The March Tree Story workshops at An Gairdin Beo, Community Garden, Carlow, Ireland
March 9th and 16th workshops were well attended where lively discussions from local historical trees to topics on the greater community of life such as the Earth Charter. We then screened the Tree Stories on video mostly made in China from 2021. This was then followed by 30 minute Tree Story speed dating session.
I was amazed to see that Sr Mary Carmody pinned a 2003 brochure on the Earth Charter in the hall notice board from a convention she attended twenty years ago, this would have been only three years after the launch of the Earth Charter in 2000.
On the second workshop we had a special guest Dr Cathy Fitzgearld Irelands leading expert on The Earth Charter. I have taken a couple of her courses with Haumea Ecoversity such as Eco Literacy for Creatives and Cultural Professionals and most recently on the Earth Charter. Click on the link below for more information on Haumea Ecoversity .
Also at the March 16th workshop we had artist Martin Lyttle speak on Carlow Environmental Network and their activities.
https://niamhcunningham.com/taking-on-the-overwhelm-ecoliteracy-in-the-arts/
We have significantly increased the number of Tree Stories on Video since arriving in Ireland. A huge thank you to all contributors for their thoughtful and diverse Tree Stories.
A special thank you to the amazing people in an Gairdín Beo. These people inspire positive change on so many levels, thank you to sr Mary Carmody, Helen Behan, Ada Mulhern, Michael Roberts, Dan Mc Inerney, Sinead Tynan and all the Story Tellers at the workshops. It has been an honour working together and getting to know you. This injection of community warmth and support has given me renewed energy and hope for the future and has strengthened my resolve for this socio-eco art practice.
