'Completely unique': Compelling case for wild Longford area to become nature reserve

An overgrown, picturesque area near the closed Royal Canal outside Longford town, which was left growing wild for decades, is now a 'compelling case' for use as a natural nature reserve due to its extraordinary amount of wildlife.

Gilbert Fitzpatrick, who camped out for about nine months during two separate stints, has been praised for highlighting the unique area in Stonepark on the outskirts of the county town.

Both him and Senator Joe Flaherty believe it has the potential to become a notable tourist attraction in county Longford.

The 65 year-old Dubliner camped out between September and Christmas and between February and June, to ensure the wildlife and unique natural habitat—which is rich in wildflowers, fauna, and rare and unusual butterflies, bees and creatures—was protected.

Gilbert was very upset after Waterways Ireland cut a section of vegetation last October and he subsequently contacted Senator Flaherty and remarkably an order was subsequently made by the Junior Heritage Minister Christopher O'Sullivan that the area was to remain untouched.

There are an abundance of rare butterflies, bees and birds and endangered species such as curlews in two different areas along the canal and wildlife flourished due to the vegetation remaining uncut for decades.

However, last October, Gilbert said Waterways Ireland who has ownership of the area, cut a large amount of vegetation -the first time it had been cut in many years -and he criticised it as being 'completely wrong'.

Speaking about the array of wildlife, Gilbert (65) said, "There's two hawks, two Peregrine Falcons, there is pheasants everywhere, there is a corncrake, which is very rare.

"If a corncrake nests here you will hear him.

"You hear everything every morning and it's like a chorus.

"Every morning in the summer you just go 'Oh, my goodness', It's like an orchestra.

"You understand where the word orchestra came from when you hear the birds, it's just gorgeous.

"I mean, if it was anywhere else....If this was down at Kerry, I wouldn't have to fight for it and the tourists would be flocking to it."

Gilbert camped out for more than nine months during two separate stints to protect the unique area.

The first time was between September and Christmas to stop the trees, bushes and vegetation being cut and he returned in the spring and he said it was worth it to achieve the result he did.

"I came back at the end of February and [Waterways Ireland] eventually came back at the end of June and they started cutting the bushes in the area."

Camping out to protect area

Gilbert said he knew they were coming and he was not going to give in and local residents and a small number of local walkers who use the area supported him.

"I started talking to people and I said, 'Jeez, we should get a group together and get it on the internet', because they are going to come back.

"Everyone agreed and anyone that walks here agrees with me. You've only to look at it. I mean, you don't get places like this anymore.

"There's nothing like this in the whole country. It is unique.

"This is one of the best examples of something that has grown itself, nobody planted anything.”

Gilbert said he was delighted recently to hear that an order had been made by the Heritage Minister prohibiting the cutting of grass and vegetation in the area and he said one local resident did not rate his chances highly.

"He found it hard to believe I could beat them but I did and I'm very happy.

"You have to stand up for what is right."

Pointing to the surrounding trees, Gilbert said, "All those trees grew by themselves, they are all wild, nobody planted them.

"You have other things, you have foxes, you have mink, you have red and grey squirrels and you have pine martens.

"PIne Martens are protected by law but they are a bloody nuisance.

"They killed all the grey squirrels and they killed all the rabbits for a start, they might have to be culled but I don't like that word.

"It's wildlife, you have to leave it."

Gilbert said he left school when he was 13 years old after his father died and he was one of 11 siblings who were then raised by his mother Stephanie.

The Finglas native, who now lives in the Kells area of county Meath, said he returned to education in his early-30s as a mature student in 1993 'to prove a point that ordinary people are not stupid'.

Gilbert graduated with an honours degree in history from NUI Galway before progressing to study a Masters Degree and a PhD in medieval history.

He said he had some close interactions while camping in the Stoneparks area when foxes came around his tent during his lengthy period camping, but they were more scared of him.

Gilbert explained his various interactions with Senator Joe Flaherty in relation to the cutting of vegetation and bushes by Waterways Ireland and he decided to camp there again between February and late June to stop it happening again.

"Senator Joe [Flaherty] said, they won't cut it again, you can go home.

"I said, Joe, don't be so ridiculous, you know damn well they are going to come back. They got the grass cut, and they ruined the summer here for bees and butterflies.

" You can see in some areas there are no flowers.

"Waterways Ireland cut all the blackberry bushes down last year and they made a big mess. It didn't make any sense, they were working with blinkers on."

Gilbert said the blackberries feed the birds all winter.

"The ivy is huge as well and it is important for the seeds and the ivy feeds all the birds all winter, people think the ivy serves no purpose which is completely wrong.

"All the seeds, it just blows off and that's what feeds all the birds.

"There's hundreds of them.You have to see it to believe it.

They're like a big swarm of them in front of you when you're walking around. It's amazing."

Early Retirement for a simpler way of life

Gilbert, who took early retirement five years ago, said he decided to stop working as a barman as he feared he was facing a premature death as cardiac problems run in his family.

He stated three of his siblings died young, his brother James in recent years and a second brother Andy a 'long time ago' from heart attacks while his sister Stephanie died of a brain tumour and that changed his perspective on life.

"Stephanie was the youngest in her early-fifties and she died of a brain tumour only a couple of years ago so we lost three."

Gilbert said his mother always advised them 'Don't kill yourself working' and he took that mantra on board.

"I've had a ball, I have been hiking and climbing for five years now.

"I've been all over the country and I've climbed everything.

Gilbert said in order to see the abundance of birds the best time to come to Stoneparks wild nature area is October or November.

"If you come then you will see the finches and oh my God, bullfinches, chaffinches, linnets, greenfinches, you haven't seen them in years but they are everywhere."

Gilbert said when the Royal Canal was closed down in the 1960s they gave the little houses where the lock-keepers lived to the locals who worked in the area for the rest of their lives and they just let the area grow wild.

"The first part is 30 years-old and I know the second part is 20 years old because I was talking to a farmer who told me it was cleaned out back then.

"That area is marshy ground and it's great for the curlews to nest in.

"You could bring in a load of wildlife services here if you wanted to."

One of the local residents Joe Lennon said he was pleased to hear an order had been made by the Heritage Minister prohibiting the cutting of vegetation.

Gilbert said he once noticed about 100 butterflies on one plant and at 5am the area is brimming with animals and birds 'who are all around you'.

He added, "There is a lot of tiny, little butterflies around and I like seeing them.

"They are coming in on the winds and you don't see them now but there was butterflies earlier and a whole herd of them came in, big white ones with orange on their wings.

"When I looked them up I found they are common all over Europe but they are not common to us here in Ireland."

Huge nature reserve potential

Local Fianna Fáil Senator Joe Flaherty said many people would like to see the canal reopened but if that does not happen there is a strong case to be made making it a designated nature reserve.

He stated that Gilbert is retired and he is living a very simple life and conscious of protecting nature and the environment, which is admirable and he praised his efforts in Longford.

"You know, it's certainly a compelling case, because we have seen what has happened out there in terms of the return of nature, and there is a compelling case to be made on this.

" I suppose, it's a decision for Waterways Ireland and Longford County Council, but I have spoken to the Minister [Christopher O'Sullivan] at length on this, and he's enthusiastic for the project, and I think there is merit in it.

"Wild camping is not that unusual now and people do it and it's a new strain of tourism and if it can be cultivated and encouraged around there I think it can be good for Longford."

Senator Flaherty said Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan would be very passionate about birds and wildlife generally

"What we have to decide is, are we realistic about reopening the canal if we can, great.

"But if that's not something that's in the immediate future, then obviously the next best thing is to look at a nature reserve.

"If it's not going to be reopened, it's a no-brainer, because, you know, it's no maintenance.

"You don't need to cut trees. You basically just let it back to nature, and you just maintain the walkway."

Waterways Ireland for contacted for comment last Monday and they have yet to provide a response to the Longford Leader.