Musing about in Castletown / Songerie à Castletown
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake rests
in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things.
Wendell Berry
It was a week of raging wild fires across Ireland, of gloomy reports on the worrying loss of biodiversity, and of yet starker warnings about the quickening pace of climate change.
And so I am concerned. Apprehensive. Fearful even.
For my children, and for the planet they will inherit.
Feeling so helpless keeps me awake at night.
Save the world
Yet there is hope. Tiny little shoots of hope.
On Saturday we visited Castletown House & Parklands, Co Kildare, for the first time.
The acorns marvelled at the sight and sound of ducklings paddling and peeping on the tranquil lake.
They waded in the clear waters of the Liffey River, which flows at the bottom of the estate.
They made wishes while blowing on dandelion clocks.
This was only a gentle stroll through a beautifully conserved park. But it put my worries at rest, and my mind at peace. Seeing the acorns play happily, explore freely, and imagine wildly, soothed my heavy heart. They are the future.
In this world driven by economic growth, corporate greed and mindless consumerism, nature-loving children, with feet firmly rooted in the earth and with hearts reaching for the sky, are our only chance.
There is no single effort more radical in its potential to save the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children.
Marianne Williamson
Quand je désespère du monde
et quand je me réveille la nuit au moindre bruit
effrayé par ce que ma vie ou la vie de mes enfants pourrait devenir,
je vais m’allonger là où le canard carolin repose sa beauté sur l’eau,
et où le grand héron pêche.
Je viens dans la paix de la nature sauvage.
Wendell Berry
Ce fut une semaine de violents feux de forêt en Irlande, de rapports inquiétants sur l’ampleur de la perte de biodiversité, et de présages consternants quant à l’accélération du réchauffement climatique.
Ce fut une semaine d’angoisse, d’appréhension, d’alarme même.
Pour mes enfants. Et pour la planète dont ils vont hériter.
Et ce sentiment d’impuissance m’empêche de dormir.
Sauver le monde
Pourtant il y a espoir. Une toute petite lueur d’espoir.
Samedi nous avons visité le domaine de Castletown, Co Kildare, pour la première fois.
Les graines de chêne ont longuement observé et écouté des canetons barboter et pépier sur l’eau miroitante du lac.
Ils ont pataugé gaiement dans les eaux limpides de la rivière Liffey, qui coule à la bordure du domaine.
Ils ont fait des vœux en soufflant sur des têtes de pissenlit.
Ce ne fut qu’une douce balade dans un parc magnifiquement préservé. Mais elle a suffi à apaiser mes peurs et calmer mes esprits. De voir les graines de chêne jouer gaiement, explorer librement et imaginer éperdument a mis du baume à mon cœur lourd. Ils sont l’avenir.
Dans ce monde de croissance économique à tout prix et de consommation écervelée, les enfants aux pieds sur Terre et au cœur en plein air sont notre seule chance.
Aucun effort n’est plus radical dans son potentiel à sauver le monde qu’une transformation de la façon dont nous élevons nos enfants.
Marianne Williamson
Visitor information
Castletown House and Parklands
Celbridge
Co Kildare
W23 V9H3
Tel. +353 1 6288252
Email castletown@opw.ie
Facebook @castletownhouse
Erected between 1722 and 1729 for William Conolly (1662–1729), Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, Castletown House was meant to exemplify its owner’s influence and immense wealth. His was Ireland’s first mansion built in the Palladian style – a central house with two pavilions, connected by Ionic colonnades – and Castletown became synonymous with architectural excellence, fine style and lavish entertaining that rivalled the viceregal court in Dublin.
Open seven days a week 10am–5pm.
Admission fees: please see here.
The recently restored eighteenth-century designed Parkland and river walks are open every day throughout the year. Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a lead and are not allowed in the lake, as there is wildlife nesting.
Free admission
Opening times for the M4 Gate (vehicle access): 7am–9.30pm April & September; 7am–10.30pm May to August; 7am–8pm October to March.
Castletown House and Parklands is run by the OPW (Office of Public Works), and one of the many attractions of Ireland’s Ancient East.
En savoir plus
Castletown House and Parklands
Celbridge
Co Kildare
W23 V9H3
Tel. +353 1 6288252
Email castletown@opw.ie
Facebook @castletownhouse
Edifiée entre 1722 et 1729 pour William Conolly (1662-1729), président à l’Assemblée nationale irlandaise, Castletown House démontrait la richesse et l’influence de son propriétaire. Ce fut le premier palais d’Irlande construit dans le style palladien, avec un corps de logis central flanqué de deux pavillons reliés par des colonnes ioniques. Castletown devint synonyme d’excellence architecturale, de style raffiné, et d’un train de vie fastueux qui rivalisait avec la cour du vice-roi à Dublin.
Ouvert tous les jours 10h-17h.
Tarifs d’entrée : veuillez cliquer ici.
Le parc et les promenades du XVIIIe siècle, récemment restaurés, sont accessibles tous les jours, l’année durant. Chiens en laisse autorisés, à distance du lac où des animaux sauvages nichent.
Entrée gratuite.
Horaires d’ouverture pour la porte M4 (accès véhicules) : 7h-21h30 avril & septembre ; 7h-22h30 mai-août ; 7h-20h octobre-mars.
Le domaine de Castletown est une des attractions phares des Terres ancestrales d’Irlande.
I completely agree with this. Climate change is the single most important problem facing humanity today. This next generation needs to understand its importance and to learn to get outside and enjoy nature #familyfun
Climate change is the most important problem, but there are many other issues besides that don’t get as much publicity. Getting children outside and letting them roam freely to nurture their innate connection with nature. If they don’t love it, how will they care enough to try and save it?
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Annette
You can’t go wrong with nature loving kids, a bit of inquisitiveness goes a long way too… they are indeed our futures. I too worry about our legacies for them. All we can do is hope all will be okay for them.
Great post to link up with the #familyfunlinky, thank you
It is all about the connection, Karen. If they don’t care enough about nature and the Earth, how could they want to preserve and save it? All we can do is get them outside and nurture that connection.
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
You’re spot on, we need our little acorns to have a connection to the wild places and green spaces in order for them to care enough to help to preserve and protect them #countrykids
Exactly! By and large I find that the forest school ethos really nurtures this connection, as well as having many other benefits. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Annette
Beautiful photos and it’s amazing that a little bit of time being surrounded by nature can help to put our minds at ease.
When I was younger I chose history over geography seems they are both rather bleak! There’s something about nature that is rather therapeutic don’t you think?. #Countrykids
I totally believe that if we instill a love of nature and the world around us in our children, that they will carry that on in the future #CountryKids
A really thought provoking post. We also try to teach our children get outside, learn from nature, explore, and try to make sense of the world we live in. Thanks for sharing #countrykids
It can be quite a scary thought what we’re leaving to our children, it’s just important we bring them up to appreciate what’s around them. Castletown looks like the perfect place to help them take a step back from screen and really discover the beauty of nature. Your four really do love exploring nature and I love watching them develop their love for nature through your blog.
Thanks for linking up with me on #CountryKids.