WE owe a debt of gratitude to the butterflies of the Bog Meadows – because they inspired a brilliant new group of women who are devoted to protecting and promoting the environment.
Meadow Ladies were formed last year after the women took part in a butterfly survey in the West Belfast nature haven.
“We all met here and divided up the area – it was a very professional survey and the results were officially recorded,” said leading Lady Patricia McDonnell.
“After that we realised we all had something in common and we could do a lot more together so we formed our own women’s wellbeing group, the Meadow Ladies.”
The survey was repeated this summer, but there were much fewer butterflies. “Even when you went out on a sunny day, they weren’t there,” said Patricia.
But these women were far from disheartened. In fact, protecting the Bog Meadows became their mission.
Meadow Lady Margaret Doherty said: “It’s having a ripple effect through the community. Our families are noticing how much we are getting out of it and how good it’s making us feel and they want a wee bit of that.
“People are bringing their grandkids. We had one wearing a T-shirt saying ‘Meadow Boy’ – so we’ve got competition!”
The Ladies – led by Patricia along with Ulster Wildlife community engagement officer Dawn Patterson – are determined to preserve the wildlife of the Meadows. They wanted to put up nestboxes, but rather than buy them, they decided to make them themselves. That entailed enrolling in a six-week woodwork course at a women’s tech off the Antrim Road. Margaret built her own bird box and put it up in the community wildflower garden.
“I went to St Louise’s and we were never taught woodwork,” she said. “I didn’t know how to use a drill or even how to saw wood for the fire. Now I’m putting up shelves in my daughter’s room!”
One member of the group had nesting blue tits in the box she made. “There were six chicks – I used to sit every day and watch them and even bring the neighbours in,” she said.
Another Lady, Moya Ward, built a bat box and put it up on her garage in Stockmans Lane, where bats now live under the eaves. They were so good at it that they even made nestboxes and window boxes for other groups.
Patricia said: “The friendship, support and sense of community we’ve built is outstanding , we’re like a big family.”
The Meadow Ladies also do wellbeing sessions, where people are taken into the Bog Meadows to boost their spirits.
“These sessions work best in winter when people are most in need of support,” says Dawn. “We recently had a group of postnatal mums and the Meadow Ladies were on hand to mind their babies. Everyone got a boost from that.
“The Meadow Ladies pass on their love of nature to the mums, who will give that to their children when they are growing up.”
The activities are endless. “It’s full-on – nature, art, bushcraft, woodcraft, basket-making – we call it the Natural Health Service!” smiled Dawn.
Being outdoors in the Bog Meadows always boosts mental health, she says. “It’s good to sit around and chat with other people over a cup of tea, but being an outdoor wellness practitioner takes it to a different level again.”
Dawn says the Meadow Ladies – who now have 48 members in their WhatsApp group – would not have been possible without Patricia, who has been nominated for an Aisling Award.
“Patricia has been amazing, she has a real heart for nature and for people. It was Patricia who gathered everyone into a group.
“In the WhatsApp group, if someone is upset or lonely, everyone rallies around them. Being part of the Meadow Ladies makes them feel connected.”
And the Meadow Ladies’ work never stops, no matter the weather. On December 20, to mark the winter solstice, the Meadow Ladies are organising an exciting outdoors event where visitors can get to travel back back in time. “We’re planning to make it look like you’re going back 5,000 years to Ireland before Christmas. We’ll tell the kids they’ve got no Santa, no toys – last year you should have seen their heads drop!” says Dawn. “But there’ll be plenty of craic and Irish music. There will be fires around the Bog Meadows and a solstice goddess who will dressed as a bat!
“All the Meadow Ladies will be dressed up too.”
It’s truly amazing what this group of women have achieved already. They are every bit as impressive as those wonderful Bog Meadows butterflies that brought them together.
* If you’ve seen or photographed anything interesting, or have any nature questions, you can text Dúlra on 07801 414804.
