Community Lease not renewed!! We need to raise €500,000!!
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that we will be organising the 5th Annual Fundraising Night at the
Leopardstown Racecourse. This year’s event could not happen at a better time. With the
recent developments within our community, the moving to new premises we will also have to
tackle one of our main obstacles: To create workspace for our colleagues with special needs.
Our new premises has a reasonable sized garden where we would like to establish an ‘all year
round’ organic vegetable, fruit and seedling garden. This will be achieved by building a decent
sized glass – green house. In addition, there is an urgent need to create additional craft
making workshop space. The benefits are direct and straight forward:
Creating workspace for adults with special needs, where we can activate a therapeutic as well
as life skill program, provide our (day in – day out) kitchen with organically grown vegetables
We had many people asking how they can support us as a reaction to the previous newsletter,
the sad news of the ‘Greenacres’ premises and the unavoidable need to move the whole
community to new premises. We will keep you well informed on all these happenings and we will
indicate when, where and how you can support.
Therefore this special edition newsletter: Very soon we will start with the booking of the 25
to 30 tables (tables of 10) for the very fine and well-tuned 5th Annual Fundraising Night at the
Leopardstown Racecourse. This is an evening filled with style, superb viewing of live racing, an
excellent and extensive Fork Supper, live music and entertainment..
A full programme with specific information is attached.
Meanwhile do not hesitate to contact us:
Michael Hilary: 087 256 8810
mhilary@esatclear.ie
Gilbert Fonteyn: 085 746 7830
Gilbert.fonteyn@gmail.com
Community lease not renewed by order of nuns
We need to raise € 500.000

The County Clare Christian Community
has a new centre and chapel in Drewsborough, Tuamgraney.
Rev.Tom Ravetz will be holding services there on a regular basis, travelling over from England once each month (see below for May and June). His phone number is 0044 1384 377
or 087 648 6617 in Ireland. His email is tom@ravetz.org.uk
The Congregational Correspondent is Anne Benham. Email her for the Community Newsletter at anne.benham@yahoo.ie

The programme for May-June 2007 is as follows:

The Act of Consecration of Man
Sunday, 6th May at 11 am
Sunday, 17th June at 11 am
There will be a crèche during the Act of Consecration. Please ask Audrey Flynn for details

The Service for Children
Sunday, 6th May at 10 am
Sunday, 17th June at 10 am

Sunday Family Gatherings
All gather to sing in the chapel. Afterwards, there is a story or gospel reading for the children, whilst the adults remain in the chapel for a reading of the Gospel, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer followed by a short discussion on the Gospel. Afterwards everyone gathers in the kitchen for bring & share refreshments. 13th, 20th, 27th May, 6th, 24th June (special programme for St Johns to be announced)

Other Events
Friday 4th May 8 pm House Warming. This will be a social evening with music and a chance to meet.

Saturday, 5th-Monday 7th May Reunion of the Confirmation Group of 2005
Programme to be arranged

Sunday, 17th June at 4 pm First Confirmation Lesson for the Confirmation Group 2008

From the Biodynamic Association in Ireland:

Dear all; In June 2006, Nikolai Fuchs (our co-ordinator for the lobby work in Brussels) presented us with the work of the newly started initiative ELIANT (European Alliance of Initiatives for Applied Anthroposophy).Now ELIANT is collecting 1 million signatures to secure legal safeguards for anthroposophic medicine, biodynamic (Demeter) foods, Waldorf education and other initiatives of applied anthroposophy.The board of Demeter International kindly asks you to help this initiative with your vote. More information and online voting is possible at www.eliant.eu (click on the right for your language). Please distribute this information to as many people as possible. Non EU nationals can support this initiative too! Deadline is 15th July 2007. Thank you for your support.

Anja Terpstra, Administrator

On behalf of Demeter International and Demeter Standards Limited

Biodynamic Agricultural Association in Ireland, Watergarden, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
Tel./ Fax. 056-7754214 Email bdaai@indigo.ie

Website www.demeter.ie and www.biodynamic.ie

Eliant Campaign

The Alfa Project, Active Learning for Adolescents

The Alfa Project has been successfully educating teenagers aged 13 – 16 for the past 5 years. In this time Alfa has become an accepted alternative to state education for those young people who want it in our East County Clare area. Alfa provides a three year integrated curriculum covering the sciences, arts, languages, crafts and physical education arranged in project blocks (main lesson) of 3 or 4 weeks. Each project block links in with the rest of the curriculum in a unique way and includes an artistic and practical dimension whether it is Mathematics or History or any of the other subjects. This approach works with teenagers because it allows them to be creative, ask and answer questions and find their own relationship to the subject. The Alfa Project has developed to provide an alternative approach to exam led education especially for those students who find mainstream secondary education does not meet their needs. The students are in classes of 15 students and therefore a practical hands-on element can be brought into each lesson. It is clear to us that young people are born into and are growing up in a very different world to the one we grew up in 30 or 40 years ago. They are acutely aware of the environmental and ecological challenges facing them in the future; they also have a global consciousness that reaches out to others across the world. The future is unpredictable, therefore we have to educate young people for the world of tomorrow, not today or yesterday, so they can become active shapers of the future. This is why Alfa emphasises developing the capacities of the students over filling them with information. Capacities such as social ability, to be able to work with others and to reach out to those in need; judgement, to be able to think clearly and discern truth from lies; confidence, to be themselves, to take initiative and act responsibly when needed; global consciousness, to be aware of the connection between themselves and their actions and the needs of the earth, the environment, all fellow human beings and living things.
Alfa is run by a core group of committed parents and teachers, some are parents whose children have been in Alfa and moved on, some whose children are in the present group of 15 students. Over the seven years of setting up and running Alfa the Management Committee, Working Group members and Directors of the Company have gained a wealth of experience in effective management of Alfa, providing the education and working with teenagers.
Alfa intends to expand to 45 students in three classes over the next five years. In order to facilitate this growth Alfa needs to purchase land and build its own workshops and classrooms. Our plans are to build low tech, sustainable, energy efficient buildings involving the students where possible, with enough outside space to build outdoor projects, create
gardens etc. Help with this would be greatly appreciated. We have a
comprehensive Project Plan available which can be requested from info@alfaproject.org or 061 640798. Our website is www.alfaproject.org

""

Eurythmy Events: We are glad to report more eurythmy events in Ireland. Don't miss them!

Zagreb Eurythmy Ensemble "Iona"
This group from Croatia has been working on the theme of

"The Counter-Image of the Second Coming"
The programme includes works by W.B. Yeats, Fiona McLoud, and other modern writers and composers
Ballytobin Camphill Community, Co Kilkenny - Sat 28 Apr
Duffcarrig Camphill Community Co Wexford - Tue 01 May

“The Harbouring Silence”

Botton Eurythmy present a programme of contemporary music and poetry reflected in the mirror of their inspiration from the past.
Glencraig Camphill Community, Co Down - Sun 6 May
Mourne Grange Camphill Community Co Down - Tue 8 May
Ballytobin Camphill Community, Co Kilkenny - Thu 10 May
Duffcarrig Camphill Community Co Wexford - Fri 11 May

From June 15th to 30th The Pennsylvania USA Eurythmy Ensemble Tour Ireland the UK with their Evening Program “Tides Turning”. Also, they will perform pieces for schools.Dates and details to follow

For more information on any of these events go to the Eurythmy Ireland site: www.eurythmyireland.org

Irish Steiner Teacher Training Presents:
Easter Break Short Courses, Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 April, 2007

At Raheen Wood School, Tuamgraney, County Clare

11:30 am - 1 pm each day: The Healing Art of Storytelling with Nancy Mellon

Nancy Mellon has developed a practical, spiritually oriented approach to personal development through the art of storytelling. Participants will heighten their ability to create stories of a healing nature. This course is designed for caring professionals, parents, teachers and artists. Nancy is a writer, therapist and teacher who lives in the United States. She is the author of Storytelling and the Art of the Imagination and Storytelling with Children.
2:15 pm - 3:45 each day: The History of Artistic Expression: an Evolution of Consciousness with Dick Bruin. Dick Bruin will present a mix of lecture and drawing workshops, looking at examples of architecture and visual arts from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Early Christian, Renaissance, and the Modern eras. Paper supplied. Bring coloured pencils and block crayons
Dick is an artist and visiting teacher from Holland, and the co-author of “Painting in Waldorf Schools”.
Pre-booking essential. Cost - one workshop - €45, both workshops - €75.
Delicious vegetarian lunch available €8 (advanced notice required)
To register, please contact Jonathan Angus, Tel: 061 926 889

email: jonathan.angus@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~

Book Launch:

“Into the Further Reaches - An anthology of contemporary British poetry celebrating the spiritual journey”
edited by Jay Ramsay
PS Avalon Publishing isbn 978-0-9552786-1-7; £15 sterling
This large format, beautifully designed 252 page anthology contains the work of 64 leading poets rooted in the Romantic and visionary tradition inviting you to awaken to your own inner spiritual connection at this time of global transition.
Available from www.psavalon.com or from www.amazon.co.uk
or in Ireland, available from Ruth Marshall at networkholistic@eircom.net

Cost €27 incl P&P.
“To take a step beyond ‚ this is what this exciting new anthology of Contemporary British Poetry invites you to do at this time of transition. Rooted in the Romantic and visionary tradition, these 64 poets form part of a powerful vanguard that is alive and well (and mature) outside of the accepted mainstream. These poets are alive on the page and in the mouth ‚ intelligent, committed, colourful, spiritually conscious and awake to the edges of things in the clear seeing that poetry requires. Above all, this is a poetry book for travellers re-negotiating the shape of our lives as we reach the end of time, with all it means to be here and in service of the Divine.”

Lovely Raheen Wood Waldorf School

This school, nestled in one of the oldest woods in County Clare, is celebrating its 21st birthday in June this year and we urge everyone to keep checking the website for details of the celebration. Another event for your calendar: The lively Spring Fair and Open House is on April 28th. Attend if you can! The Raheen Wood School is presently searching for a sixth grade teacher, who is willing to commit for two years. If you know of anyone, please contact Nell Smyth at her email address: penelopesmyth@gmail.com

Last minute news:
Sean Byrne will be giving a talk about Rudolf Steiner's message for the New Age on St. Patrick's day at the Mind, Body, Spirit Festival in the RDS in Dublin.

Eurythmy Performance in Dublin!

See the Music, Hear the Colours...

The Stuttgart Eurythmeum and Eurythmy Ireland present an evening of

Visible Music & Poetry

Don't miss this opportunity to experience a new art form that incorporates movement, light and colour, music and the spoken word. Includes pieces by Shostakovich, Debussy, Handel, Mendelssohn performed by members of the famous Stuttgart Eurythmeum together with members of Eurythmy Ireland.

Mill Theatre, Dundrum, 14th March, 8 PM, €20

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.