South Roscommon karst landscape captured by artist

The unique karst landscape of part of South Roscommon have been captured by local artist, Nicola Bowes, in a stunning oil painting of CooksyFinn Hill, which is located between Dysart and Taughmaconnell.

Nicola, who is now based in Galway, was asked to become involved in a unique new project set up by local farmers in the South Roscommon area to highlight the karst landscape of the locality and to try to obtain funding for sustainable farming initiatives.

Karst is an area of land made up of limestone, and a group of farmers from the Taughmaconnell, Dysart and Brideswell areas of south Roscommon have set up the Karst Farming Group, which held its first meeting on March 25 last.

The purpose of the online meeting, which was also attended by members of the local communities from the three localities, as well as representatives from Roscommon County Council, is to protect the unique biodiversity of the area and the important groundwater source, and to secure funding for sustainable farming initiatives.

Nicola Bowes became involved when she was asked to revisit her childhood memories of the karst landscape where she grew up, and to create a painting to illustrate the natural beauty of the area.

The resulting painting of CooksyFinn Hill features Queen Maeve and Cuchulainn observing the landmark hill, and speaking of the painting, Nicola said “my wonderful memories of visiting my grandparents as a child flooded back, and I transferred them into a painting of the lush green landscape, surrounded by the beautiful white hawthorn trees, and its unmistakable limestone rock….visitors would have been met with many stories and legends of times gone by in this beautiful nostalgic place in Ireland.”

Nicola says she is delighted to be involved in the artistic side of the local Karst Farming Group’s endeavours, and since becoming involved she has set up a new art group called “Celtic Eye Art Group” featuring local artists from the karst area of south Roscommon who will work alongside the Karst Farming Group to highlight the unique landscape of the triangle between Brideswell, Dysart and Taughmaconnell