Michelle Boyle
Virginia , Ireland
Michelle Boyle’s work explores people and place from everyday life expressed in her distinctive spontaneous and fluid way. ‘
MessageWhile walking the Owenboy River which flows from the Ox Mountain in Sligo, a journey that sees it becoming part of the Owenbeg, Owenmore and Ballisodare Rivers, I cannot help but feel a range of emotions.
The brackish water and gravel riverbed has been home to the returning Salmon for centuries. A perfect nursery ground for the annual deposit of ova as they hatch and mature over two years before reaching the stage, where, as a smolt they start their wonderous journey to far distant feeding grounds. Be still and you will see the Salmon and Trout fry come out from their cover to feed on the abundance of insects. They are almost invisible to the eye until a tasty morsel is carried within range and their rapid movement gives its location away.
When I look away from the river, I cannot help but see the daily struggle that this river must overcome to remain the custodian for these Salmonids and indeed the multitudes of species which depend on this river for life. Sometimes it gives me the feeling of being tired, tired from this constant battle. The heavily afforested sections of riverbank and hinterland changes the landscape and as a result diminishes the quality of water entering the system by the network of drains, springs and small streams. The wastewater treatment plants which adorn the system are prone to breakdowns, under pressure from the expanded villages, another burden this river must deal with. Large scale industries, developing the infrastructure to cater for these, along with intense farming practices all impact on this fragile ecosystem. Over the years I have realised that human interaction is usually detrimental to our waterways. The time has come for us all to play our part in changing these interactions to positive ones. The riverbanks are straining under these pressures but have not been breached yet.
But if you listen closely, you just might hear these rivers asking for help!!!!!
Declan Feeney