Míle bhuíochas do Siobhán Swift ón bhFeachas Rothaíochta Shligigh don alt seo a scríbh sí i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge! A version in English of Joan’s article can be read further below. A big thanks for the piece Joan. Maithiú!

Bhain Feachtas Rothaíochta Shligigh an-taitneamh as ár dturas dátheangach go Coill an Eanaigh (Hazelwood) le déanaí. Imeachta do Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia ab ea an turas agus táimíd fíorbhuíoch do Chonradh na Gaeilge as an maoiniú. Táimíd buíoch freisin do Beatrice Mac Donald, Cumann Oidhreachta Hazelwood, as eolas faoi stair Dimeine Hazelwood a chur ar fáil agus do Leabharlann Naisiúnta na hÉireann as cead a thabhairt dúinn grianghrafanna ón Lawrence Collection a úsáid i mbileog eolais. 

Ghlach idir óg is aosta páirt sa turas. Bhí an rannpháirtí is óige ceithre mhí d’aois agus an duine is sine……bhuel, is binn béal ina thost! Bhí deis againn srachfhéachaint a chaitheamh ar Theach Hazelwood, teach a dhear an t-ailtire mór le rá Richard Cassells do Owen Wynne i 1731. Drioglann atá san áit seo anois agus tá an teach á athchoiriú. Thógamar sos ag suíomh fothrach an mhuilinn gaoithe a bhíodh ag soláthar uisce do Teach Hazelwood fadó agus bhí radharc álainn ar abhann na Garbhóige agus ar Ben Bulben.

Ar aghaidh linn ansin go dtí an chéad stop eile ag Half Moon Bay, áit a bhfuil Loch Gile álainn leagtha amach romhat. Tá stop phointe don Yeats Trail anseo. Níl furmhór Bealach Yeats indéanta fós ar rothar toisc nach bhfuil na bóithre sábháilte go leor – ach lá éigin b;fhéidir……….. Bhí picnic beag ag na rannpháirtithe óga agus áthas ar na lachain go roinneadar leo é!

Stop amháin eile a bhí fágtha anois ag Bá Eanaigh, áit a mbíonn éin uisce ag soláthar bia. In aice na háite seo bí plandlann crann tráth agus cuireadh na síológa i bhforaoiseacha ar fud an IarTuairscirt.   

Bhí sé in am ansin dul siar an bealach a thángamar ach an uair seo chasamar ar dheis ag Droichead Sheáin Uí Fhallúin, agus thugamar aghaidh ar Chaife Ripples in Óstán an Riverside áit a raibh caifé agus sconnaí reidh dúinn. Bhí ionadaithe ó Aonad Loch Gile a Comhairle Chontae Shligigh agus an Teachta Dála Frank Feighan ansin chun fáilte a chur romhainn. 

An cheist is minicí a chuireadh orainn ag deireadh an imeachta……..Cathain a bheidh turas eile á eagrú agaibh. “Watch this space” mar a deirtear i mBearla! 

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On Saturday the 4th of March, for Seachtain na Gaeilge, Sligo Cycling Campaign organised a very successful cycle outing to Hazelwood. The wood is named for Hazelwood House, a Palladian Mansion designed for Owen Wynne by Richard Cassells  in 1731. The Irish name is not a translation of Hazelwood, but is rather Coill an Eanaigh, from the word Eanach – a marsh, remembered in the name Annagh Bay on Lough Gill.

Coillte are doing extensive restoration work to rid the wood of invasive species and restore its natural habitat. One restored section is not accessible by bicycle as it is an area of alluvial woodland, which again is a reminder of the original “eanach” or marsh. This area is open for walking. 

Hazelwood is a popular recreation area with paths along woodland lake and river and stunning views of the surrounding hills. Point 7 of the newly developed Yeats Trail is located at Half Moon Bay, prompted no doubt by the opening lines of the poem, The Song of Wandering Aengus “I went out to the hazel wood……….”   Coillte have recently opened a new section of wood which, once you have reached the wood, allows for an enjoyable circular cycle away from traffic.