Organisation

The main object for which the ecovillage has been established is to serve as a model for sustainable living into the 21st century, in order to offer an alternative model to the heavily consumerist and energy wasting mainstream approach and, in the process, to provide education, enterprise, research and service resources for all. For the last 20 years the ecovillage has been actively demonstrating a socially, economically and ecologically viable working and living community which promotes its work and findings through a variety of media and educational programmes.

Our educational courses offer interactive, place based and problem based learning focusing on: natural and green building, local food systems, local energy systems, permaculture design and community resilience. On site we demonstrate: sustainable housing, sustainable agriculture and food production via research gardens, allotments, a bread making school and a community farm; energy saving via a district heating system and Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS)systems and local innovation via a digital fabrication lab (FabLab).

We create biodiversity and ecological awareness via edible landscapes and wildlife corridors, community woodlands and biodiversity trails; we foster community connection and resilience via our courses, events and awareness raising projects on climate change and related topics e.g. sustainable living, growing and eating, and we have contributed to significant global research on the above methods and approaches to low carbon living. Re milestones, our ecovillage has garnered international awards for promoting and demonstrating sustainable living and our thousands of visitors annually ensure a wide dissemination of our message and example nationally and beyond.

EU Project Experience

Some experience

We have worked largely with EU educational projects such as Erasmus+ and ESC programmes. We are yet to embark upon a formal EU partnership on a major project.

EU Funding Goals

How to develop our services and our built infrastructure and maximise our educational offerings and our profile. To partner with like organisations who may be more technologically advanced or have informative, clear governance and project implementation structures. To get tips on how to reduce volunteerism and professionalise services.

Strengths

As Ireland's only Ecovillage and intentional community, we are a leading national education and demonstration centre on sustainability and are known and highly regarded internationally. We are networked with national, European and Global organisations such as IEN, GEN Europe, Ecolise, Urgenci, as well as educational and research institutes. We are well linked to Erasmus+ and ESC and their youth programmes and have a uniquely multi layered offering to the public re. sustainable living practice and learning. We have an enterprise centre with a fab lab and digital studio as well as all the natural place based ecological and biodiversity elements outlined earlier. We have a knowledgeable and multi-skilled community and access to many skilled volunteers and educators. We also host thousands of visitors annually and are practised in communicating with television and other media.

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