LAND on a date, any date, and ask a few exploratory questions, and you find a way of unlocking the compelling life and times of the late George Salter-Townshend.
There’s George born into the family that gave their name to the coastal village of Castletownshend in the 1600s, George as a young man at boarding school, maritime George, the boxer, the veteran runner, the poet, the historian, the environmentalist, and the would-be MEP campaigning in the 1980s to preserve farming and promote tourism in Cork South West.
Amid the variety, there was always consistency, such as George Salter-Townshend being to the fore in highlighting the need for a wastewater treatment plant for the village.
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In 2018, Irish Water was taken to court by the Environmental Protection Agency because there was raw sewage flowing into the sea at Castletownshend. But now the village has a new treatment plant serving the local population.
Ever and always an enthusiast, George was first and foremost a devoted husband to Gina, nee Warner, for 57 years, and a doubly devoted dad to Zoë, Fiona, Brian, Michael, Matthew and Charlotte.
George died on Friday March 20th, at the age of 84, but he did so on his own terms, having curated gatherings amongst family members and life-long friends.
They came to take tea, so to speak, and reminisce about the early, mid and late, years of life in Castletownshend and the wider and equally wonderful West Cork.
In 2021, George published his third book of poetry called Celebrating Eighty. It featured 48 poems on a diverse range of topics, thereby marking his own eightieth birthday on November 13th.
On that occasion, Social Democrat Leader Holly Cairns said she was struck by the works inspired by the West Cork landscape.
‘The book,’ she said, ‘reminds us of the importance of local arts and creativity, which add to our cultural richness and bring visitors to the area.’
George described his own poems as ‘real poetry – none of this modern stuff – poems that are representative of West Cork and its many ancient sites.’
It’s a phrase that could be applied to George, who was always creative, gregarious, a good friend to many, a devoted family man, and a pillar of his community.
