Burren festival will be a celebration of nature, culture and rural life

A FARMING tradition that dates back thousands of years will stage its annual reincarnation towards the end of this month when the cattle of the Burren are moved up to their higher grazing ground.

Known as Winterage – when the cattle are moved up to higher and drier ground for the Winter months – the event will this year be celeberated over four days from Thursday, October 24 though to the following Sunday, Oct. 27.

The tradition of out-wintering cattle in the higher fields of the Burren is thought to be thousands of years old and is now recognised as playing a vital part in sustaining the heritage and biodiversity of one of Europe’s most remarkable landscapes.

‘Moving the cattle’ has now grown into a major cultural weekend in the area with some of the features being the Burren Winterage School, the Herdsman’s Walks, a Food Fayre, book readings, film screenings, a children’s art workshop and of course, what it’s all about, the Community Cattle Drive.

Also featured in the Burren’s ‘long weekend’ will be the Farming for Nature awards, with one of the 10 nominees from all over Ireland being Moycullen farmer, Gerard Walshe.

Mark McNally of the Moycullen Heritage Group – who nominated Gerard Walshe – said that through farming, Gerard had developed an appreciation of nature and now describes his enterprise as ‘high nature value farming’.

“He’s been interested in birds all his life but he’s also very familiar and knowledgeable about butterflies, flowers and of nature on the farm,” said Mark McNally.

Dr. Brendan Dunford of the Burren Programme said that the stories of the 10 nominees or Farming for Nature Ambassadors, provided a powerful testimony as to how farming and nature, can, and must, work in harmony.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.