ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Welcome to Amach – To The Field. Our project tells the story of 21 townlands across Leitrim through culture, heritage, folklore, nature, history, farming, people and community. Each door comes from a house or shed on that townland and now sits in a field waiting for you to open it. On the door you will find a phone number. Dial it and you will hear the farmer and families of that townland tell you the story of the land on which you stand. The phone numbers will not be made available online. You have to visit the door and stand rooted in the townland to hear the story of that land. Each door comes from the townland on which it stands and many of them have a story to accompany it. Doors are open to the public from 2nd October – 21st November 2023.
Please be mindful that you are visiting the doors on working farms. Keep dogs on their lead, mind your step, bring wellies and leave the place as you found it. Míle buíochas! If you have any difficulty finding a door or if you are unable to access a door because of disability please contact 00353 86 1649989.
This project is curated by Edwina Guckian in collaboration with Leitrim artist Natalia Beylis and organic farmer John Matthews supported by Save Leitrim, Creative Ireland & Leitrim County Council.
Let us know what doors you have visited: Instagram @LeitrimTownlands #AMACH – leitrimtownlands@gmail.com
TOWNLANDS:
Click the town lands below to view the locations of the doors on google maps. The phone line on each door will officially open on its launch date.
LOOP 1 – launches Monday 2nd October
Mount Allen – park car at Mount Allen Eco Farm house and follow signs for door
Srabra
Corglass
Letterfine
Aghacashel
LOOP 2 – launches Tuesday 3rd October
Adoon – located at the old train station of Adoon
Drumgrania
Aughadrumcairn – Park car at last house on the right and follow signs for door
Drumlegga
LOOP 3 – launches Wednesday 4th October
Gortatresk
Pollboy
Castletown
Liosnanuras
Derreens
Beagh
Barrnameenagh – This is a 20 minute walk to the door on a gravel path. Park your car HERE. The door is situated in the ruins of the old building at the end of the path.
LOOP 4 – launches Thursday 5th October
Effrinagh – located in Gralton’s garden on the site of the old dance hall
Drumnadubber – Park at forestry entrance up the lane to the right of the door as you face it.
Dristernan – walk around the back of the house and out through gap into the field
Headford – inside red gate of field that leads to lake
Drumlara – look out for the blue half door in the garden
MEET THE FARMERS:
PAUL GRALTON – EFFRINAGH – Aifreanach – Place where mass was held
WILLIE STEWART – DRUMNADUBBER – Droim na dTobar – Ridge of the well
JOHN CRONOGUE – DRISTERNAN – Dreasternán – Place of briars
WILLIAM & EDWINA GUCKIAN – HEADFORD – Lios na gCeann – Fort of the Heads
JP MCGANN & COLM STENSON – DRUMLARA
JIM MCCAFFREY – ADOON – Áth an Dúin – Ford of the fort
JOHN REYNOLDS – DRUMGRANIA – Droim na Gréine – Ridge of the sun
GERRY BOHAN – AGHADRUMCARN – Achadh Droim Cairn – Field of the carn on the hill
KAREN MCCABE – DRUMLEGGA – Droim Leagach – Stoney grey ridge
TOMMY EARLEY – MOUNT ALLEN – Moin Aillionn
FIACHRA GUIHEN – SRABRA – Srath Breá – Beautiful valley
LISA & GYPSY GIFFORD – CORGLASS – An Chorr Ghlas – Round green hill
CAROLINE DOHERTY – LETTERFINE – Leiter Fiáin – Wild hillside
MICHAEL, ROSE MARY & RONÁN GEOGHAN – AGHACASHEL – Achadh an Chaisil – Field of the stone ring fort
MARY BOLAND – GORTATRESK – Gort an Triosc – Field of the Brewer’s grains
JAMES GILMARTIN – POLLBOY – An Poll Buí – The yellow hole
EIMEAR & DON O’ CONNOR – CASTLETOWN – Baile an Chaisleáin – Townland of the castle
TERESA & MARY MCVEIGH – LIOSNANURAS – Lios na nDoras – Fort of the Doors
ADRIENNE DIAMOND – BEAGH – An Bheitheach – The Birch Wood
GERRY DOLAN – BARRNAMEENAGH – Barr na Mionach – Top of the Ore Mines
DERREENS – An Doirín – The little oak wood – No one remains in this townland to tell its story as it is now 100% planted in conifer plantations
