Qualified medical herbalist Columbia Hillen hosts event in Gaoth Dobhair
PEOPLE from places as diverse as Newfoundland, Glasgow, Armagh, Nottingham, Belfast, Donegal and Dublin took part in a special herbal medicine workshop in Gaoth Dobhair, creating winter tonic syrups, herb cornbread and a sweet snack called ‘grá balls’, made with pine and maple syrup.
The all-day workshop was led by qualified medical herbalist Columbia Hillen, originally from Transylvania, Romania now living in Bun na Leaca. Columbia is also a board member of the Irish Register of Herbalists and is a mentor for students at the Plant Medical School in Wexford.
“It’s professionally satisfying to help empower people to take control of their health by learning more about the ancient wisdom of previous generations, some of which is being forgotten, about appreciating and adapting Mother Nature’s gifts to our health needs,” said Columbia.
“Lessons like using pine – that grows everywhere in north west Donegal – to alleviate respiratory conditions and urinary issues, or rosemary for heart and digestive problems and bay laurel for arthritic pain and regulating blood sugar levels.”
Columbia, who served home-made ‘life bread’ and a soup of root vegetables with fresh turmeric to participants, was delighted to see so many of the participants were already deeply involved in working with herbs and sharing their knowledge.
Medical herbalist Columbia Hillen (fourth from left) and participants enjoy a bay laurel tea.
One participant, Yvonne Plunkett, from Nottingham who now lives in Meenacross, near Dungloe, said, “The workshop was excellent, really enjoyable.
“Making immunity boosting syrup with rosemary, pine and bay laurel was a highlight for me, especially important right now in the middle of winter. I also liked how Columbia integrated healing herbs into food recipes. Introducing them into tasty dishes, even into soups and teas. It’s a great way to stay healthy. It also saves a lot of money as people don’t have to buy expensive supplements.”
Francis Donnelly, from Armagh and a resident nurse on Tory Island now living in Ballymore outside Creeslough, said not only did he learn a lot from the workshop itself, but was encouraged to know from the quality of participants that more people were becoming aware of the benefits of herbs.
“Everyone at Columbia’s workshop are ‘do-ers’ not just people who think about medical herbalism. It was also good to learn that more GPs are offering herbal remedies where they consider it appropriate.”
Discussing medicinal uses of pine which grow abundantly in northwest Donegal
Francis said there should be more education in schools about the health benefits of plants. “Instead of looking closely in their gardens, people turn to supermarket shelves and apply the cost factor. But using herbs that grow all around them costs even less. In fact, nothing. But people need to be taught about this aspect of Nature as they grow up, as children in the classroom.”
Jim Glackin, a legal officer from Glengormley outside Belfast, now a beekeeper with half a million bees in Annagry and Loughanure, said, “The workshop gave me a greater appreciation of what’s growing around us even in the dark of winter and also the confidence to use herbs in lotions and syrups.
“Sometimes I use sorrel in stews but Columbia rekindled my interest in extending the use of herbs in foods. Also, the workshop wasn’t a gathering of highbrow, elitist, trendy people but a down-to-earth gathering of like-minded people, open to share information.
“It was as warming in terms of friendship as was the food itself.”
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