To start off he will offer weekly painting classes beginning with ‘Still Life’ this month on Wednesday 23rd of May and Friday 25th. These classes will continue each week on Wednesday and Friday evenings through to August 3rd from 7.30 to 9.30pm.

Cost are as Follows:

• €50 for 2 lessons, 2hr each lesson,
• or €500 for 22 Lessons taking you up to August 3rd. (Fresh Tea and Coffee will be provided free of charge.)

Then he plans to offer a Landscape Master Class or Intense Week long Workshop beginning on Monday August 20th. This week long intensive workshop on Landscape painting will be at a cost of €350 happening both in Studio & Outdoor (light lunch included on this workshop).

Richard’s Classes will cover the following themes:

• Still Life (Classical and Contemporary)
• Landscape (Outdoors and Studio based) as well as Portrait Painting
• lessons on working from Photography.

Richard’s Teaching Methods will be based on the current Atelier system under which he studied in New York City with two renowned Master Painters, and will be based on his ’4 Step Developed Approach to Picture Making ‘- Placement, Background, Shadow, Light.

To Book a place on his art classes and workshops please email info@richardhearns.com or call 086 216 1135. Payment can be made by Cheque, Cash or Bank transfer.

If you would kindly pass along and share this information to any friends or colleagues you think would be interested in learning about creating great paintings with Richard Hearns it would be most appreciated.

Artist: Ronan Goti

Exhibition: ‘The Balance’

Ronan Goti’s ‘Seasons’ exhibition last year was a ‘showcase’ of what he can do as an artist with a mind to setting up new commissions with people. The show was a Huge success (almost thirty commissions were arranged). This years new show ‘The Balance’, is made up from these commissions, taken on loan from the owners with the intention of meeting people and talking through ideas for new paintings.

The exhibition opens in Malahide library on Saturday 19th May from 2pm to 5pm. The library closes on Sundays and the show runs until Friday 1st June. Ronan will be present for most of the time and will be painting while there.

Artist statement ; “My paintings attempt to show humanity in harmony with nature and also try to capture a balance that exists when the natural world is left to itself. My work reflects my views about how I would like the world to be. I observe the beauty around me and try to capture that in my paintings, so that others may experience what I see and feel”.

For all information about Ronan Goti’s art or to join his Newsletter see www.ronangoti.com.

Letter #1; by Austin Cox Sergeant in Charge

Following a recent Government decision concerning the closure of certain Garda Stations across the country I would like to dispel a number of concerns regarding the Garda Service at Malahide.

Significantly Malahide Garda Station has not been nominated for closure. However the Public Office at Malahide Garda Station will close to the Public between the hours of 9pm and 6am.

Effectively this will only mean that the Public will not be able to get forms stamped or make reports in person at Malahide Garda Station between 10pm and 6am. In addition the non-emergency phone lines at Malahide wil be diverted to Coolock Garda Station who will dispatch Malahide Garda Units to non-emergency calls. Emergency 999 calls will continue to be directed through the Garda Command & Control System to local patrols who will continue to police Malahide, Portmarnock, Seabury, Kinseally and Drynam areas as before.

The manpower allocation of Gardai at Malahide will not be affected and the Garda service will remain exactly the same. Gardai will continue to use Malahide Garda Station on a 24 hour basis and will continue to parade for duty and operate from there. In essence the only difference will be that the Garda deployed on desk duties from 10pm to 6am will be redeployed on active patrolling to augment the current policing of the Malahide Sub-District.

I trust this clarifies the situation.

Sergeant Austin Cox

Letter #2; by Senator Darragh O’Brien

A Chara,

I am writing to update you on the downgrading of Malahide Garda Station, further than what had previously been announced.

As of 9pm on April 30th the garda station in Malahide ceased to operate on a full-time basis. Over the past number of months I, along with my colleague Councillor Eoghan O’Brien, have been working hard to get the government to reverse this absurd decision. Hundreds of people have been involved in a community effort to get the government to see sense.

We were given assurances by local government TDs and Justice Minister Alan Shatter that cutting the opening hours of the station enhance the garda presence on the ground and that the only affect would be is that the garda station would not be open to the public after 10pm at night. I have now found out that the station is actually closing an hour earlier at 9pm and that all phone calls will be diverted to Coolock, seven miles away.

What is more shocking is that anyone detained by Malahide gardai after 9pm will now have to be transferred to Coolock garda station. This will involve the patrol car and three gardai accompanying the prisoner to Coolock. This flies in the face of the assurances given by government. I was assured that holding cells at Malahide Garda Station would still operate and prisoners would be detained there and not transported to Coolock or other stations.

When the decision to downgrade Malahide garda station was taken it was made clear that resources would not be diverted from the community, in fact we were told that there would an enhanced service. The safety of people Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy is clearly not a priority for this government.

It is also worth remembering that Minister Shatter confirmed to me that there would be no financial benefit to this downgrade. It’s time the Government saw sense, realised its mistake and reverse the downgrade of Malahide Garda Station. I am encouraging everyone in the community to contact their local government TDs and make it clear that this is totally unacceptable.

Be assured that I will continue to monitor this situation. In the meantime if I can be of assistance on any matter please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Darragh

Senator Darragh O’Brien

Over a year has past since Domini and Peaches Kemp embarked on their mission of bringing their own signature coffee blend into their itsa… stores. Along with their team of ʻCoffee Lunaticsʼ – a group of coffee obsessives who assisted in the sourcing, selecting, roasting, cupping and re-cupping the beans, the finished product is now being enjoyed in all itsa… branches. “We want our coffee to be just as much a part of the culinary experience for our customers, a culinary beverage, as such…the origin and treatment of the coffee beans are shown respect, with a focus on preserving the integrity of the selected beans”, says Domini.

The itsa… espresso is a blend of Grade 1 Arabica beans from Peru and Mexico. This dark roasted blend has an oaky and chocolaty aroma which is harmonised with a hint of caramel and vanilla – akin to the fragrance of a freshly made crème brûlée. The recently opened itsa… Ranelagh branch (located on the Triangle in Ranelagh village) is also paying homage to retro and low-tech brewing techniques with their Bru Bar facility. The beans for the Bru Bar are a single origin Grade 1 Arabica from Haiti that are ground specially to order. The two-pour drip phase process means you wait an extra minute, but coffee connoisseurs will endure the extra time for a taste of this superbly well-made java. This blonde roast has a lively acidity but is well balanced with a nutty lingering mouth-feel, perfect for the discerning coffee drinker and ideally enjoyed without milk.

The sophisticated coffee experience now available in itsa… branches with its suite of unique roasts and blends are also available to enjoy at home. Beans can be purchased instore and drank at home as an espresso-based drink or French press. “Our aim is to begin introducing guest roasts and limited edition blends throughout the course of the year with distinct flavour profiles for our coffee-loving customers”, added Peaches.

Until the end of May, itsa… customers can enjoy double points on their coffee loyalty cards as well as a range of additional coffee promotions and competitions in-store and on their Facebook page. A series of specialty coffee evenings and events will be commencing in itsa… branches from June 2012. Those interested in attending can sign-up in any of itsa… branch or send an email registering their interest to info@itsa.ie

For further press information please contact Josh Whelan at itsa…
087 664 2986 / josh@itsa.ie

Notes for editors:
DOMINI & PEACHES KEMP, Founders and Directors
Domini & Peaches Kemp created the “itsa” brand in 1999 with the opening of the first itsa…, gourmet bagel store in Dublin 1. Since then, the sisters have used their respective
fine dining and catering backgrounds to expand the itsa… food company to encompass six itsa …gourmet bagel stores, an itsa… café in IMMA and Sandymount village (formerly itsa4 restaurant), a recently launched ʻDubh Linnʼ Tea Rooms in Dublin Castle as well as operating the restaurants in Brown Thomas Dublin and Cork.

Domini is a member of the Taste council, a Euro-Toques chef and is the main food writer for The Irish Times. Her third cook-book will be published by Gill & Macmillan in Autumn 2012. Peaches holds a post graduate diploma in Public Relations and has recently completed the advanced level WSET Wine Diploma in the Irish Wine Board.

Phase 1 will involve the opening of the redeveloped Castle including the museum, new interpretation, the impaired mobility access lift to the 1st floor and access to the West Lawn. This phase is on target for opening in the first week of July 2012. It will be necessary to provide a temporary catering concession to visitors in July and August and a plan to address this matter is currently being developed.
Phase 2 will involve the opening of the redeveloped Courtyard including the visitor centre, retail shop and the AVOCA restaurant and shop and the Walled Botanical Gardens. This will take place in early September, 2012.

While it is regrettable that the entire development will not reopen in time for the tourism summer season it is considered that the phased opening will have a lesser effect on the town of Malahide and its environs and in particular that the phased opening will be more easily manageable having regard to car parking and traffic management in the area. It is hoped that the visitor numbers to the castle will be up to and beyond previous numbers visiting in July and August of previous years. In addition, it is hoped that the AVOCA opening and the opening of the Walled Botanical Gardens and the new Visitor Centre will attract a large local, regional and international audience at the end of the tourism season.

St. Sylvester’s Infant School Malahide are showing that they know how to travel Green by launching their very first Feet First Friday this week on Friday 23rd March. The pupils, parents and teachers will be walking en mass to school on the day instead of taking the private car on the school journey. The school’s Feet First Friday initiative, will become a weekly event and is part of St. Sylvester’s Green-Schools Travel Action Plan, which has been put in place to help raise awareness of sustainable travel on the school journey and to make travel to their school healthier and greener.

On their Feet First Friday day the school aims to reduce traffic congestion at the school gate and to raise awareness of the alternatives to the private car on short school journeys. The school will also take a step closer to achieving their fourth Green Flag from An Taisce for the theme of sustainable travel.

Since starting their Green-School’s Travel programme in September 2011, the school has carried out travel surveys to find out how their school population are coming to school and has created giant friezes in the school on the theme of sustainable travel. The school has also carried out a Road Safety Week to raise the profile of safe travelling on the school journey. St. Sylvester’s Infant School has already achieved three Green Flags for their work on the themes of litter and waste, energy conservation and water conservation and has been doing a great job of informing parents and the wider community of the importance of travelling in a sustainable way.

Cathy Shevlin, Green-Schools Co-ordinator at the school commented: ‘The children are so enthusiastic about the travel flag and can’t wait to launch Feet First Fridays. The parents and local community are very supportive of our efforts so I’m sure it will be a great success”.
Sandra Flavin, An Taisce’s Green-Schools Travel Education Officer for North Dublin commented: ‘It is very inspiring to see a junior school take such positive action on Green Travel. A day like Feet First Fridays shows how the Green-Schools message of coming to school in a Green way can spread beyond just the school and can have an impact on how whole families travel. More walkers on the school journey means less traffic on our roads in the morning and we all benefit from that. Congratulations to St. Sylvester’s Infant School for making sustainable travel a priority in their school.’
Green-Schools Travel is operated in Ireland by An Taisce and is supported by the Department of Transport’s Smarter Travel initiative and the National Transport Authority. This is the third year that An Taisce’s Green-Schools Travel Programme has been available to schools nationally and already 450 schools are implementing sustainable travel action plans as a result of the programme.

More information…..

CTA Computer Training in Malahide is delighted to have been chosen by ICS Skills as a location for “Get Ireland Online” programme.

The ”Get Ireland Online” programme provides training under the Benefit/IT 3 scheme, which is grant aided by the Dept. of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources. Under this scheme, ICS Skills will ensure almost 5,000 people are provided with basic computer skills. These skills provide them with the ability to take advantage of opportunities most people now take for granted in 38 locations throughout Ireland, allowing every citizen the opportunity to embrace the digital world.

For as little as €20 participants living in or around Malahide can enroll for the “Get Ireland Online” course at the CTA Computer Academy (Tel: 01 8454070). During the course, participants are taught how to use the web and send emails to family and friends. Three classes (duration 2 hrs. each).

Everybody can benefit from this training, and is suitable for senior citizens, the unemployed and anyone lacking in basic ICT skills. If you are interested in enrolling in the course, please contact CTA Computer Academy at 6 St. James Terrace, Malahide (close to the DART). Tel. 01 8454070

Carnivores will have cause to celebrate with the launch of a bespoke Bovine Menu at La Brasserie, the bistro at Michelin starred Bon Appétit in Malahide. Bookings are now being taken for the Bovine Menu, which will be available alongside La Brasserie’s regular menu every evening from Tuesday, 13th March. For what he describes as a ‘Beef Bible’, Chef Oliver Dunne has sought out and sourced the very finest cuts of beef from the most flavourful rare breeds of cattle and made them available with comprehensive notes on breeds, types of cut, ageing, marbling, cooking temperatures and tasting notes. Each fortnight the menu will offer up to 12 different cuts of a selected breed, beginning with Aberdeen Angus (Rare Breed) and working on through Longhorn, Hereford, Dexter and Irish Moiled over the following weeks.

An excellent relationship with renowned butcher Maurice Kettyle of Kettyle Irish Foods means that the menu is very keenly priced. From the launch fortnight Aberdeen Angus (Rare Breed) selection, prices range from €19.95 for a Feather Blade or a 60 days aged Rib Eye and up to €45.00 for a 450g Porterhouse (T-bone) aged 31 days. Included is one of 13 different sauces such as Duck Fat Hollandaise, Burnt Lemon, Pistachio Butter, Langoustine Butter, Bernaise and Cognac Mustard Cream. And with a choice of 16 varied side dishes such as Crispy Onions (€2.95), Bone Marrow Fritters (€5.50), Tempura of Pickles & Mushrooms (€4.50), Port Roasted Shallots (€3.95), Foie Gras Parfait (€7.00) and Buttered Artichoke Hearts (€3.95), this is an eating experience that doesn’t require deep pockets.

Such is Oliver’s enthusiasm for this new Bovine Menu that he is offering one very special dish at cost so that as many customers as possible can experience it. For just €49.95 diners can indulge in a 225g Grade 5 Wagyu Sirloin, considered the most delicious beef on earth. The anticipated demand for this opportunity means that it will enjoy a permanent place on the Bovine Menu and diners are urged to book in advance if intending to order in large quantities.

“It’s ironic, but in order to save rare beef breeds from extinction, we need to eat them” said Oliver Dunne. “To honour the animal, we will select, store and serve the meat to the very best standard possible. This could mean carefully controlled dry aging for up to 60 days if we feel that it will enhance the eating experience. Our beef bible will also serve to give the diner the background and ethos of what we are offering so that, together with tasting notes, they can make an informed selection.” A member of the Bon Appétit team will visit suppliers to personally choose the best cuts available, based on criteria such as marbling before adding them to the Bon Appétit collection, for careful storage, preparation and additional dry aging if considered appropriate.

This rare dining experience is the result of intensive research by Oliver Dunne, from his base at Bon Appétit, which is unique in Dublin as it offers three distinct restaurant spaces and styles within its Georgian townhouse home on the coast at Malahide.

Since taking over Bon Appétit in 2006, Oliver Dunne’s love of food, self-taught techniques and sheer enthusiasm have seen him develop Bon Appétit’s offering beyond all recognition. Once just a restaurant, Bon Appétit is now best described as a brand that encompasses a Michelin starred restaurant, a brasserie, a wine & tapas bar and a centre for learning, through sought after masterclasses. Le Restaurant, La Brasserie and Le Bon Vin allow the flexibility to offer excellent entertaining at every level and the space to create a wide range of themed events, host weddings and offer private dining.

La Brasserie on the lower ground floor level is a laid back family friendly bistro. Stylish polished wood tables, comfortable chairs, plush leather booths and the warm chocolate toned décor combine to create a welcoming atmosphere. Open from 6pm ‘til late from Tuesday to Saturday with a well priced, seasonal menu, La Brasserie is the perfect choice for a relaxed get together with family or friends, with a 3 course meal priced just €30.00. Particularly popular with local families is the Sunday Lunch, served from midday to 8pm, offering incredible value at €23.95 for three courses for the adults, while children eat for free!

Bite size food and full on glamour sums up Le Bon Vin on the ground floor, where tapas and tipples are on the menu. Glittering chandeliers reflecting in vintage mirrors and a sumptuous burgundy and gold palette make the most of the high ceiling Georgian rooms, with cocktail style seating throughout. When you’re in the mood for something light, it’s the perfect way to sample the best of Bon Appétit! As a definite antidote to midweek blues, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to midnight. all cocktails are just €5, or choose any two tapas plates and enjoy with a glass of wine for just €19.95.

The star in the firmament of Bon Appétit is Le Restaurant on the top floor. As you would expect of a Michelin starred restaurant, the décor is luxurious, with silk lined walls, carefully selected artwork and cream tones throughout, creating the perfect backdrop for the food. Here Oliver Dunne’s creativity is given full expression through his preferred medium of the Tasting Menu, which compliment the A La Carte and the Menu Prestige. But however sensational the food, and perfect the service, Oliver ensures that a warm welcome begins a relaxed and leisurely experience for diners. Le Restaurant offers Tasting Nights every Wednesday with 6 Courses for €45.00, perfect following an aperitif in Le Bon Vin!

Bon Appétit, James Terrace, Malahide, Co Dublin. www.BonAppetit.ie T: 01 8450314. T: @bonappetit

THE MENU

Jacobs Ladder aka short ribs
Aged 14 days
(The American Dream)
These cuts are highly popular in the USA and make great tasting, juicy, big braised ribs.
9oz /250g €18.00

Feather Blade
Aged 18 days
(The Inquisitive Foodie)
Richly flavoured and well-marbled. This is the “inquisitive foodie’s steak”. From the shoulder blade it packs a lot of flavour. Beware, the more it cooks, the more it toughens!
8oz /225g €18.50

Rump Cap
Aged 40 days
(The Real Steak Man’s Steak)
Comes from the upper cap on the backside and is full of flavour. Best served rare to medium.
9oz / 250g €19.50

Ribeye
Aged 60 days
(The Trendy Boy)
The trendy steak eater’s steak! This cut comes from the fore rib. It is marbled with a central piece of fat and because of this it’s very, very tasty.
6oz/9oz 180g/250g €19.95 / €24.00

Popeseye
(The Butcher’s Secret)
Aged 31 days
These beautiful small cuts of meat pack an amazing flavour and represent great value. Best served rare or medium rare.
2 x 4oz/125g p/p €22.50

Braised Shin
(The Comfort Eater)
Aged 16 days
From the top of the back legs, with lean muscles and lots of cometive tissue, makes this ideal for braising. Marinating in Cabernet Sauvignon for 48 hours makes this the perfect comfort cut!
8oz / 225g €19.95

Wing Rib
(The Well Hung!)
Aged 40 days
An excellent cut from the sirloin roasted on the bone. It’s well-marbled and has a good depth of flavour. We hang it longer to intensify its beefy aroma.
13oz /375g on bone €37.00

Fillet
(The Ladies Steak)
Aged 21 days
This lightly used muscle is extremely tender and has no fat. The downside is it doesn’t pack a great beefy flavour.
7oz / 200g €28.00

Sirloin
(The City Boy)
Aged 40 days
From the middle back of the cattle. This cut has a good size and plenty of marbling. It’s an expensive cut but is incredibly tender and juicy!
11oz / 300g €32.00

Pointend
(the 2-in-1)
Aged 35 days
A cut from the thin end of the rump which joins the sirloin. It has all the flavour of the rump with the tenderness of the sirloin.
21oz / 600g (For 2) €49.00

Porterhouse aka the T-bone
(Mr. T)
Aged 31 days
From the lower middle, these cuts are part sirloin, part fillet. Adored by Americans and a difficult steak to cook as the fillet and sirloin cooks at different rates. But we have cracked it. Perfect it every time!
16oz / 450g €45.00

Wagyu Sirloin
(The Big Spender)
Aged 40 days
The most delicious beef on earth. Wagyu “Kobe Style” beef is an extremely expensive, uber luxurious product. Each cattle has a unique passport with origin identity and marbling quality. Here at La Brasserie we use beef with a sashi grade (marbling) grade 5/6 and are happy to sell it at cost price as we believe everyone should try Kobe at least once in their life! Pre-order for large quantities.
8oz / 225g €49.95
Sauces
One Per Portion | Additional Sauces €1.50

Duck Fat Hollandaise
Peppercorn
Pommery Mustard
Béarnaise
Cognac Mustard Cream
Mushroom Ketchup
Burnt Lemon
Roasted Garlic Butter
Café de Paris Butter
Blue Cheese Butter
Truffle Butter
Pistachio Butter
Langoustine Butter

Accompaniments

Buttered Artichoke Hearts €3.95
Beef Tomato & Feta Salad €4.95
Port Roasted Shallots €3.95
Lyonnaise Onions €2.95
Creamed Spinach with Gruyere €4.50
Tempura of Pickles & Mushrooms €4.50
Buttered Carrots with Tarragon €3.96
Broccoli Hollandaise €3.95
Foie Gras Parfait €7.00
Bone Marrow Fritters €5.50
Creamed Mash €3.95
Crispy Beef & Onion Gravy Mash €5.50
Crispy Onions €2.95
Polenta Chips €3.95
Hand Cut Chips €3.95
French Fries €3.50

February 2012: Mayor of Fingal Councillor Gerry McGuire and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr. Leo Varadkar T.D. today officially marked the start of the new €10 million Malahide Castle and Gardens Redevelopment Project, with a stone plaque unveiling and tree planting ceremony. The ceremony symbolised the beginning of construction works, and anticipated future growth in visitor numbers to the Castle, Gardens and parkland.

This €10million Redevelopment Project is jointly funded by Fingal County Council (€6.25million) and Failte Ireland (€3.75million) and is currently the council’s largest investment project, and one of the largest tourism investment initiatives in the country. Up to 100 jobs are supported in the construction phase. When open, an additional 80 jobs will be provided, and a new operator for the tourism facilities which will be appointed shortly which will provide further employment opportunities in the near future. The new-look Malahide Castle and Gardens will be re-opened to the public in June 2012, and visitors may look forward to enhanced tourist facilities including a new Castle Tour, the unique Walled Talbot Botanical Gardens, Extensive Parkland and Playground. Avoca will be operating the café and retail offerings on site.

Speaking at the ceremony, Fingal County Manager Mr. David O’Connor said “Today shows that local authorities can lead large tourism development projects and be a catalyst for economic development and job creation. Innovative use of publicly owned land and buildings can bring a huge economic dividend to local areas and provide significant value for money to the taxpayer.” He added “Creating employment opportunities and economic activity in Fingal is the number one priority, and a new and better Malahide Castle and Gardens will be the result of action taken by the County Council to meet that need.”

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: “This is a great development which will significantly enhance the existing tourism facilities in Malahide Castle & Gardens, and which is expected to attract 250,000 visitors per year. I very much welcome the job creation aspect. I understand it includes 100 jobs during the construction phase, and an additional 80 jobs at Avoca which will run the café and retail services. A new operator for the tourism facilities will provide further job opportunities. This Government will continue to support capital investment in tourism in order to create jobs, remain competitive and attract more visitors from overseas.”

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Gerry McGuire said “The new ‘Malahide Castle & Gardens’ will cater for in excess of a quarter of a million visitors to the Demesne each year, both overseas and Irish tourists, as well as many locals from Malahide and surrounding areas who avail of this marvellous heritage facility on their doorstep.

The Mayor added “This project has the potential to be an inspiring success in difficult times. Once it’s opened we expect demand for what’s on offer to be very high, reflecting the very attractive location and the state-of-the-art facilities that will be available. At an extremely challenging time for all our citizens, 100 jobs are already being supported during the construction phase and a similar number of jobs will be supported once the Castle and Gardens re-open for business.”

The Mayor thanked all those present for their support in getting this project underway and gave particular mention to the interdepartmental project team from Fingal County Council. He also thanked Failte Ireland for the funding they are providing to the redevelopment, and the Minister for his support for this project, and finally thanked the local community for embracing the redevelopment and for supporting a project that the community in Malahide can be justifiably proud of.

Florence White, Communications Officer 087 414 1580 / 01 890 5998
Ann Murphy, Asst. Communications Officer 087 990 8470 / 01 870 4453
Nick Miller, Press Adviser to Minister Varadkar 086 6992080

Editors Notes:

• A €10 million investment is being made in this Redevelopment Project, with Fingal County Council investing €6.25million, and Failte Ireland investing €3.75 million.
• Malahide Castle and Gardens is due to be relaunched in June 2012. The Construction phase will be completed in April and the fit-out phase will finish in May.
• Up to 100 jobs will be supported in the construction of the facilities. An additional 80 jobs are to be provided by AVOCA who will run the café and retail offerings on site. A new operator for the tourism facilities will provide further employment opportunities in the near future.
• Malahide Castle & Gardens will cater for in excess of a quarter of a million visitors who visit the Demesne each year.
• Trips to Ireland for the first eleven months of 2011 were up by 6.8 % compared to the corresponding period in 2010. There were 6,001,100 overseas visits to Ireland during the eleven-month period. Construction Works
• Malahide Castle and Gardens is set in over 250 acres of parkland close to the seaside town of Malahide. During refurbishment works the grounds of the wider Demesne continue to remain open to the general public. All the other facilities including pitches, Cricket Pavillion, the pitch & putt course, the childrens playground, and the extensive 270 acres of regional parkland and are all still accessible and will remain so throughout the works. Significant progress has been made on construction works over the past few months, assisted by the mild weather conditions this winter.
• The installation of extensive underground service ducts is complete and the contractors are busy reinstating the road surfaces which were excavated to facilitate this phase of the project. As part of these works an underground rainwater harvesting tank has been installed 2 meters below ground in the old Coach Park. This tank, which is equivalent in size to a tennis court, will provide irrigation for the botanical gardens.
• The old buildings have been stripped out and re-slating in salvaged natural slate has commenced. Foundations have also been laid for the new-build element of the project and construction of the steel superstructure began within the last few weeks.
• Repairs and fit-out works within the castle building itself are scheduled to begin this month and the anticipated completion date for the entire project is June 2012.
• Ground works began last Summer (2011)

Colonel Thomas Talbot, 1771 – 1853

In the mid-late 1700s, the Baroness Talbot (nee Margaret O’Reilly, wife of Col. Richard Talbot) had a large number of children, several imprinting their mark on history. Her son Lord Richard Wogan Talbot, became Second Baron of Malahide, Ireland. Her daughter Gabriella Talbot became Countess of the Austrian Empire. Her son Sir John Talbot, G.C.B., joined the King’s Navy and rose to the rank of Admiral of the Red. (He spent 63 years in the UK Navy and saw action on 14 different warships). Another son, Col. William Talbot, was granted vast acres of land in Fingal, Tasmania (near Australia) in 1822. He built an estate called Malahide there in 1827-8 and produced high-quality Tasmanian Malahide wool. Finally, her fourth son, Colonel Thomas Talbot, is a well-known figure in Ontario, Canada. (See photo) He supervised and ruled, with an iron hand, the settlement of 29 townships stretching along the North shore of Lake Erie, in the early 1800s. One township is still called Malahide today.

Portrait of Colonel Thomas Talbot, attributed to J. B. Wandesford, Collection of McIntosh Gallery, the University of Western Ontario

Colonel Thomas Talbot (1771 -1853) was born at Malahide Castle near Dublin. He received a commission in the army as ensign before he was 12 years old, and was appointed at age 16 to aid his relative, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He saw active service in Holland and at Gibraltar. He emigrated to Canada in 1791, at age 20, and became personal secretary to John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. After returning to England, Talbot convinced the government to allow him to implement a land settlement scheme along the shore of Lake Erie. He chose property in Elgin County and in adjoining townships – Dunwich and Aldborough – when his petition for 5,000 acres was granted in 1803. It was on May 21, 1803 that he landed at a spot since called Port Talbot, where he built a large log-house named “Malahide”, after his ancestral home. (See photo) Here he entertained many distinguished visitors from home and abroad. At this home he used his well-known “audience window” to interview applicants for land grants. Nearby he added a saw mill, a cooper shop, a blacksmith shop and a poultry house, along with a barn. When settlers began to arrive in 1809, Talbot added a gristmill as well. The house at Malahide, Ontario was demolished in 1997, generating much outcry from heritage conservators.

Talbot House

Here Thomas Talbot ruled as a “benevolent dictator”, erratic & eccentric. His compatriots described him as gruff, disrespectful of religion, indifferent to politics, a heavy-drinker and a Yankee-hater. Talbot granted strips of land to people of his choosing, a group that rarely included Americans, liberals or anyone insufficiently respectful. He was infamous for registering settlers’ names on the local settlement map in pencil – and if displeased, was alleged to have erased their entry! For every settler he placed on 50 acres of land, Talbot received an additional 200 acres for himself. One of the conditions attached to the free grant of land was the right to purchase an additional 150 acres (at $3 each) and the promise of a road in front of each farm within 3.5 years. Settlers were required to build a small house, and to clear and farm 10 acres of land. By 1820 all of the land originally allotted to Talbot had been settled. From 1814 to 1837 he settled 50,000 people on 650,000 acres in the Thames River area.

By the late 1820s Colonel Thomas Talbot had organised the construction of a 300-mile-long road linking the Detroit River and Lake Ontario, known as the Talbot Trail. Talbot’s insistence on provision of good roads, the maintenance of the roads by the settlers, and the removal of Crown and clergy reserves from main roads, quickly resulted in the Talbot Settlement becoming the most prosperous part of the province.

In 1823, Talbot decided to name Port Stanley after his friend Baron Edward George Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, whose son, Frederick Arthur Stanley, became Canada’s Governor General and donated the hockey trophy which still bears his name. Talbot himself gave his name to Talbotville (a community in Southwold, Ontario) and the city of St. Thomas, Ontario, as well as Colonel Talbot Road and Talbot Street in both London and St. Thomas. Eventually, however, Talbot began to make political demands on the settlers, after which his power was reduced by the provincial government. Talbot’s abuse of power was a contributing factor in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. In spite of his large holdings, Talbot also ran into financial difficulties over the years. Talbot died at age 82 in 1853, in the home of his servant, George Macbeth, at London, Ontario. Talbot never married and he had no heirs, so what remained of his property (valued at £50,000), he left to MacBeth. Thomas Talbot is buried in the cemetery of St. Peters Anglican Church near Tyrconnell, Ontario in Elgin County, overlooking his beloved Lake Erie. The “Old Jail” in London, Ontario is an impressive landmark that was designed to resemble Malahide Castle in Ireland. It is now a museum.

References:

www.malahidecastle.com

Tom O’Shea, The Talbots & Malahide Castle, Scan Graphics, 1992, via www.malahideheritage.com 

Emily Poynton Weaver, The Story of the Counties of Ontario (Toronto: Bell & Cockburn: 1913), via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Talbot_(Upper_Canada) [Author died more than 70 years ago – public domain image]

Charles J. Humber, Allegiance: the Ontario Story (Mississauga, Ontario: Heirloom Pub.: 1991), via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Talbot_(Upper_Canada)