Mournelive

05/09/2026

Call in and chat with Dave and Peter at Mournelive stall at Eats and Beats Donard Park Newcastle Saturday and Sunday

03/09/2026

DRINNEVAAR VENTILATION TOWER

📸: Northern Ireland Historical Photographical Society

The ventilation tower at Drinnevaar, located approximately 4 km south of Newcastle in County Down, was demolished following the completion of the Belfast Water Commissioners' 2.5-mile tunnel in 1901. This tunnel, which runs beneath the Drinnevaar Ridge and reaches depths of up to 600 feet, was constructed to transport water from the Kilkeel and Annalong Rivers to Belfast. The Drinnevaar ventilation shaft tower was built to ventilate the southern section of the tunnel.

Upon the tunnel's completion, the landowner, the Earl Annesley, ordered the demolition of the Drinnevaar ventilation tower, reportedly because he considered it an eyesore. In contrast, the Drinnahilly ventilation tower, situated to ventilate the northern section of the tunnel, remains intact and is still visible today.

The Drinnevaar tower's demolition highlights the historical considerations of aesthetics and landowner preferences in the early 20th century, reflecting the evolving relationship between infrastructure development and landscape preservation.

Northern Ireland Water Love Heritage NI

02/09/2026

📸: Butterfly Conservation

September is here! 🍂

Keep an eye out for these beautiful butterflies and moths as you explore the Mournes this month. 🦋

01/09/2026

🌱 Join us for a day of seed collection! 🌱

📅 Saturday 19 September

We’ll be out and about collecting native seeds to help grow the next generation of Mourne woodlands and habitats. 🌳

📍 The venue? That’s still to be decided… Mother Nature herself is having the final say! 🌦️🌿

Keep an eye out for more details — we’ll share them as soon as we can. We’d love to see you there! 🌱

29/08/2026

The weather certainly isn’t going to interfere with the Back from the Booley Field Day tomorrow 🌧️👇🌧️.

Best guess with the weather is that its gonna pour, so... we're moving indoors for the Back from the Booley field day. The wet weather contingency plan is INF Hall Hilltown where we will have all the heritage, crafts, music and fun under one roof. See you all there, warm and dry!!

Hilltown Community Association Hilltown Irish National Foresters Clonduff Gac Clonduff Mens Shed

27/08/2026

🌿Summer in the Hills – The Tradition of Booleying 🐄⛰️

Long before summer holidays, families in rural Ireland took part in booleying (buailteachas) — a seasonal move from lowland farms to mountain pastures. From May to September, cattle were herded to higher ground to protect crops and save grass for winter.

Girls and young women often stayed in the hills, looking after the animals, milking, and making butter. They lived in simple stone-and-sod huts called booleys, repaired each spring for the summer season ahead.

More than just a farming practice, booleying was a way of life shaped by nature, tradition, and community.

📸This AI generated sketch offers an idea of what a Booley hut may have looked like, though the actual structures were likely less refined or symmetrical.

📆The Back from the Booley festival, which runs from today 27-31 August, celebrates this and other old traditions ! Definitely worth checking out !

Hilltown Community Association Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark Ulster Wildlife PEATPLUS

26/08/2026

The Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)
🦋 Name origin: It gets its name from a small white, comma-shaped marking on the underside of its hindwings.
🎭 Master of disguise: When its wings are closed, the ragged, brown underside makes it look like a dead leaf, giving it excellent camouflage against predators.
🍃 Wing shape: The scalloped, jagged edges of its wings also add to the "leaf effect," making it hard to spot when resting.
🌸 Diet shifts: Adults feed on nectar, but they’re also fond of fermenting fruit, tree sap, and even beer left outdoors!
🐛 Caterpillar quirks: The caterpillars are spiky and brown-and-white, resembling bird droppings—another clever disguise.
🌍 Habitat & range: Once in decline, it has made a strong comeback in recent decades across Europe and parts of Asia, adapting well to gardens, woodlands, and hedgerows.
🌞❄️ Seasonal forms: Comma butterflies have two forms—bright orange summer adults and darker autumn/winter adults, which hibernate and reappear in early spring.
🛡️ Resilient survivor: Their adaptability and diverse diet have helped them bounce back strongly, making them a conservation success story.
Mourne Nature Watch Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark Butterfly Conservation

25/08/2026

🌱 A productive day at Dunnywater!

A huge thank you to all our fantastic volunteers who joined us on Saturday 15th August. It was a busy day processing seeds and carrying out essential maintenance on the seed beds at our Dunnywater tree nursery.

Your hard work is helping us grow the next generation of trees for the Mournes. 🌳💚

25/08/2026

💧 Not something you see every day!

It’s not a common sight, but when you do see it, the sheer force of the water leaving Ben Crom Reservoir is pretty impressive! 🌊 From Ben Crom, the water makes its way down towards Silent Valley Reservoir, forming part of the Mournes’ remarkable water supply system.
Northern Ireland Water Love Heritage NI Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford