Context 163 - March 2020

52 C O N T E X T 1 6 3 : M A R C H 2 0 2 0 The village of Letterfrack in Connemara, Co Galway, founded by Quakers in the mid-19th century (Photo: Chalky Lives, Wikimedia) we felt we needed to, whereas we have had to start doing the essentials to the house we moved to, in terms of insulating properly, recreating breathable wall finishes, installing PVs, and so on). Your favourite book? The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert: a historic novel, tracing the fortunes of the son of a plantsman in Kew gardens, who is sent abroad to recompense for inappropriate opportunistic commercialism and becomes a plant collector. Wilding by Isabella Tree might be one of the most inspiring books I have read in some time. It offers an intricately woven description of ecology and offers a grain of hope in the face of the relentless species decline and extinction brought on by intensive agricultural production. What do you do in your spare time? Walk, forage, read, sail, swim. Foraging has been a major interest, as seaweed is a part of the traditional way of life which I was introduced to by some of the older neighbours. I forage and process it into pesto and other forms, which I market in the local community market. In the face of climate-driven veganism and the collapse of fish stocks worldwide, it offers an important and sustainable source of many trace elements – and it is at our fingertips. It is a largely unknown ecological niche to many of us, so there is much to be learned. What organisations are you a member of? ICOMOS; Blue Shield Ireland; Irish Georgian Society; Omey Ramblers; Tuesday Trekkers; the local community council; Clifden Heritage and Historical Society; Cainteoirí Connemara (a local choir); and the boat club. Which one issue would you particularly like the IHBC to campaign on? The sustainability of traditionally built buildings, including the dwindling ability of communities worldwide to help provide a sustainable form of accommodation for themselves, using materials available to hand. The opposite end of this spectrum is a housing system which is prone to systemic failure, as we see here in Ireland currently – and, dare I say, has just brought the government down. Deirdre McDermott is a conservation consultant (planner, architect and urbanist) at Deirdre McDermott and Associates.