Features
Cregg Castle in Corrundulla
I walked through the woods at Cregg Castle in Corandulla Co.Galway with Ann Marie and Pat Broderick on a warm day in April. Above us birdsong echoed in the canopy, the scent of wild garlic filled the air and spring flowers peeped through on the woodland floor.
Pat drew water from a crystal clear well - one of a number springs on the land. Further down the farm, water gushed from another spring to form the Cregg river. Pat had surrounded the source with a stone wall to exclude livestock and preserve the watercress which flourishes there every summer.
The Brodericks belong to that small group that has successfully combined a tourism enterprise with organic farming. The castle and its one hundred and sixty eight acre farm is an enchanting place to visit. It is steeped in history. The last fortified castle built west of the Shannon, it was constructed in 1648 by Clement Kirwan. The Kirwans were one of the twelve tribes of Galway - wealthy ruling merchant families who also owned substantial properties. One of the family, Richard became a renowned scientist and chemist and was the first president of the Royal Irish Academy. The remains of his laboratory still exist in the grounds of the castle.
The castle also has the unusual distinction of having its own burial ground. Family members and local families who worked on what was once an estate of thousands of acres are buried there. The graveyard has been extended and restored under the guidance of a local FAS scheme and is still used occasionally.
The castle fell into the hands of the Blake family in the 18th century and local legend tells that it was lost in a game of cards! The Blake lineage died out and Cregg Castle was sold to an English couple in the nineteen forties. They carried out some restoration but after a few decades the castle fell into serious decline. Ann Marie's parents Martin and Margaret Murray purchased the property in 1972. Martin grew vegetables in the old walled garden and raised beef for the kitchen of his hotel in Galway.
Pat and Ann Marie renovated the old gate lodge and moved in during 1998. After that hard decisions about the future of the castle and lands had to be made. It was no longer the grand house and estate but a semi-derelict castle and a farm too small to provide a sustainable living for the Brodericks and their children. 'I strongly believe that fate put us here and we have a responsibility to the place' Ann Marie says. 'We were tempted to sell many times but didn't want to see it turned into another golf course'. In order to make it viable they decided to open the castle to guests but met with little help or encouragement from the tourist authorities. As anyone involved in restoring an old building knows, its like pouring money into a bottomless pit. 'It was scary' says Pat. 'We didn't know where to start. We worked on it for a year and flat out for the last six months. I often remember walking home along the avenue at four in the morning'. All of the restoration work was carried out by the family without the help of outside contractors. Luckily Ann Marie's father had been a builder and was able to direct operations. 'There was no way we could have afforded to do it any other way' says Pat.
They opened for business in 1990 and have never regretted the decision. 'The farm would not be viable on its own. The bed and breakfast business subsidises the farm and allows us to maintain the woodlands and features on the farm' says Ann Marie.
Almost half of their one hundred and sixty five acres is given over to woodland, mostly mature broadleaves with another plantation added more recently. The farm carries seventy ewes, fourteen cattle, three suckler cows, a donkey and about eighty hens of various breeds. The sheep are a mixture of Galway ewes, Belclare improvers and Suffolk. All stock is outwintered and animals are housed only if they present with difficulties at lambing or calving time. Silage is made every year but so far the Brodericks have not attempted cereal growing. Pat thinks that he might reduce the grassland area and try his hand at some next year. Buying in organic concentrates is a substantial additional cost and the choice of suppliers is limited.
Pats first love is his poultry, an interest stemming from his youth. 'When I visited my grandmother as a child she always had a fresh egg for me' he says. 'Ever since then I've had an interest in poultry, there is no comparison with conventional eggs, these are so fresh and shiny, our guests love them for breakfast'.
The Brodericks joined REPS at the outset and decided to go organic at the same time.
'We were more or less organic anyway' Ann Marie says. 'It fits with the way we were thinking and we use a lot of what we produce in the house'. It wasn't all plain sailing and they found it difficult to get encouragement and information. 'Of course we made mistakes at the beginning. This was purely down to lack of knowledge and once we knew what to do we could put it right. If there are no advisors then farmers make mistakes'. Ann Marie believes that there should be a lot more encouragement for those contemplating conversion. 'There are a lot of rules and regulations but everything is put in the negative. A list of suppliers should be available on an up-to-date database for easy access. If you need something and can't get it its hard to do things right. People then begin to see organic as problematic and difficult. Equally, a database of livestock for sale should exist and we would have no problem in paying a commission at the point of sale for the service'.
Pat and Ann Marie rarely have veterinary problems with their livestock and attribute this to a stress free environment, low stocking rates and interestingly, the surfeit of wild garlic and ivy in the grazing pastures.
On the face of it they are an unlikely couple to be running a farm. Neither is from a farming background. 'I was born in London and all I wanted was a horse and the countryside' says Ann Marie. 'I love it here and I could never think of moving back to town'. She is passionate about the preservation of our heritage. 'Old estates will have to be supported, they are part of our history' she says. Old woodlands and parklands must be protected. If it wasn't for the fact that I was born into this business I don't think I would have kept going. The upkeep and maintenance of an old house is difficult. There should be help available to anyone looking after our heritage and whose property is open to the public'.
A couple less like Lords of the Manor are difficult to imagine. Guests may be staying in grand surroundings but a relaxed and informal atmosphere pervades the entire house. Breakfast is served until midday at the huge communal table in the great hall. You are free to wander at will and make tea or coffee at any time of the day or night.
The castle comes alive at night time when Pat and Ann Marie join guests in a musical session or what Pat modestly describes as 'a few tunes'. The Brodericks are talented musicians and their one regret in life is never having enough time to devote to their love of traditional music. On the wall Pat proudly displays the photograph taken with Michael Flateley, a reminder of his time on tour playing with Riverdance.
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