A lightkeeper’s garden at Fanad Head in Co Donegal is one of several coastline locations profiled in a new TV series on TG4 this month.
A school on Donegal’s Arranmore Island (Arainn Mhór) has also been selected for the series.
Entitled “Réabhlóid ar Chúl an Tí” (Revolution at the back of the house), the series will be presented by Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh and garden designer Mary Reynolds.
The title was partially inspired by the old Irish poem by Seán Ó Ríordáin, “Cúl an Tí”.
Tá Tír na nÓg ar chúl an tí, (At the back of the house is a land of youth),
Tír álainn trína chéile, (A jumbled beautiful space)
Fanad Head lightkeepers’ garden is the subject of episode 1, with Eimear Ní Mhathúna and Des Fegan.
Willow Walkway: A hand-built willow tunnel takes shape in the exposed coastal garden at Fanad Head, designed to shelter planting and create a nature-led pathway.
Ní Mhathúna from Kildare moved to Fanad in north Donegal in 2015 to take up the role of manager at Teach Solais Fhánada.
Since early 2016, Fanad Lighthouse has welcomed visitors from around the world who participate in guided tours and stay in the original lightkeepers’ cottages.
The garden is about 1,200 square metres with a lawn to the front, exposed to the elements.
Wall Building: Stone mason Cáite Fealty lays heavy local stone by hand, continuing the tradition of dry-stone walling in the Fanad Head garden
Derval Newman and Florence Calais feature in the 2000 square metre garden at Gairmscoil Mhic Diamada, a secondary school on Arainn Mhór, Dún Na nGall
TG$ says this “isn’t a passive, gifted-garden makeover TV show, it’s a call to action to change how we view and participate in our outdoor spaces” – hence the title.
“ Interestingly, there’s no word in Irish for “lawn,” it says.
“That says everything about how far we’ve drifted from the natural, deeply connected relationship we once had with our land and how urgently it’s time to rediscover it.”
Réabhlóid ar Chúl an Tí is a seven-part series, broadcast on Sundays at 8 pm from April 19th on TG4 and TG4.ie
