Garden design, garden planning, garden layout, planting plants and planting schemes

The beauty of Oughterard with or without you

Posted on May 28th, 2009

Just a short distance from  Oughterard and heading in direction of Rossaveal one encounters a landscape which can be simply described as an extended but intrinsically Nature made rockery.  At first glance the area apart from rambling sheep appears desolate and deserted. There is little evidence of human habitation, there are hardly any road signs or names and in fact much of the roads bear a greater resemblance to dirt tracks or country lanes. There’s hardly a straight line to be seen anywhere, as far as the eye can see, rocks protrude on a gentle undulating landscape which at first sight appears harsh and incapable of sustaining any form of life human and/or wild life.  

So much rock is visible one could probably take a lifetime or more to count them all and still not be finished. Today the weather is far from kind and a deep dullness overhangs much of the area, dense grey clouds appear to complement the light grey tones of the rock infested fields. The random haphazard distribution of rock bears much resemblance to an almighty event of scattering of stone at some point. Probably more to do with the aftermath of some glaciated drifts, the precious soil well in the sense of been thin and probably poorly because there is little evidence of if being capable of sustaining any crops? Instead one can see many examples of marshy conditions and here and there discreet examples of some person’s efforts to extract turf for burning. 

On a grey day and a seemless endless lines of stone stretching as far as one can see left and right and also upwards. There are few trees to be seen, in fact much of the local flora would be best described as scrub and growing less than 900mm high. Today the scene appears very familiar and  resembling an image one might see in an artist’s painting. Colour has been bleached and reduced to perhaps two or three tones.  The greyness of the overcast sky seems to re-inforce the flat tones of grey and brown today. I would be sure that on a sunny day, the view is somewhat different and other hues are more visible.  Ther is also a mist visible with the result that the view reflects a delineated image  and a popular perspective sometimes to be seen  hanging on an art gallery wall.

Looking around there is no significant evidence of any cultivation, instead one is confronted by the solemnity of the grey and brown tones. There is little evidence of any current habitation unless of course you happen to take (very easily done) the wrong turn on a meandering road which may lead you to a private residence set deep in a natural hollow but hidden from view by the casual visitor.

Here and there one comes across an old ruin of a small cottage. Generally roofless,  the walls are testament to the great skill and craft of local stone masons? These empty ruins are witness that at some point someone lived here but not anymore.

With the absence of colour the prevailing greyness takes a leading role in demanding your attention, much like a sepia photograph might do, it can time date but also provide an almost tangible link to the past.

Looking at these remains of some of the old deserted dwellings, one wonders who lived here? An individual, a Couple or an extended family?  The casual visitor can see no evidence of any link with today’s world, instead the links might be  simple home grown access routes which have become link roads to larger journeys deeper within Connemara.

There is no doubt that the view is impressive and on a warm cloudless summer’s day, the view can only but be impressive. Like the artist who paints with minimalist flair the hen which escapes from a built another pen.

Essentially the random twisted direction of the roads, the deep hollows and the prevailing lack of any substantial and visible signs of infrastructure makes for a more ‘untouched’ natural outward appearance. The thinly veiled soil supports rough vegetation enough it would seem to suustain sheep grazing which appear in great numbers here and there. The empty ruined dwellings serve as reminders that people once lived in these parts but wher are they? One wonders what has happened to the individual(s)?  Are these the ghostly remains of dwellings lost out to emigration? Does the ghost of yesterday’s Past still linger here?

Despite the lack of bold colour and distinctive foliage of more cultured plant species, the wild desperate colours of the low growing grasses and weeds appeals along with that of the boggy and craggy surfaces. Along these roads with no names, looking for a sign in these parts is more likely to be found somewhere in the star studded night sky?

Despite the sadness of deserted ruins one can sense a potential glowing experience of peace and harmony to be found in these parts. Nature is the star performer here and the beauty of this area to the west of Oughterard remains here, with or without you.