Newbrook House

04/06/2023

Leafy Hair System
Hair System Plus Essence修護精華
修護髮絲:-
利用睡眠時間進行修護。超微粒神經酰胺內含有易於滲透的植物群組潤油，使粗糙、受損的髮絲得以內外修護，重拾秀髮的自然光澤。

使用方法：
•用毛巾抹乾頭髮後，取適量修護精華搽勻髮尾髮絲，使之完全滲透
•請小心按壓噴泵，以免因力度過猛，引致流失。
•最好先取少許於掌心，然後塗搽
https://healthcare.lalacharm.com/

07/05/2023

The Almost Impossible Task of De-Mystifying Irish Names

Photo Credit: Larry McTighe

Tourists beware, the greatest challenge to those alighting upon the Emerald Isle to discover Ireland is not the challenge of driving around hairpin bends on the wrong side of the road, or ordering bacon for breakfast instead of ‘rashers’ and finding oneself being served with an entire gastronome of swine with galleons of very very strong tea to aid the mastication process. No, the greatest challenge is that of the spoken language. “English“ you say, “accompanied by a most delightful Irish lilt? How could that possibly be a challenge? Well, let me just start with the colloquialisms and then gently invite you into the inner sanctum of Irish pronunciations.

To start with, a not unusual term that one might encounter upon first arrival is the word ‘homehouse’. Initial discourse with a local and exchange of pleasantries inevitably includes the usual enquiry: “Where are you from?” The reply to which is an explanation of the location of the homehouse; namely, the place where one was born, where soda bread was consumed in vast quantities and a place that is still likely occupied by a familial relation. One’s health and general well being tends to be the reciprocal question by way of “How’s the craic?” (pronounced ‘crack’), not be confused with, er … well you know. Now the safe reply to any mention of craic is a riposte of “middling” which means that you are fine. Equally, “happy out” or “grand” work just as well. “Dinner” is lunch and “secondary school” is high school. A “soft day promised” is the latest weather forecast meaning that the heavens are about to open and pour forth buckets of precipitation, the likes of which you have never seen and are likely never ever to see again.

Irish directions really do deserve an entire blog of their own but a little taster are that of the so oft used phrase “just down the road” which in actual fact means a three- day journey through rugged terrain, surplus rations are a helicopter evacuation team on standby might be given due consideration. “Sláinte” (pronounced “Slancha”) means cheers. “Een” (sounds like ‘bean’ sans the ‘b’) is attached to the end of a word to denote a smallness of character, for example, “bit-een” means a bit, ”dogeen” denotes a puppy and ”housheen” is a small house. And so on and so forth. So if you are arranging to meet a friend at a festival you simply say “I’ll see ye at the fleadh (pronounced “blah” but with an 'f') in a biteen” (in short while).

Not to be outdone by local colloquialisms are Irish names. Attempting to pronounce anything written in Gaelic fills me with terror, as the written word is so far removed from its actual pronunciation. Let’s start with first names: ‘Caoimhe’ is pronounced 'Qui-vah', ‘Aoife’ is 'Ee-fah', and ‘Ciara’ is 'Keira'. ‘Niamh’ is 'Neeve', ‘Oisin’ is 'Osheen' and ‘Siobhan’ is 'Shi-vaughn'. The lesson here is never ever to attempt to guess someone’s name from what they have written on their name tag or business card. The embarrassment is excruciating, proven recently by a hapless friend in his role as leader of a team building exercise. He stressed the importance of first impressions created by impeccable introductions and proceeded to stride confidently over to a beautiful, fair-haired lass standing shyly in the corner. He thrust his hand forward, demonstrated a solid handshake, made a surreptitious glance at her name tag and announced ‘Welcome, Oyfay, to our company’. Silence ensued. It transpired that her name was Aiofe (Ee-fah). Sadly, much as he ferverantly wished it, the floor failed to magically open and swallow him whole. But the incident was never to be forgotten and indeed has now been written into the annals of business etiquette and team building.

It is with a sigh of relief that I can report that most Irish surnames pose less of the enunciation challenges as forenames, since many surnames have been Anglicised. However, there is a resurgence to preserve the original Gaelic, and as such Murphy reverts to the original 'Murchadha', Kelly is Ceallaigh, O'Sullivan is 'Ó Súilleabháin' and Walsh is 'Breathnach'. The relief was palpable as I began to see a trend emerging and experienced a flicker of hope that I might get the hang of this name thing when I was thrown a curve ball upon learning that the Gaelic version of Smith is 'Mac Gabhann'.

And just when I thought it couldn't possibly get anymore complicated, it transpires that a surname sporting the prefix Ó is denoted Ní by the unmarried women in the family. So Paddy Kenny also Paddy O'Cionnaoith would be the father of Briget Ní O'Cionnaoith. The word quagmire springs to mind as I persevere in unravelling the intricacies of Irish names.

It seemed that place names might be a bit more straightforward since most of the villages in and around the Wild Atlantic Way have names that bear a striking similarity. But within the simplicity lays the complexity in that having grasped that first longed for syllable, the remaining syllables begin to swim together in a kind of opaque fog, not unlkike the exercises used by hypnotists to slow the conscious mind so as to access the subconscious. Newbrook House is located in County Mayo which is area of 2000 square miles with a population of 137,000. And in that relatively small swathe of land, our forefathers, for reasons known only to themselves, chose to amass a glut of village names all beginning with ‘Ball’:

Balla, Ballaghaderreen, Ballaghamuck, Ballaghfarna, Ballina, Ballinacostello, Ballinafad, Ballinagran, Ballinalecka, Ballinamore, Ballinaster, Ballinaya, Ballinchalla, Ballindell, Ballindine, Ballindoo, Ballindrehid, Ballingarden, Ballinglen, Ballingrogy, Ballinhoe, Ballinillaun, Ballinlaban, Ballinlag, Ballinlassa, Ballinlena, Ballinlough, Ballinloughaun, Ballinphuill, Ballinrobe, Ballinrumpa, Ballinsmaula, Ballintadder, Ballintaffy, Ballintecan, Ballinteeaun, Ballintemple, Ballintleva, Ballintober, Ballinulty, Ballinvilla, Ballinvilla, Ballinvoash, Ballinvoher, Ballinvoy, Ballisnahyny, Balloor, Balloorclerhy, Balloughadalla, Ballyargadaun, Ballyart, Ballybackagh, Ballyballinaun, Ballybanaun, Ballybeg, Ballybrinoge, Ballybroony, Ballycally, Ballycarra, Ballycarroon, Ballycastle, Ballyclogher, Ballycong, Ballycurrin, Ballycusheen, Ballydavock, Ballyderg, Ballydonnellan, Ballydrum, Ballyduffy, Ballyfarnagh, Ballygarries, Ballygarriff, Ballygarry, Ballyglass, Ballygolman, Ballygomman, Ballygowan, Ballyguin, Ballyhankeen, Ballyhanruck, Ballyheer, Ballyheeragh, Ballyhenry, Ballyhiernaun, Ballyhine, Ballyhowly Ballyjennings, Ballykerrigan, Ballykill, Ballykilleen, Ballykinava, Ballykine, Ballykinlettragh, Ballyknock, Ballylahan, Ballymacgibbon, Ballymachugh, Ballymackeehola, Ballymackeogh, Ballymacloughlin, Ballymacrah, Ballymacredmond, Ballymacsherron, Ballymaging, Ballymanagh, Ballymangan, Ballymartin, Ballymiles, Ballymoneen, Ballymore, Ballymoyock,Ballymullavil, Ballymurphy, Ballynaboll, Ballynabrehon, Ballynacarragh, Ballynacarrick, Ballynacarriga, Ballynacloy, Ballynagarha, Ballynaglea, Ballynagor, Ballynahaglish, Ballynakillew, Ballynaleck, Ballynalty, Ballynalynagh, Ballynamarroge, Ballynamona, Ballynamuddagh, Ballynanerroon, Ballynaslee, Ballynastangford, Ballynastocka, Ballyneety, Ballyneggin, Ballynew, Ballyoughter, Ballyroe, Ballyrourke, Ballysakeery, Ballyscanlan, Ballyshane, Ballyshingadaun, Ballyteige, Ballytoohy, Ballytrasna, Ballywalter, Ballyweela, Ballyvicmaha.

And so dear readers, proceed with caution and some hesitation when speaking English in Ireland because things may not always be what they seem. Happy travels!

23/04/2023

It’s that time of year again! From now until August, the Ballinrobe Races is the place to see and be seen!

23/04/2023

From Farm to Table: It All Starts with Manure

In his book Till the Cows Come Home Phillip Walling tells the story of the relationship between humankind and cattle and is a must read for anyone wanting to know anything more detailed than my own general observations acquired in my role as guardian of the blissful rural retreat, Newbrook House. I am fascinated by the simplicity of the cycle in which cows eat food that has been grown using their own excrement. I am not an expert and honestly don’t know the difference between manure, muck and slurry but I do know that they are all poo. One kind comes straight out of the cow’s rear end, the other is the composted product used as fertiliser and muck is somewhere in the middle. The first step is to collect the slurry from the fields where it is liberally scattered about, but I am still totally perplexed as to how this act of gathering or scooping is achieved. It’s one of those things that one just inherently knows if born into a farming community. I wasn’t and so don’t, and am way too embarrassed to ask. There must be some kind of industrial hoover contraption (a “poover”?) that farmers attach to their tractors to gather up the excrement in order to deposit it into large storage tanks where it sits composting itself into fertiliser. I have yet to see such a contraption but am keeping my eyes wide open.

Anyhow, it appears that in Ireland, 40 million tonnes of slurry are stored every year. That is quite an impressive amount of poo to gather and store. It sort of brings changing a baby diaper into perspective. So, however it happens, the muck goes into huge storage tanks where it sits fermenting, decaying and generally doing its own recycling gig. In order to be able to spread it over the fields as a natural (and somewhat pungent) fertiliser, water needs to be added to the thick gooey mess in a blending process known as ‘agitation’. And one would become agitated at the very thought, never mind the aroma, because, as it turns out, the very act of disturbing the nice crusty poo is that hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane are released. Yuck. Just a single whiff of these noxious and potentially lethal gasses can and has knocked many a farmer unconscious only to have the situation compounded by the fact that a farmer laying helpless will only further inhale the deadly mix. There is also the risk that, after a first whiff, a farmer becomes lightheaded and dizzy and falls into the slurry tank which does somewhat guarantee a tragic outcome. Ugh, it just doesn’t bear thinking about. As the gasses are odourless there is absolutely no way of warning of the impending hazard. Most farmers work on their own, so any exposure can seal their fate in seconds with no one around for miles to come to their aid.

When the agitation proceeds unencumbered by a visit from the grim reaper the manure is sucked from the underground storage tanks into a long cylinder along which several hoses are attached (if you are driving behind one of these contraptions it looks very like a giant spider) and the entire thing is pulled by a trusty and immensely versatile tractor. The tractor then wends its way up hill and down dale ‘spreading the slurry’. The resulting perfumed essence that wafts in and around the neighbourhood is indescribable but thankfully diluted by the breeze that wafts in from the nearby Wild Atlantic Way. The flies are temporarily ingited into a kamikaze-like frenzy and for a few days, until the slurry has settled, the melee of heightened activity amongst the insect population continues unabated. Thus, the secret of the secret sauce is not so secret as it makes its presence known for miles around but is indisputably the magic that makes the grass here to grow so long and so lush and so green. I use the term loosely as there are many types of grasses (timothy, brome, orchard grass, and fescue) and when making hay, the grass is often combined with a legume such as alfalfa or clover. The grass is cut at its highest peak which is the point of optimal nutritional value. It is then dried in the fields, and turned every now and again with yet another spider-like device attached to a tractor. When the grass is completely dry it is gathered up by a hay baler which forms it into perfect circular bales or rectangular blocks ready for stacking into barns to be used as winter food for the cattle. And so the fascinating cycle begins again. Aren’t the cycles of nature a true wonder?

And so, as my guests wander in and around the lanes of Newbrook, they discover Ireland by seeing for themselves these wonders of nature first hand and gain a greater understanding and appreciation of what is involved in getting food from farm to table. What an incredible process, involving such immense hard work and risk. Save for an improvement in machinery, little has changed over the centuries in the way that Irish farmers care for their land and their animals.

13/04/2023

17/03/2023

🍀 🍀 St. Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated annually on March 17th, in honor of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has a long and fascinating history that dates back to the early 17th century.

Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. He is said to have used the three-leafed shamrock as a symbol to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish people.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade is believed to have taken place in New York City in 1762 when Irish soldiers serving in the British army marched through the city to celebrate their Irish heritage. Over time, the holiday became increasingly popular among Irish immigrants in the United States and other parts of the world.🍀

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was traditionally a religious holiday, with many businesses and establishments closed for the day. However, in the early 20th century, the holiday began to evolve into a more secular celebration of Irish culture and heritage, with parades, festivals, and other public events.

Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated around the world by people of all nationalities and backgrounds. It is a day to honor Irish culture and heritage, with many people wearing green and participating in parades, festivals, and other events. It is also a day to celebrate the contributions of Irish immigrants to their adopted countries and to promote unity and goodwill among people of all cultures and backgrounds.