This article is from page 19 of the 2013-10-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
WITH Clare already on a natural high following last Saturday’s AllIreland final victory over Cork, the county is now preparing to enter the stratosphere with the news that a new form of cannabis has been named after famous Banner witch, Biddy Early.
The seed, which is one of five new strains developed in recent years by Magus Genetics in Holland, is described as growing to between 1.8 metres and 2 metres high and is ready for harvest in early October.
Selling and buying cannabis seeds is currently legal in Ireland but cultivating these seeds for person use of sale is a criminal offense. The Biddy Early strain has been specially bred to allow it to grow outdoors in a European climate.
Biddy Early is synonymous with Clare hurling because of the 81-year curse which the East Clare woman placed on the Banner county.
According to the Marijuana.com website, the Dutch company chose the Biddy Early name because her connection with witchcraft.
“Biddy Early is named for a 19th century woman accused of witchcraft, whose story became the subject of folk ballads and entered Irish legend. Magus, from the Latin for ‘priest’ or ‘sorcerer’, felt kinship with Biddy Early’s plight given the similarity between the witch hunt hysteria in times past and the current war on drugs.
“Biddy Early is the first variety that Magus genetics specifically formulated for outdoor gardening in temperate regions. Although an even mix of sativa and indica, this plant exhibits the strong lateral growth typically seen in sativas.
“Biddy likes to branch out. The branches are very elastic and pliable, easily trained or tied like vines to suit the available space. Outdoors, this suppleness makes the plant storm proof or resilient to harsh weather.”
The seeds are no longer available from Magus Genetics who have transferred distribution rights for Biddy Early to another Dutch company, Serious Seeds.
Magus Genetics were unavailable for comment yesterday, either about the Biddy Early seeds of Clare All Ireland success.