Sunday 11 May 2008

5 MINUTES WITH - JOEY GRANT



Joey Grant has been caring for the Sisters of Mercy Convent gardens for over thirty years and has been a gardener for many years before starting at the convent. Over the years Joey has built up a fabulous display of bluebells by patiently collecting the seed heads and redistributing them around the garden. Joey also likes to introduce new plants and features into the garden every year. This year sees a new display of climbing roses.

What music do you like?
I really enjoy Country and Western. Live bands that get you dancing are particularly good.

What would you never throw away?
I never throw anything away. It comes from years of gardening. If you do throw something out you can be sure that you will be looking for it the next day.

What book are you reading?

I am reading a book on Padre Pio. I also enjoy gardening books. Let’s not forget the local papers too…I read them all!

What was your favourite childhood game?
For two weeks in the summer those of us who lived in the country had time off from school to dig the spuds in the fields. I also went out with my father in his horse and cart to do the turf cutting. We would go out with a goose egg and duck egg in our pockets to eat with our tea. This might not sound like a game, but it was to us young lads!

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
It has been twenty years since I was at the pictures! When I was a young lad I used to get the money to go by caddying on the golf links on Buncrana. 18 holes would get you as much as half a crown (2shillings and sixpence), which would get you into the cinema easily.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
Anything to do with gardening.

What is your idea of a good night out?
Having plenty of them! I like to see bands. I have no local pub as such but I enjoy a pint with friends.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
There was the time I fell into a shuck coming home drunk from a wedding…enough said!

Have you a favourite TV programme?
My favourite bit of TV viewing is when a western in on. John Wayne was the best.

How do you relax?
It sounds a bit strange but I relax by keeping moving!

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I was always interested in gardening and all I wanted to be was a gardener.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
Castlebar in County Mayo will do me. My brother lives there and I will be going to visit later on in the year to take part in a charity walk in aid of Alzheimer’s.

Your idea of heaven?
I believe in reincarnation so if I could come back as another member of my family I would be happy

Your idea of hell?
There’s no such place

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
I don’t invite anyone for dinner. Who comes,comes…. Anyone and everyone is welcome.

Favourite animal?
The horse. We had a fabulous grey mare we used for going into the hills. I hope this doesn’t make me sound too old!

Biggest fear?
I don’t have one. Thank God.

The world’s most irritating invention?
It would have to be the mobile phone.

Personal philosophy?
Be patient, especially when you are explaining things to people.

World’s most useful invention?
Money!

What is your idea of a good night in?
I like a few glasses of wine and a game of cards with friends and family.

Biggest disappointment?
When I was young I was really disappointed when I had to go back to school. I loved being outdoors so much.

What do you most like about the Irish Countryside?
Apart from the land, I really like the old traditional cottages. I was reared in a thatched cottage and they evoke great memories for me.


WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 16


A Contemporary Folktale

A businessman needing to attend a conference in a faraway city decided to travel on country roads rather than the motorways so he could enjoy a relaxing journey. After some hours of travelling he realised he was hopelessly lost. Seeing a farmer tending his field on the side of the road, he stopped to ask for directions. “Can you tell me how far it is to Chicago?” he asked the farmer. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer replied.

“Well, can you tell me how far I am from New York?” the businessman questioned again. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again replied. “Can you at least tell me the quickest way to the main road?” the exasperated businessman asked. “No, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again answered.

“You really don’t know very much at all, do you?” blurted the impatient businessman. “Nope, but I ain’t lost.” The farmer calmly answered.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS - editorial for the Inishowen Independent



“Decking is the perfect answer for difficult sites.” Seamus from North West Decking

“Sean Furey from Sean’s Garden Machinery in Letterkenny knows the importance of having good quality machinery to hand for the heavier jobs on the garden.”

“A good stonemason like Stephen Grant can enhance your outdoor space and it doesn’t cost the earth.”

“Patios are a practical way of increasing your living space around the house. A good patio will be one that looks good and is practical.” Eddie from Grianan Precast Concrete

“It is amazing what a few coats of paint make not only to your house, but to your mood as well.” Conal Taitt - Painter and decorator

“There are other colours of asphalt to choose from as well, you can have red, green, blue or even white!”
Sean McDaid SP Asphalting

“We pride ourselves in using the highest quality materials available.” Martin Hughes from M Hughes Fencing


THE GREAT OUTDOORS

As soon as you walk out of your front door you are into the great outdoors. The areas around your house and garden are the spots you see more than any others and they will reflect your outdoor living preferences. Do you like gardening? Sitting and relaxing? Lots of friends over for a barbecue? Do you need plenty of car-parking? Do you like a bit of privacy? So how do you plan for all the spaces you need such as; patios, driveways, decking areas, walls, beds, borders and lawns. Now the sunny weather is with us your outdoor living area becomes another room so how can you make the most of it?

WOODEN DECKING
Wooden decking must be one of the most versatile ways of increasing your outdoor living space. They can be used in most situations, even on water! In fact decking is the perfect answer for difficult sites. They can make use of areas of the garden that were out of bounds with traditional building techniques. There are a lot of houses that are built into hillsides; decks can be created to sit over the slopes at the rear of the properties to make them accessible. Of course you don’t have to have a difficult site to make good use of this method of building.

Seamus from North West Decking, builds a wide range of styles to suit both old and new properties. “We also specialise in Spanish Style barbeque areas, Seamus tells us. These really complement the wooden decking look. Bricks and stone cladding are used around a central chimney, which looks terrific and also stops you being smoked out at the barbeque.” North West Decking can also tend to your existing decking as they do a complete maintenance package which includes fixing any damaged areas and a pressure-washing service. “Decking requires very little maintenance at this time of year,” Seamus continues. The wood is totally pressure-treated before installation. If you wanted to brighten it up a bit then a coat of decking oil can be used. Alternatively you could just sit, relax and finish the book you are reading!”


THE COMPLETE RANGE OF GARDEN MACHINERY

At one time some of us would have had a few sheep to keep the grass down around the house. Many of us have pristine lawns now and to get that perfect finish, we tend to go for mechanical methods of keeping the grass under control. Grass is growing at full speed now after the warmth and sunshine last week. Sean Furey from Sean’s Garden Machinery in Letterkenny knows the importance of having good quality machinery to hand for the heavier jobs on the garden. “Sit on mowers are the biggest time saver for people with large gardens,” says Sean. “We stock a wide range of Castlegarden ride on mowers, which are well known for their reliability and ruggedness. We have a wide choice to suit any large garden.” Sean concludes.

Sean also stocks smaller power mowers of those of us who like to walk as well as hedge cutters, chainsaws, strimmers, and if the power goes in the house for electrical items he even stocks generators. So there is no excuse not to do that gardening job! Sean is celebrating 35 years in the business, giving him a wealth of knowledge to assess the best machine for your site.


INDIVIDUAL STONEWORK DESIGNS
Nothing can beat the look of real stonework on a house or in a garden. If you are thinking of opting for this low maintenance natural finish around the house then you will need the services of a professional stonemason like Stephen Grant.

“The finish of natural stone is so versatile and of the most popular stone types for Inishowen is brown quartz.” Stephen tells us. “The uniform shape of the stone makes it an ideal choice for both house and garden walls. People see different colours in the stone, some think it is yellow and others see a brown or white colour, it is as individual as the customer.” Stephen works with other stone too. The customer can decide which type of stone they want for any particular job, be it a facia for a house, indoor fireplace or a retaining wall. The freedom of choice leads to greater customer satisfaction. A good stonemason like Stephen can enhance your outdoor space and it doesn’t cost the earth


WIDE CHOICS OF PATIO SLABS

Patios are a practical way of increasing your living space around the house. A good patio will be one that looks good and is practical; especially if you have young children or have difficulty manoeuvring. If you have garden furniture on the patio then you will need a level surface for them to rest on to avoid wobbly legs. Eddie from Grianan Precast Concrete has a wide range of hardwearing concrete slabs to give a level, professional finish to the patio. “We make our own range of slabs that come in all shapes and sizes,” says Eddie. “We also stock a wide range of Tobermore slabs to widen the range even further. Versatility is again a key factor for the slabs and they can be ordered to your own specific colour for a perfect complement to your house and home.”


PAINTING AND DECORATING OUTDOORS
Conal Taitt from Carndonagh is a registered painter and decorator and knows how important it is to get your outdoor space clean and bright for the summer. Conal will hang wallpaper and do all interior painting work but now the sun is shining. it is a perfect time for getting the outdoor area up to scratch. “For a really thorough job, outside walls can be pressure washed prior to re-painting. Preparing the surface is key to a long lasting professional finish,” Conal informs us.

It is amazing what a few coats of paint make not only to your house, but to your mood as well. Walking outside your freshly painted house or pulling the car up to your doorway in these light evenings will fill you with pleasure.


DRIVEWAY TO THE HOUSE
Driveways are also a key factor for our outdoor space around the house. A rough uneven and weed-infested approach to the house can be disappointing to you and visitors. Locally based SP Asphalting have the answer. Sean McDaid and his team work all over the peninsula smoothing out driveway surfaces. There is a dazzling array of material to choose from as well. “The most popular is black asphalt laid onto a well-prepared base to give a long-lived hardwearing surface,” says Sean. “There are other colours to choose from as well, you can have red, green, blue or even white!”

Sean also caters for people who like a Country-Paving surface; these are small block paving bricks laid out in a herringbone pattern for strength. Sean will also put in the entire kerb edging too and if it is just gravel you want as a driveway surface, they are happy to oblige.
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BOUNDARY FENCING
Martin Hughes from M. Hughes Fencing has been supplying and fitting fences around the North West since 1993. “We pride ourselves in using the highest quality materials available,” says Martin. “We have a wide range of materials depending on the customers needs. We do weld mesh panels for security. These are made from 5mm thick wires welded at every intersection and have anti-tamper fixings fitted as standard.”

For those of us who don’t need so much security there is Chainlink Fencing, but the most common timber fence available is the Post & Rail Fencing. “This can be used in various situations including boundary marking, paddock fencing, horse arenas and areas around a patio or compost area. We do a more ornate fencing made form treated wood called Timber Palisade Fencing. This is an attractive method of marking boundaries. It is supplied in many heights and designs, this is used widely as a decorative feature on housing developments.” Martin concludes.


One key factor for all of the companies mentioned here is their versatility and abilty to listen to their customers needs. This ensures that your house and the most important outdoor areas you have around your property will give you pleasure as well as the peace of mind of a job well done by professionals.

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