Tides & Tales
Tides & Tales is a community response to the loss of maritime traditions in the Waterford harbour villages, the tidal portions of the Three Sister River network, Barrow, Nore & Suir and the Waterford coastline. We focus on the maritime and fishing heritage that was once an intrinsic part of the maritime community here through research, writing and dissemination. The work is communicated via the blog, social media, books, presentations, workshops, walks and in educational settings.
Voluntary Management Committee
In December 2023 a voluntary committee was formed to seek to secure funds to offset the costs of the work which up to that point had been entirely self-financed through personal means, walks and talks. The work was and is also supported with information and images by many contributors and mentors with a deep interest in the maritime community, local history, traditions and heritage. In September 2024 we became a CLG (#772195) with a three person board. Our Chair is Breda Murphy, Secretary, Damien McLellan and Treasurer is Eoghan Hegarty.
Our Vision
Heritage Preserved, Opportunities Created
Our Mission
To foster understanding, appreciation and care for the unique culture and natural environment of the Three Sister Rivers by researching, documenting and promoting the stories, traditions, trades and river craft of the communities where the rivers meet the sea
Our Method:
- To raise awareness of the rich historic and cultural heritage of these communities that may not be forgotten or taken for granted.
- To research, record, document and publish the maritime stories and traditions that are in danger of being lost forever.
- To establish a working group that can support this work and put it on a more permanent basis.
- To finance a co-ordinator who can take a lead role in this work.
- To raise funds by sourcing grants and other income streams that are available and relevant to the project.
About The Management Committee:
The Management Committee is a not-for-profit group.
The aims of the Management Committee are as follows:
- Maintain and support the existing body of work.
- Examine the feasibility of identifying and establishing an appropriate formal framework to support the work.
- To develop a pilot project proposal.
- Explore funding options.
Our Values:
This project has been driven since inception by the principals of community development. It was born out of a desire to strengthen the social capital and community pride of the maritime communities of the estuary and rivers. Some specific values that guide us include:
- Awareness Raising. To raise the consciousness of what we have in terms of location, history, knowledge and skills.
- Empowerment. Seek to encourage an appreciation and respect for the traditions of this maritime community to get people engaged, excited and involved.
- Participation. Seek ways to include people of all ages in the process of researching, communicating and preserving the heritage of our community.
- Respect. Model respect and pride in our maritime traditions and those who practiced them and work to foster a shared appreciation of this in everything we do.
- Social Justice. Strive to put a focus on the issues impacting the maritime villages and communities and ensure that any benefits are directed towards these and not those already doing well.
Our Blog
Limekilns in the Cheekpoint & Faithlegg area
This week marks my fourth year of a weekly Friday blog. To celebrate, I decided to republish my first blog. It was my first try at promoting local heritage and I suppose it also gives a sense of my curiosity and determination to discover more about the features that...
It all turns on affection
My grandmother had a phrase “the longer you live in a place, the longer you live”. I found it a curious phrase, one that tended to be used on the death of a friend or neighbour I remember. Like many of my grandmothers utterances, I never stopped the...
principals of a sustainable rural community that I think are worth considering
From Wendell Berry [The concept of "Mendo Island" is not to be isolationist or provincial, but rather to focus our attention and efforts locally, transitioning to more community-sufficiency, and in that process we also help those in far away places who are being...
road testing my template
Some responses to the key areas for the community plan Rather than design a survey, I have used the mind mapping format to generate ideas for myself. I am listing them here, and also some further notes on the survey idea. Ray will also send on a...
thinking towards a community plan
Some notes on areas for an action plan Possibility of using an electronic survey - survey monkey to do some initial information gathering via current email addresses of mine, the community alliance group and via the village facebook page. Need to explore the potential...
should we show tolerance to our neighbours
“We see people and things not as they are, but as we are” Anthony De Mello These last few weeks of revisiting previous musings and re writing them in a reflective way has helped to refine some thoughts, but also to stimulate new ideas and directions. A colleague...