Following the resounding success of Donegal’s first ever stone festival, here is an overview.
Martin Mc Brearty (Kilcar) & Brendan Hurley (Kinsale)
It was fantastic to see faces from the length & breadth of Ireland, as well as to welcome visitors from overseas to Mountcharles
Sunny Wieler (DSWAI) instructs Deirdre O Conner (Donegal Town) on the dry stone wall workshop
Stone carving workshops were fully booked
Sculptor Brendan Mc Gloin shows how it is done.
Festival weekend was blessed with fine, dry weather
Dave Ryan (Limerick)
A series of public talks were held in Salthill Gardens
Brendan Mc Gloin chats with Thomas Pringle TD beneath a styrofoam replica of the high cross he carved
Nearby at Mountcharles Pier red headed cailíní help with hearting the wall. Their work shall still be standing when their grandchildren walk here
We build about forty yards of wall
More than just a wall – its our living heritage
We held demonstrations of age-old skills
The talented Michael Mc Groarty (Mountcharles) at work
Like splitting stone by peg and feather
Making pillars of local sandstone – pure & simple
Nick Aitken (Inverness); Bernard Keane (Bruckless); Jimmy Mc Anaw (Mountcharles) erect a pillar
As was on the original old wall, we used shore stones to cope it
Hard work right late into the third evening – but not too tired to hang a gate
With much to admire, like this step- through stile
Looking very pleased with our work
Sunny Wieler (DSWAI chairperson); Louise Price (festival organiser); Jacob Murray (Amherst Island); Rónán Crehan (Killybegs)
A magical close to the festival weekend was a visit to Drumkeelan sandstone mines. See Sunny’s blog for a close-up view.
limewindow 
That’s a super account of the festival Louise – great pictures and commentary
What county is it ? “Not enough water to drown a man . Not enough trees to hand a man. Not enough soil to bury a man .” Terry Wogan taught me that one .
Not Hand –Hang a man.
Looks like a fun time ! Well done . 🙂
hi well done louise ,sorry I missed it .love the bit about the caves ,have to see them.well done again. mal
Beautiful images and a beautiful blog. Would love to have been there, I hope its the first of many.
Hiya !
Congratulations on the festival being such a success ! Great photos too.
See you in September.
All The Best
George
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 20:17:48 +0000 To: georgegunnwalling@hotmail.com
John Cadd – In 1751 Ludlow described the limestone Burren in Co Clare – “…it is a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, not earth enough to bury him…and yet their cattle are very fat; for the grass…growing…between the rocks,… is very sweet and nourishing.”
Nice presentation Louise, a grand event, lots of fine memories.
Wonderfully organised and carried through, a real credit to you as the organiser.
Hardly to be wondered at considering what you did with the Thresher project, that was a mighty undertaking indeed.
And completed with such attention to detail, for something begun in mud and bruised fingers. Well done indeed.
Absolutely engrossing reportage of the Stone Fest, wonderful photos, both beautiful and very instructive.
But that last one, of the candle lit entrance into the mine! Truly stunning.
Thanks for the glimpse of such a feast of beautiful stone and skills. Such an inspiration.