Walking in Glendalough

Posted on February 24, 2012 by coolamber71

Our next walk is on Wednesday next, 29th February. This is for the more experienced walkers, some of whom may have done this walk in the past. Those who have walked The Metals and Ballinastoe should find this walk within their capacity and wear the usual walking gear.
See the message below from Betty. Our thanks to Betty and to Deirdre for their continued dedication to the cause. All of our walkers are in safe hands.

I have still some places on offer for our visit to the Hugh Lane Gallery on Tuesday next – If you are interested, please contact me by tomorrow evening.
Go raibh míle maith agat
Micheál

The walk on 29th February will be in Glendalough. Deirdre Mc Gloughlin and myself will lead.

I suggest that people regroup and car pool in either the Silver Tassie or the Spawell carparks leaving both about 10.00 to reach Glendalough and ready and start walking around 11 o’clock.

Anyone wishing to travel alone we can meet them in the Education/Interpretive centre carpark which is the first carpark on the left.

The walk will take us over the bridge and bring us on a very short road walk leading to St. Kevins way which we leave after a short distance and walk up to join the Miner’s road to the Miner’s village.

This walk is well within the scope of all previous walkers.

Hopefully we will see many interesting things during the course of the walk which should take about 3 to 3 and half hours including a stop for lunch at the Miner’s Village.

The usual reminder about boots, wet gear, no jeans and change of clothes applies

Glendalough

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Upcoming Activities

Posted on February 22, 2012 by coolamber71

Beatha agus sláinte chughat.
I would like to bring to your notice a few upcoming events in which you may be interested.
Ar dtús ár mbuíochas agus árd mholadh d’aisteoirí Club na Múinteoirí a chuir fáilte romhainn tráthnóna go dtí an dráma “The Steward of Christendom”. Táim cinnte gur bhain gach éinne a bhí i láthair an-taitneamh as an léiriú.
Na baill atá ag freastal ar an rang ghinealachas – bhí seisiún an-shuimiúl acu le déanaí ins an Leabharlann Náisiúnta ag baint triail as na foinsí eolais ata ann san ábhar spéisiúl seo – ár mbuíochas do Mháire Mac Chonghail a eagraigh an cuairt seo. Participants in the Genealogy class should note in their diaries that the visit to Dublin City Library in Pearse St. will be on Monday next, 27th February at 2pm.

The digital camera class which was postponed from last Wednesday will be held tomorrow morning at 11am.

On this Friday, 24th February at 11am we will have our Drop in to the Blackrock Education Centre. Branch members are always welcome to the drop in – perhaps you would be kind enough to send word to any member you know who may not be on our e-mail list.
On Tuesday next, 28th February we will host our next Club Miscellany. On this occasion we will meet in the Hugh Lane Gallery for a talk on the Francis Bacon Studio and his work. This promises to be a most interesting talk and I’m confident that all of us will enjoy the visit. We will assemble in the foyer of the Gallery at 11.30 ( not later!!) and the visit will last approx. an hour. Numbers on this visit are strictly limited to 30 in the Gallery. After the Gallery visit we will meet for light lunch in Club na Múinteoirí. The all-in cost for the lunch and gallery guide is €10 per head. Booking is essential. If you are interested in attending this miscellaney, please let me know by email by this Friday afternoon. This will be first come, first served to a maximum of 30.

There will be a meeting of the Branch Committee and delegates to the Extraordinary Generat Meeting (“Rules Conference” ) in the Club following lunch (at 2pm) I will be in contact with Branch Committee members and delegates in the meantime.

On Wednesday next, 29th February we will take to the hills. Our walk ( for the more experienced walkers) will take us around Glendalough. Arrangements re assembly points etc will issue by email over the weekend.

Sin a bhfuil go fóill.

Le dea-mhéin,
Micheál Ó Gríofa, Rúnaí na Craoibhe.

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RTAI Trip to Cardiff

Posted on February 18, 2012 by coolamber71

We are running out of options for holiday breaks in Ireland. To date we have visited Wexford, Sligo, Galway, Derry, Mayo, Cork City & West Cork and Kilkenny and have managed to visit most of the places of interest in these locations. Therefore, this year, it seemed appropriate to look elsewhere.

Using Marathon Travel, (the company we use for day trips) we have put together the following:

Monday April 16^th: Pick up at Club na Múinteoirí @ 5.30am (this is not a typo!!) Travel to Rosslare for ferry crossing to Fishguard at 9.00am. Travel to Cardiff to Maldron Hotel in city centre for 4 nights B&B + 4 evening meals

Tuesday April 17^th: Drive to Bath for a day of sightseeing and/or shopping. On arrival in Bath each person will be given a day ticket for the hop-on bus in the city. This allows everyone to decide for themselves what they want to see and how long they wish to spend in any one place.

Wednesday April 18^th: Today we stay in Cardiff. Our coach will take us on a tour of the city including guided tours of Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium. Time to explore and shop at your own pace.

Thursday April 19^th: Today we travel to Wells and enjoy a guided tour of Wells Cathedral. Time to explore Wells itself and weather permitting we return to Cardiff via the Cheddar Gorge.

Friday April 20^th.; Today we return to Dublin on the Ferry (sailing 2.30pm) and our coach returns us to Parnell Sq.

Costs:

4 nights B&B, 4 evening meals + all entry fees to places of interest, per person sharing. = €450

4 nights B&B, 4 evening meals + all entry fees to places of interest, in a single room = €530

Single rooms are very strictly limited and will be allocated on a strictly “first come basis.”

To secure a place a non-refundable deposit of €50 must be returned to me on or before Feb 29^th 2012. Cheques should be made payable to R.T.A.I.

All forms + deposit should be sent to Marjorie Murphy, 10 St. Joseph’s Place, Nelson St, Dublin 7.

The balance of the cost (€400 & €480) must be paid by March 30^th 2012

Best wishes Marjorie

Below is a booking form for your convenience. Please print off,complete and return if you wish to travel

Retired Teachers Association of Ireland

Dublin North and Dublin South Branches

Booking form for Cardiff trip 2012.

Name: ______________________________

Address: ______________________________

______________________________

Tel. (mobile) ______________________

e-mail _______________________

Single room [ ] Twin Room [ ] Double Room [ ]

Sharing with __________________

Remember to (a) enclose €50 deposit. (b) balance must be paid by March 30^th

Please return this booking form and deposit to

Marjorie Murphy,

10, St. Joseph’s Place,

Nelson St.

Dublin 7.

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Genealogy Class Visit the National Library

Posted on February 18, 2012 by coolamber71

The Genealogy class went on a visit to the National Library this week. They are being very coy about any skeletons they discovered in their family closets! They do admit to thoroughly enjoying the visit though and there were offers from the nearby National Museum to take a few of them in as national institutions! Modesty forbids me mentioning any names!!

Here are two snaps of the happy group on their visit.

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RTAI February Walking Activity

Posted on February 6, 2012 by coolamber71

Beatha agus sláinte chughat.
Fáilte ar leith romhaibh siúd a chláraigh a seolta ríomh – phost linn le déanaí.
Walking: We have planned a nice “easy” walk for this Wednesday and we look forward to a good turnout.
The route of the walk is from Clonskeagh to Bushy Park, Terenure following the river Dodder all the way. That is for those who wish to start at Clonskeagh and follow the path up river to Bushy Park.
We will also have a group starting at Bushy Park and walking downriver to Clonskeagh.
For those starting at Clonskeagh: The meeting place is the car-park of O’Shea’s pub – this is on your right as you drive from Ranelagh to Clonskeagh. I have spoken to the management of O’Shea’s and they welcome our custom at any time. They suggest that we park at the far end of the car park. We meet at 10.15 and move off at 10.30am.

Those starting at Bushy: We park at the roadside car park just after Rathfarnham Shopping Centre. There is a footbridge across the Dodder near the car park leading into Bushy Park. Assemble at this car park at 10.15. There is also the option of parking in the lower car park of Rathfarnham Shopping Centre and walking down to the assembly point. ( Partners Coffee shop and the Swiss Deli are located upstairs in the shopping centre should you need your early morning coffee “fix” ) Please be at the assembly point on time as we will move off at 10.30.

The walk should take about an hour each way and is on the flat all the way. Obviously those who wish to do so may shorten the walk and return by the same route back to their starting point. Coimeád súil amach don Síle Raga.
Please take care of passing traffic while crossing over Rathfarnham Road, Orwell Road and at one other short stretch where we move away from the river on to the street footpath at Dartry.

Golf Outing: Focal ó Dónall Ó Murchú: Those who had signed on for the Golf outing last Thursday (cancelled because of the frost) should note that Donall is trying to find an alternative day for the golf outing. Nuair atá sochrú nua déanta beimíd i dteangmháil leat.

The Family History class, Digital Camera classes and Bridge will run as scheduled this week.

The Steward of Christendom: Thirty two places have been reserved at this point for the production at 3pm on 21st February, Should you wish to add your name to the list do so as soon as possible.

Bain taitneamh as eachtraí na seachtaine.

Micheál Ó Gríofa

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February Activities

Posted on January 30, 2012 by coolamber71

Fáilte romhat chuig nuachtán na Craoibhe.
We have a full schedule of activity during this week and there is a resumé of it below. We congratulate the brave and hardy walkers who took to the hills last Wednesday in rather testing conditions and returned home full of exhiliration and satisfaction.
This Tuesday (January 31st ) sees our first Club Miscellany and Lunch in Club na Múinteoirí and we hope to develop this activity in future months.
The time of our monthly Drop -in in Ballyroan has been brought forward to 11am – starting on this Wednesday, Lá le Bríde. Fáilte romhat chuig an caidreamh agus an cupán.
Our Digital Camera classes also start on this Wednesday in Blackrock Education Centre – 11am to 1pm. All twenty participants on this course have been notified of their place on the course.
On Thursday morning – 9.15 am, the Family History class continues in Sandyford Community Centre.
The Golf outing to South County also takes place on Thursday morning – if you are interested in participating in this you are requested to contact Donall Ó Murchú asap if you haven’t already done so.
Bridge continues in its regular slot in Club na Múinteoirí.
On Friday the second and third Digital Camera Classes will be held. Again, all the participants in these classes have been notified. We wish them well and hope that everybody will derive some benefit and satisfaction from their renewed interest in photography.
Last week I mentioned the production of “The Steward of Christendom” in the theatre of Club na Múinteoirí. A number of members who are interested in attending have contacted me. The majority of those who have contacted me so far have shown a preference for a day time performance. I have provisionally made a group booking with the Club for the afternoon (3pm) of 21st February @ €12 per person. I would like to firm up the numbers during this week. If interested please let me know by Friday next, 3rd February.. This offer is also open to friends of members.
Bain taitneamh as gníomhachtaí na seachtaine má ta tú páirteach in aon cheann acu.
Le míle buíochas,
Micheál Ó Gríofa

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Golf outing

Posted on January 27, 2012 by coolamber71

Athbhliain faoi mhaise do’n ár ngailfeoirí uilig.

On Thursday 2nd Feb we shoot off at Dublin South Golf club. We plan a 12/13 hole competition for €20 green fees. We assemble at 10.00 with the first tee off at 10.24.

Thank you to those who have already registered. There is still space for members and friends. Let me know if you are available to play.

I have it on good authority that the weather will be positively clement!!

Dónall

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Ulysses Lecture Series

Posted on January 27, 2012 by coolamber71

Ulysses Lecture Series – Spring 2012

with Dr Seamus Cannon. This lecture series may be of special interest to those members who are in book clubs or who are interested in the writings of James Joyce. If you want to find out if it is for you, please come to the Introductory evening in Blackrock Education Centre on Tuesday, 31st January at 7.30 pm. And bring a friend!

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News Roundup for the New Year

Posted on January 20, 2012 by coolamber71

Dóibh san a bhfuil suim acu ins na siúlóidí:
I hope that you received our calendar of activities in the regular post just before the Christmas and noted on the calendar that a walk in Ballinastoe Woods is planned for Wednesday next, 25th January. This walk is for more regular walkers – hill walkers – and our following one on 8th February will hopefully meet the needs of lowland walkers. You will find attached a message from Deirdre McLoughlin and Betty Behan who will lead this walk in Ballinastoe. Please read it and take note of its contents.
The branch now has a greater than ever number of members on email and we will do our best to keep you informed of all branch activities. Please check in on the branch blog – try it today – https://dublinsouthrta.wordpress.com. If you subscribe to the blog, it’s free!, each posting will be sent directly to your email inbox. Posting information to members, now over the 1000 mark, is a costly exercise, so using the blog and email are by far preferable and much more cost effective.

There will be another email over the weekend regarding Digital Camera Course, Trip to Cardiff, Club Miscellany and Golf.

The time of our drop-in in Ballyroan Community Centre has been moved to a slightly earlier slot from 11am to 1pm.

Is there interest among members in attending “The Steward of Christendom” – a play by Sebastian Barry which will be staged in the theatre of Club na Múinteoirí during the month of February? If there is sufficient interest in it we may be able to organise a group from the branch to attend. As well as night time performances there are also two day time performances – 21st and 28th February.
Ag súil le buíon mhaith coisithe ar an 25ú lá

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Walk in Ballinastoe Wood

Posted on January 20, 2012 by coolamber71

The Walk in Ballinastoe will be led by Betty Behan and Deirdre McLoughlin and the following message from Deirdre to me is self explanatory – my sincere thanks to both of them for their guidance and support to South Dublin RTAI branch and to those interested in the walking activities.

Please note the helpful advice and words of caution from Deirdre especially regarding the necessity for warm clothes – while temperatures in the lowlands may be very tolerable they can drop quite low in the exposed upper reaches of the hills – especially at this time of year – wear a few layers!!!

Micheál Ó Gríofa

I will be leading the walk on Jan 25th with Betty Behan. It would be great if you could let people know that this is a more challenging walk than the last one which Betty led. Each month there will be one easy walk on fairly level ground and one more challenging one for those who like to walk in the hills. The walk on Jan 25th is of the more challenging variety and is definitely not an easy stroll through the woods.

For those who wish to do the walk, there is a choice of meeting places:

I will be at the car-park in the Spawell, Templeogue leaving at 9.45 am on the morning of the 25th in the part on the left nearest to the entrance, and will drive from there to Ballinastoe Woods.
Betty will be at the Silver Tassie leaving at 10 am for those who will be travelling from that direction. There is parking for about 20 cars at Ballinastoe so car-pooling, particularly at the Spawell would be a good idea.
If people wish to make their own way, Ballinastoe woods is on the road between the Sally Gap and Roundwood. Coming from Rathfarnham, turn left at the Sally Gap; drive 5km and Ballinastoe car-park is on the left, with a sharp left turn at the entrance. It is signed.

The walk follows the Wicklow Way from the woods and goes up towards Djouce Mountain on a boardwalk. Fairly close to the top, we leave the boardwalk and climb up the last stretch over a rough track.

There are marvellous views across to Lough Tay, Lough Dan, Lugnaquilla, and Luggala on the way up.

From the top, there is a steep path down which requires hiking boots, and if possible, walking poles. They are a great help on the steep stretch which has a lot of loose stones and can be slippery. We can see right across to Howth from here on a clear day.

We rejoin the boardwalk to walk back down to the car-park. The total length of the walk is about 3 hours. People will need warm clothes, as this area is very exposed and there is no shelter whatsoever along most of the route. A drink and a snack would also be a good idea as we will probably stop somewhere close to the top to take in the views.

If people need any more information, my email is dmcgloughlin@eircom.net

Regards,

Deirdre McGloughlin

PS If you need to ring me, my mobile is 0877741953.

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Dublin South RTA