HISTORY & LEAPS FORWARD

The Name GYR-EUM derives from the Greek root gyr meaning 'round' - with the Latin ending 'eum' implying 'building' much as the Colis-eum - means the big place, the Gyr-eum means the round place.

WB Yeats, a famous, dead, Sligo Poet, made frequent use of the word gyre: perne in a gyre and be the singing master of my soul

The Gyreum tries to be a beacon that the good things it roofs might spiral & gyre across the view, aways over the constaburlary, the ward, the county, the Province etc. and have some good influence.

Our motto: Act Parochial - Think Worldly

 Some inspiration: Matri Mandir, Pondicherry, India

Matri Mandir Pondicherry Solstice Equinox aligned Buildings around the World have been built for 1000s of years

                                     Launching in 2010

The Great Wall

The round wall of the Great Hall is to be 'frescoed' in one swirling theme.

 

Eternal Soup

From the Summer of 2010 to have a soup cauldron that never is empty sat on the hearth beneath the central node of the roof, a great cauldron that will have a broth made from our  community garden organic produce and bubbling forever.

The Annals of Ahanagh

As soon as we locate the appropriate calligrapher to commence 1 giant page per month of what's afoot in the district, the land, the world, logging the vital news.

Second Sunday / The Monthly Service

Each second Sunday of the month recommencing in 11 April 2010 - a 'preacher' or preachers or mountebank orators will from 1730/ 0530pm present a sermon/ slide-show, be a guru for an hour in whatever way they think fit.

'The Service' will be followed by afternoon refreshments. Stipulation of Preacher is that they don't speak in platitudes and are not peddling salvation - otherwise we are open to agnostics, atheists, faithfulists, non combatants.  Energising the drizzled on folk of the hills of our near 4 counties is the Must.

Shared driving/ Minibus collection from bus & train stops to be encouraged.

 

Construction 

The central six posts holding up the Gyreum are of larch, the 24 outer posts red deal, all from a renewable source, from the woods at the Florencecourt Estate in Fermanagh.

Most of the upper roof is made from layers of the second cut from pine trees from North Sligo - timber not usually other wise used. The outer green mineral felt roof is the only part of the building that was done professionally.

The nine inch thick insulation across the entire roof is a mix of sheep's wool, who graze Carrowkeel and fibreglass from a disused mushroom farm at Cootehall that would have been otherwise a nightmare to dump. The fibreglass is the upper layer, the wool the lower to prevent any particles coming through.

Re plumbing: all the grey and toilet water flows into a septic tank which then flows into a reed-bed system - which has its worst bad stuff drawn out of it by the reeds - that waste water then seeps slowly into a secondary pond - which has further vegetation acting to break down the effluent - which finally is released into a soak pit in very clear state though we daren't recommend drinking it.

Organic Garden

Fanning out from the circular building are raised beds with organic vegetables growing. The near beds are for herbs and perennials and further away more work intensive vegetables.  A tutor from Rossinver Organic Centre comes to teach gardening skills from March to late October.  We recommence March 12, 2010.

Heat & Power

The space and water is right now heated from geothermal heat from the land boosted by a combination of our own wind turbine power + Airtricity windygrid power.

In 2010 - we wish to install - solar water heating system and post the Wind Turbine Workshop in March 2010 to have 2 more wind turbines (pretty ones).

The solar will be gathered on the south facing roof through late Spring to early Autumn.

Structures in the Future

Living Roof

To refine the look of the place and hide us further. It was always planned to have a living roof. This will be a mixture of a very light turf - much of it comprising of my neighbour's horse manure, the turf topped with grass mixed in with rare and endangered species of Irish wild flowers.

Also along the edges of the walls of the building creeping plants are starting to grow and spread. Eventually to have some fruit bearing creepers. This roof would in time become the eye-catching part of the Gyreum's identity and in such wise should be very precisely done - colour coordinated etc.


Eco Accommodation in North West Ireland near Carrowkeel Carrowmore Lough Key Lough Arrow Fishing Surfing Kite Surfing