New perspectives on spring gathering

THIS year’s Burren Spring Gathering, formerly the Burren Spring Conference, will examine the theme of Between Place and Space: New Perspectives on the Burren and takes place later this month.

2013 sees a change in the name and style of the successful annual Burren Spring Conference, which has taken place for more than two decades. Between Place and Space: New Perspectives on the Burren reflects the idea of landscape as a relational process between outsider and local that is exchange-based and mutually affective.

This is also the first year the programme is being hosted by X-PO Kilnaboy, having been held in the Burren College of Art in recent years.

“It was hosted at Burren School of Art for the last 10 years or so. Coming from last year’s event, the idea was mooted that the conference or gathering should move around the Burren so different places and people would get to host it.

“I put this idea to the X-PO group and they were delighted to host it. Hopefully there will be volunteers from other places around the Burren who wish to host it in the future and have the opportunity to show off their place.

“There is a huge amount of knowledge in these places, in terms of archaeology, culture, history and heritage and people don’t get to hear it. This is an opportunity to share that,” said artist and lecturer, Dr Deirdre O’Mahony of GMIT.

“Last year, there was a gathering or conference held and it was called Taking Stock and it was marking the history of the conference and how it has reflected changing needs in the community at large for this kind of forum. It also examined the fact there have been a number of initiatives in the last few years that have consulted with the community on the future of the Burren.

“The feeling came across at last year’s conference that there was a need to take stock and think back to the spirit of original conference, which was one of walking and talking the Burren and sharing different types of experience on the ground. That was always the initial idea and it was George Cunningham and a group of archaeologists that started it as a way of sharing discoveries about the place,” she added.

Dr O’Mahony, founder of X-PO, was co-opted onto the board that runs the Burren Spring Gathering.

“I was asked if I wanted to organise the first revamped conference, drawing from that idea that it should be informal, not academic and should be about sharing the information on the ground,” she said.

“We are expecting people from outside the Burren and North Clare but I am hoping to get more people from the communities in the Burren because that actually had not been the case with the Burren Spring Conference in the past. Calling it a gathering was a way of opening it up again and drawing in the local communities,” Dr O’Mahony outlined.

The gathering is an open invitation to visitors, both those who have enjoyed the Burren Spring Conference and interested newcomers, to visit Kilnaboy, walk the land with local and visitor experts and experience some of the place-based knowledge and expertise that is shared at X-PO, learning and sharing information formally and informally in the parish. The event is family friendly and will include walks to suit all ages. However, places are limited and pre-registration is essential to guarantee places on walks.

According to Dr O’Mahony, it is difficult to choose a highlight from the packed itinerary, which includes presentations by Kilnaboy History Group, X-PO Mapping Group and the Chief Ranger and farmer working in the Lake District in Cumbria among others. It also includes children’s walks for families.

The Burren Spring Gathering takes place on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23 from Kilnaboy National School.