On 9th April, 210 years ago today, Ellen answered a letter that she had just received from Dawson Turner, written on 25th March. His letter to Ellen has survived and you can read it HERE. Ellen’s letter written on 9th April 1811 is HERE. This is letter three of a set of five letters. The…
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Just two weeks since her last letter of 8th March, Ellen again wrote to Dawson Turner, botanist and banker of Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Ellen had recently turned 26 years old, her birthday was on 17th March (St Patrick’s Day). She had received a letter from Dawson Turner (the letter has not survived) in which he…
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8th March 2021, International Women’s Day, and Bantry Library has chosen Ellen Hutchins as their local champion, an example of a woman who has “broken the mould” and achieved what might have been considered unachievable in their time. Ellen studied the cryptogams – non-flowering plants – and sought to increase our understanding of them, at…
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The new book, Mosses and Liverworts: an introductory guide to the Bantry Bay area by Rory Hodd is a delight. With stunning photos, very clear descriptions and helpful diagrams, it provides a great introduction to a fascinating miniature world so easily overlooked. See more of the book and buy it here Bryophytes – mosses and…
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In a letter to her brother, Sam, written exactly 212 years ago, on 10th September 1808, Ellen wrote “the honey season has commenced and you are to get some for your breakfasts.” Sam was at Trinity College Dublin studying law. Ellen was in Ballylickey, on the shores of Bantry Bay, West Cork, Ireland. She also…
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This year’s online and DIY Ellen Hutchins Festival was designed to inspire you to get out and explore some aspects of natural heritage on your doorstep that you may not be familiar with. As part of the festival we ran a competition to encourage you to document and share your experiences of the the natural…
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The winning pieces of botanical art, photography and writing in the Natural Heritage on your Doorstep competition have been selected and can be viewed and read here. The photo above is Nettle Flowers by Oonagh O’Dwyer, winner of the photography (adult) category. The photographs, pictures and poems are a lovely collection of pieces, by adults and children,…
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Today, Sunday 23rd August at 5pm is the deadline for entries to be sent by email for our competition. With the focus on natural heritage on your doorstep, we challenge you to paint or photograph a wildflower, moss, lichen or seaweed, and/or write a poem or a piece of prose (1000 words max) inspired by the nature…
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Saturday’s treat is a free webinar by the lovely, lively historical re-enactor, Carrie O’Flynn, on Costumes and Customs: women’s lives in the early 1800s. Carrie will be in the quiet seclusion of her sewing shed in Cork City, in a period costume of her own making, sharing images and a video of getting all the…
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The virtual Ellen Hutchins Festival got underway yesterday, and today features the Heritage Trail, taking you to some beautiful bits of the Bantry Bay area and telling the story of the determined young woman who became Ireland’s first female botanist. You can experience the Trail for real, with the leaflet and the audio guide, driving…
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