The Pineapple Quest.

[Broithe]

I'm not really too sure what this is all about, but it involved a return trip from Limerick to Ballybrophy the other day.

 

http://thepineapplequest.com/events/

 

 

 

Any journeys on that line are to be welcomed.......

[dave182]

How bizarre!

[heirflick]

..looking for pineapples in Ballybrophy?

[Mayner]

Not your regular excursionists I love it some very cool and happening people!

 

Could make the branch a trendy venue for cultural events and parties. IE might even get Arts & Heritage Council funding.

[Broithe]

I'll be over in a few weeks - I might just hide a pineapple there and see if they find it.

 

[Broithe]

This is Tara Maloney in Colbert Station.

 

 

"Tara Maloney of White Dove Nurseries takes William Roche’s account of his garden as a starting point for her project of cultivating a Limerick pineapple. Replicating traditional horticultural methods, she will take a shoot and force its growth. The Limerick Pineapple will then begin the short journey from Colbert Station to the White Dove Nursery in Lucky Lane off Catherine Street where it will be nurtured to maturity over the next two years."

 

We might need to keep an eye on this for the next two years...

[heirflick]

We might need to keep an eye on this for the next two years...

 

mmmm - tara or the pineapple?

[Broithe]

mmmm - tara or the pineapple?

 

Other pineapples are available in Colbert station.

 

This is Valerie O'Connor.

 

 

"During our journey Valerie O’Connor, author of Bread on the Table, will introduce us to the delights of pineapple cusine, and remind us of the 1970s when canned pineapple cubes and suchlike were a popular treat. Tuesday, 12 August: Colbert Station at 4.00 pm The train departs from Limerick at 5.00 pm and arrives back at 8.00 pm"

[minister_for_hardship]

Quite the oddest premise for a railtour yet, but if it brings in a bit of business...how bad?

[Broithe]

Perhaps we should run a rival tour - The Orange Quest - arriving back at 20:11, of course..............?

[Glenderg]

Growing up in limerick city, knacker drinking was finished off by a can of pineapple rings - only thing that could be robbed from the press without an inquest. Still, it's as odd as a box of monkeys.

[Broithe]

Right, I couldn't let this go, so I've pursued it and have received this explanation.

 

Thank you for your interest in the QUEST project.

 

To site my work as a socially-engaged artist, my practice is premised on the need for social change by promoting dialogue between public agencies and citizens. The work engages with the complexities of spatial planning and development, working towards an understanding how we use and live in social space.

I attach a brief background, which has led to the recent train journey, The Limerick Ballybrophy Tales.

I was interested in The Hanging Garden Building on Henry Street in Limerick city, (now a defunct development in NAMA). As I researched the history of the building, a story began to take shape that formed the narrative of the project.In 1808, William Roche, a prominent banker, made a hanging garden on this property. Inspired by the mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, he built terraces, pits and glasshouses, and filled them with rare and exotic plants including pineapples. In the 17th and 18th century the quest for cheap and plentiful plants in distant parts of the globe and their subsequent commercial exploitation provided a powerful explanation for the process of colonisation, expropriation and conquest. I was also curious as to how an exotic garden of pleasure, such as Roche’s was built and at what cost? The construction of the garden in the 1800’s cost £15,000 and was supported by the public purse. By 2008, Robert Butler who began the current and unfinished building, went into receivership at a cost to the taxpayer of €15,000,000. Little, it seemed had changed in relation to commerce in two hundred years.

 

The main strand of the project QUEST is situated in Colbert Station, reminding the modern traveller of how in the in the nineteenth century railways and steamboats made it even easier to link distant parts of the empire with the insatiable markets of home.

 

The Ballybrophy Tales.

Philip Conway, station master at Colbert, kindly offered a train carriage to accommodate the project. From this; I invited the public to participate in a journey of reflection, tales and dialogue along the route that began in Limerick’s Colbert Station passing through Castleconnell, Birdhill, Nenagh, Roscrea, Cloughjordan and so on to Ballybrophy.Along the route we exchanged tales of the line with historian John Logan. The first stop at Castleconnell, flowers were presented to the station operator while being entertained on the platform by Sean Hartigan and his saxophone.

 

During our brief stop in Cloughjordan we were met by Joe Fitzmaurice with baskets of sourdough bread from his Woodfire Bakery. And along the journey we shared food and cakes from local industries and drank copious amounts of wine, (and pineapple juice).

 

I also received four more pictures.

 

 

 

 

[heirflick]

fair play jim - that explaines that. interesting - could that idea be used as a meams of getting a few of us lads together on one carrage on a magical trip around the net? - (of course there will be no alcohol involved!!!)

[Broithe]

If anybody is about in Limerick this afternoon.

 

Dear all

If you are strolling through Limerick City today between 12 & 4 pm please join us for a coffee at White Dove Nursery, Lucky Lane on Catherine Street in discussing the research underpinning the QUEST project with Tara Maloney and Deirdre Power.

 

QUEST

COLBERT STATION THIS SUMMER

http://thepineapplequest.com

 

[minister_for_hardship]

Originally Posted by Dierdre Power

 

...is premised on the need for social change by promoting dialogue between public agencies and citizens. The work engages with the complexities of spatial planning and development, working towards an understanding how we use and live in social space....

 

What?

I still don't get it.

[Broithe]

Pop along this afternoon, you'll be made most welcome, I'm sure.

 

I have warned her that people on here are now aware of today's event and that she might like to keep an eye out for any new attendees, possibly wearing anoraks and carrying notebooks...

[WT CLASS 2-6-4T No. 4]

It looks like it could be one of the last trains to Ballybrophy according to an article in the Sunday Indo on 17 Aug '14. A link to said article.

 

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/end-of-line-for-ghost-trains-as-31-stations-under-full-review-30513603.html

 

Walter.

[Mayner]

Brilliant stuff Tara & Valarie seem to have found a winning formula of using a the branch line railway as a vehicle to launch a performing arts project. It will be interesting see I the evening train ride develops into a regular thing nice way to unwind after a busy day/week, a couple of drinks would go down very well with the food and conversation.