#Brexit consequences still hover in the sky above my #UlsterBorder. But no political line can cut through wildlife habitat and this is where my hope takes root in the trees soon to be planted in Doirinis. My roots in a once-densely wooded drumlin will create an oak grove there again. This 8acre woodland is near the only site in Ireland where the 12^th July draws marching bands from across the #Ulsterborder to celebrate the victory of William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne. A reminder of my student years when I served drink to the thirsty marchers in #Donegal before heading off to Queen’s University in Belfast and marches for Civil Rights.

The Doirinis woodland project and protection of whooper swans is no pipe dream. It has preoccupied me since the return to my father’s roots in Donegal twenty years ago and has taken longer to establish than writing my published novels: Bone and Blood: and Michel-Michelle. The Forestry Service gave the woodland the green light (solas glas) on Monday with the happy co-incidence of the celebration of national tree week.

My celebration of connections seeks hope in cross-border diversity with 21 blogs over the coming weeks as trees get planted. #UlsterBorder ONE is a about #Strabane #UlsterBorder TWENTY-ONE  is about the white-clawed crayfish which like many of us belongs on both sides of the border. In the blog series, I quote the murmuration of #Ulsterborder writers who bring me hope of safe border crossings: ~MaureenBoyle~FlannOBrien~FrankMcGuinness~BrianFriel~SeamusHeaney~MartinaDevlin~GarrettCarr~DarachMcDonald~AliceMilligan~DeniseBlake~MadgeHerron~PatrickMagill~SusannahDickey~FrancisHarvey~AnnemarieNíChurreáin~MichelleGallen~MoyaCannon~WinifredMcNulty~KerriNíDochairtaigh~MaryO’Donnell~EvelynConlon~MargaretBarrington~LisaMcGee~BrianMcGilloway~FreyaMcClements~Colette Bryce~FrancesMolloy. If you believe there is a future for non-binary diversity and you want me to tag you on a real tree, let me know.

Reminder there’s still time to vote for Michel-Michelle peoplesbookprize.com/winter-2020/michel-michelle