In Memoriam

Margaret Duberley, who crossed over on 13th February. She was actively involved in the Irish Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Association and an inspiration to many Waldorf kindergarten teachers, parents and friends. David Fairclough reports that recently two new stars appeared in the constellation of Scorpio. The first, named Nova Scorpii 2007 was first sighted on February 6th and then brightened until February 13th when it became visible to the naked eye. Was it a light for Margaret on her journey?


For more on the life of the cosmos, and stars that appear and disappear refer to The Festivals and their Meaning (III Ascension and Pentecost), R. Steiner

GNOSIS! A new book due out in April

Author Sean Byrne is from the Republic of Ireland but has lived and worked near Belfast for many years. As well as publishing and editing, he writes for various journals and magazines. His first novel, GNOSIS! is based on the life of the 2nd century Christian writer Origen of Alexandria (pictured at left). The decadent Roman Empire is on the brink of anarchy. Rome is suspicious and fearful of the new religion, but wishes to harness its power for its own ends with a cold and down-to-earth programme. In Alexandria on the other hand, Christianity is welcomed with open arms as a herald of a new age of the spirit. Origen, the Egyptian philosopher, is a danger to Rome's plans. The result is one of the most intriguing and exciting periods of history the world has ever known. £8.99 or €13.50 from Amazon or direct from the author with his signature. Email Sean Byrne, member@ageoldbooks.fsnet.co.uk
Sean Byrne also informs us that the current issue of The Local Planet features his review of Sekem, Ibrahim Abouleish's book about the biodynamic community in Egypt.

The above illustration is from Andre Thevet Les Vrais Pourtraits et Vies Hommes Illustre 1584, University of Michigan

EVENTS

Michael Miklis, Administrator at the Biodynamic Association announces the following events:
* Talk on the Maria Thun Calendar on the 2nd of March at John McDonnell’s Farm in Shalvastown Slane Co.Meath, this will be combined with a Farm walk and start’s at 2 pm.
* A Workshop/Conference on Composting in March /April (exact details will be forthcoming next week) will be held at the Dominican Farm and Ecological Centre in Wicklow.
* The lifting of the Biodynamic Preparations will take place either on Saturday the 28 of April or Mai the 6th starting at 11 am At Ernest Mackey’s Farm Ballinclea House Donard Co. Wicklow. Please consult the Biodynamic Association website for more information.

The Anthroposophical Society in Ireland announces the following event:
Sunday 15. April - Saturday 21. April Connect Conference for young people in the Goetheanum, in Dornach, Switzerland. There are currently about ten young people from Ireland going to the conference but places are still available. For further details, contact Caroline Kelly 061 927 168.

Note: Please refer to the Eurythmy in Ireland website on the upcoming performances by the visiting artists from Stuttgart, Germany.

Irish Seed Saver Association (ISSA), Capparoe, Scariff, Co Clare

Today (Jan 29) was tree paste day at the Irish Seed Savers. A crew was out with rubber gloves, the tree paste and paint brushes. Each young tree was lovingly stroked and painted with the biodynamic paste which will keep it protected from fungus etc. The Irish Seed Savers, a venture begun by Waldorf parents Anita and Tommy Hayes, has grown from a small garden by the house to twenty acres of carefully tended ground.

Grainne Vaughan: This place has more life than any other garden I've ever been in. It is lovely. Lán le beocht!

Frank Bouchier, Garden Manager:

If we look after the trees they look after us.

Irish Seed Savers is the only organisation in Ireland engaged in the work of locating agricultural plants that are in danger of extinction, taking samples,nurturing them, propagating them and distributing them to gardeners and farmers around the country to ensure that they are available, once again, to be enjoyed for their taste, beauty and resilience. For information: 061 921 866.

Castalia Eurythmy

Castalia, a new venture, has toured Ireland several times and is currently planning 2007. Eurythmist Breeda Mannix interprets poetry by Seamus Heaney and music by John Billing, bringing depth and life to both.

Breeda hales from County Kerry.She studied eurythmy at Peredur Centre for the Arts, Sussex, England, from 1988 to 1993, under Isabel and Hajo Dekker. Every few years Breeda looks for a master, and so 3-1/2 years ago she moved to Norway where Margrethe Solstad, the leader of the Oslo Eurythmy School, offered her a place in the Ensemble work. Currently Breeda is studying for a BA in eurythmy under this leader, who will shortly be leaving Oslo for Dornach where she will become Section Leader for the Performing Arts.

In 2002 a small group including Breeda created a eurythmy programme to go on tour. While booking the tour in Ireland, John Clarke of Ballytobin Camphill Community asked Breeda 'what your name is'. She replied that there wasn't a name upon which he immediately suggested 'Castalia Eurythmy'. In 2007, Castalia Eurythmy is invited to a number of Arts Festivals in Ireland, both North and South, and there are plans to work on new material as well. Two dates already booked: 7th June at Dunshane, Medical Section Meeting/Conference, 17th November in Gortahork, Donegal for a Poetry festival.

For more information contact John Nixon, 048 9042 5990, office@glencraig.org.uk

Camphill Community Greenacres is a new venture in the south Dublin suburb of Dundrum. The main house was formerly occupied by an order of nuns called the Religious for Christian Education. Due to dwindling numbers they have let the property to Camphill to insure the social endeavours which they can no longer manage on their own. The house is set in two and a half acres of mature garden adjacent to Airfield, a 40 acre community farm and craft centre. Our new house Hazel, provides semi-independent living environment for people who are more able. By each helping the other, everyone is enabled to live a fulfilling life. Although in the centre of a thriving part of Dublin we are a veritable oasis of greenery. Our aim in Greenacres is to develop the Camphill impulse in the context of an Irish urban setting. More specifically, we have set ourselves the goal of achieving a sustainable community. This can be described as an attempt to integrate the ecological, social, economic and spiritual aspects of life into a harmonious and inclusive place to live.
Since taking over the house at the end of 2002, the Community has grown to 18 people living full time and a number of people coming on a day basis, including people in care, co-workers, children, a part-time employee and helpers from the locality. We also play host to a wide variety of cultural activities such as courses and lectures. In addition, we operate as a small scale respite care, mostly for members of other communities looking for a city break.

Camphill Greenacres, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dublin 14. Phone: 01 298 7618

Camphill Greenacres

ANTHONY KAYE

This is an announcement that our friend Anthony Kaye passed over into the spiritual world on Christmas Day. A service will be held for him in Camphill Duffcarrig Thursday, 28 December at 10:30 am.

We will add a short description of Anthony's life shortly.

Brushwood Studios

Driving along a hidden laneway near the Parknasilla Hotel and Sneem a sign guides you to Brushwood Studios home and gallery of the extended Muller family. Ann and Max Muller left their native South Africa after Soweto and came to Ireland, settling in this location 30 years ago. They built their own house, extending it as the family grew, and homeschooled the children according to Waldorf methods. Ann deveoped her style of painting following Steiner and Goethe colour indications, while Max developed his anthroposophical library and biodynamic garden. Ann authored a number of books (see website) over the years. Today she, her daughter, daughter-in-law, son and granddaughter exhibit their extremely beautiful art in their home/gallery and welcome viewers.

Rebuilding and Extending The Watergarden

The popular Watergarden café and shop in Thomastown is undergoing renovation and will reopen in late Spring. Shop and gardens will then be an even lovelier destination than they were before. Here is a bit of history:

The Watergarden has always provided a welcoming environment where people of all abilities can work and enjoy life together.

A local tailor, Bernard Walsh, spent most of his retirement developing the Watergarden as a hobby. As he grew older, the work became too much for him and he sold his house and gardens to his friends in Camphill. Bernard died in 1996. It now contains a coffee shop with small craft and gift section; a garden shop; ornamental streamside gardens; a pottery; and a canteen for those who work here. All activities create opportunities where local people on day placements can work alongside others on community employment schemes, paid staff and Camphill co-workers. Nearby is Camphill Jerpoint, a residential community with a small farm and gardens.

Dingle Study Group
Meets on Wednesdays 7 - 8:30 pm
Current discussion in relation to the book Spiritual Beings in the Heavenly Bodies and in the Kingdoms of Nature, R. Steiner

Contact: tfinbarr@eircom.net

Recommended Reading:The Interior of the Earth
An Esoteric Study of the Subterranean Spheres
Available from Rudolf Steiner Press, London, Price: £9.95

Paul V O'Leary who recently moved to Dingle has compiled a book containing the rare lectures and essays given by Rudolf Steiner on the influence of the subterranean spheres of our earth. This has the greatest relevance in these times and yet has hardly ever been discussed. Can we know what lies beneath our feet, how it affects us and how we can transform it? Rudolf Steiner's unique insight gives a picture of the nine layers of the earth that range from the familiar ‘mineral’ on which we live, to the innermost core. In between are layers such as the ‘Mirror Earth’, which represents qualities of extreme evil, and the ‘Fire Earth’, which is connected to natural catastrophes and also intimately related to and affected by human will. When the human will is chaotic and untutored, says Steiner, it acts magnetically on this layer and disrupts it, leading to volcanic eruptions. He also describes other natural catastrophes such as extreme weather and earthquakes - in connection to the interior of the earth and karma. These lectures make it clear that 'human evolution implies a transformation of the earth's interior' and we so well to become familiar with them.