house clean and NO soap is used to wash clothes. "Eco-balls" are used.
• CFLs are used everywhere "long term" lighting is used.
• Outdoor lighting is provided by solar-lights. 
• Few if any pesticides are used (some soapy-water perhaps)and we provide year-round food and shelter to (small) birds an (red) squirrels.  
• Nematodes and other 'natural resources' (beer) keep pests at bay.
• We keep hens for organic eggs and they in turn keep down pests and help scarify the lawns.
• The gardens are designed to attract and feed as many forms of wildlife as possible, with good cover for the smaller animals. Vermin is caught and released as SEP's.

Note 1: The dam is in place and the fish ladder - now we're awaiting the generator.
Note 2: WVO was used for a time to run our diesel car but now used to fire the Drying Room and the Sauna. 
 Cornelia & Harold of Flybow.de where I get my archery gear.
Glenribbeen Archery School; Glenribbeen Archery was set up to introduce potential archers to the finer points of archery and the safety of all concerned. Lessons are provided to all over 8years and coaching levels to higher intermediate. I.T.F.A.S.rules prevail. (No compound bows or fiber arrows).
Here in a dedicated archery area in the garden one learns to 'loosee' arrows correctly and safely. If a high-enough standard of safety and accuracy is eestablished and the new archer proves herself/himself capable a Certificate of Safety will be issued that should allow any holdeer to join an archery club (see the I.T.F.A.S. site) and join in a regular 'shoot'. Field archry consists of archers (2- 4 at a time) to follow a trail and 'loose' arrows from pegs set at standard settings. Junior/senior, for a total of 3 arrows per target. Targets are either 2-D (Pictures - usually of animals) or 3-D polystyrene full-sized animals. All participants must sign-in before such a shoot begins and there is a zero-tolerance of horse-play or dangerous behaviour. 
Archery equiptment can bee provided by Glenribbeen Archery School but there is a limited number of bows for 'left-eyed' archers.

Read HERE what William Makepeace Thackarey had to say of the drive past Glenribbeen to Lismore.

Video of The Towers - 3kms West of Lismore

Example of a Glenribbeen Special

Your Hosts

Peter a musician (fiddle) since 1963, now plays lots of different instruments. He has lots of information on the Titanic as his grandfather James O’Connor (metal-worker and trombonist) worked for Harland & Wolf from 1909 to 1922. His family returned to Dundalk and bought a house in the first street of houses in the new Irish state. This house became the music school of Peter's mum Rosemary who taught 3 generations of musicians there.  Peter's family are all musicians - 5 generations (so far). See Peter's Eco Blog (with a bit of humour and some music too).
Els comes from Amsterdam and was a dancer in the National Folk Theatre there, before working with the Dutch Ministry of Environment. Els is the green-fingered one around Glenribbeen. Most of the art-work around the house is hers too.

U-Tube of some of Peter's family playing in Dundalk - the aunties are behind - to left. More of Dónal with the band Tripswitch; This one is  with the famous Bob Brozman - a live show in Bray - Beer-Belly Dancing 

           Try some of these useful Home Tips

For OS map/photos of Glenribbeen from the air: see: ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,607749,599548,8

    

We spotted a bottlenosed dolphin stranded at Ballyvoorley Strand, near Dungarvan seagulls were poised to start pecking - so I whipped off my jeans and wrestled the poor beast back into the water - huge effort. Full story ; http://pfiddle.wordpress.com    More on whal sightings - indeed Waterford leads the rest of Europe in that at Irish WhaleWatch

AFTER you've been - and gone. Try answering this mindless survey to get entry for FREE DRAW for to Two (2) persons - Two (2) nights free-gratis and for niks in Glenribbeen Eco Lodge - or another B&B if you really are desperate. See: Click here to take survey">SURVEY


Discover The European Charter

Discover countries and languages, enjoy each others' culture and customs. Look for possibilties of cooperation and trade. Above all: make friends!

DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The Charter of European Rural Communities was founded in 1989?
Cashel has been representing Ireland since its inception?
From every EU-country only one small town can become a member?
If the European Union expands, the Charter grows with it. So at this moment there are 27 member towns?
English is the official language used?  -Loads mor info in the site !!!
The Charter also helps its members in the search for addresses suitable for students exchange, students work experience or holidays?
Phone: 00 353 (0)62-62765
Email: casheleucharter@gmail.com     Slide show of Cashel 
          Cashel Website with loads of information.

     

Here at Glenribbeen Eco Lodge we make a special effort to all those that arrive on foot, by bike or by public transport. We have some old biks we loan out and a Canadian canoe but for the real deal try; Blackwater Boating (Dennis) or Lismore Cycling Holidays. (Willie), or the Slow-River-Boat (Tony)
See local transport; DeiseLink Route 4 or Bus Éireann route 40.
Bus rout maps  Useful discussion on Lonely Planet about Open Road Pass
We have a dedicated wet/dry room and shower for outdoor adventurers and safe lock-ups for cycles and other gear.
We also allow tents and campers.RV;'s for a small charge. €10/night + €2.50 electricity = water connection.

Walking

iWalks are becoming more popular. Walks are enhanced by apps on mobile phones or GPS devices. For northern areas of Ireland Navigatour.  See also; Cork, 

Twitching - Bird Watching; http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/

Red squirrels visit garden.
Interesting article on Red Squirrels

WHEREVER YOU GO  .. ..   ...   ...   Remember though ...  ...   ...    LEAVE NO TRACE.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Be Considerate of Others
Respect Wildlife and Farm Animal
Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
Leave What You Find
Dispose of Waste Properly’
Minimise the Effects of Fire
I was always taught to leave gates as I found them!

The beauty of Leave No Trace is that it’s simple, reasonable and makes good sense. 

Glenribbeen Eco Lodge Menu.


A sample breakfast 'fresh-fruit' starter.

 

Here's a great little clip of photos taken in Ireland by Joe Public.




The Bride, the Munster Blackwater and the Lismore Canal
Kate Douglas Wiggin wrote in Penelope’s Irish Experiences in 1901:
If you want to fall head over ears in love with Ireland at the very first sight of her charms, take, as we did, the steamer from Cappoquin to Youghal, and float down the vale of the Blackwater -
‘Swift Awniduff, which of the English man Is cal’ de Blacke water.’
The shores of this Irish Rhine are so lovely that the sail on a sunny day is one of unequalled charm. Behind us the mountains ranged themselves in a mysterious melancholy background; ahead the river wended its way southward in and out, in and out, through rocky cliffs and well-wooded shores.
The rich lands in the valley of the Munster Blackwater were colonised by English settlers, including Sir Walter Raleigh, after the Elizabethan plantations.
From The Bride, the Munster Blackwater and the Lismore Canal; Here's the LINK

The Blackwater at Kitchenhole - frozen over for the first time in 100 years.