Fáilte. Be welcome to a family-friendly day of talks and activities on Sat 20th May 2023 on one of the mighty aquifer lakes that feeds the Shannon. Meet the communities of people and organisations who are the stewards and guardians actively working towards the preservation of our land. This will be a fun-filled one day family event, with activities and information providing something for everyone. We are facilitating a safe space for the difficult conversation of what rights of the Shannon could look like, or mean.
Organiser: Shannon Rights Alliance
Location: Doon Shore Amenity, Tawnytaskin, Co. Roscommon (on the western shore of Lough Key)
Date: Part of National Biodiversity Week on Sat 20th May 2023
Scheduled Events:
- 9:45: Opening of the event
- 10:30: Exploring aquatic life, pond dipping with Kate NcNutt (child-friendly).
- 11:30: A storytelling with Chris Thompson: Stories in the Landscape.
- Noon: Craic agus ceoil
- 12:30: Talk on the River Shannon by Jack O’Sullivan: “Power, Threats and Management”.
- 13:30: “Soul sounds of the Shannon” with Anne-Marie Hynes and a break for food.
- 14:30: Talk by Daniel Monaghan: An ecological journey through environmentally sensitive landscapes and an insight into gold mining in Tyrone.
- 15:45: Storytelling with John Willmott: Fire on water and the hawthorn.
- 17:00: Celtic Kirtan with Eileen Bray
- End of event and Open conversation around the central fire about rights of the Shannon.
Activities throughout the day:
- Meet some of the great projects active in protecting and celebrating our natural heritage.
- Central fire
- Traditional music and harp
- Reflexology
- Hair braiding
- Face painting
- Story telling
- Willow weaving
- Children’s craft workshop
- Moss balls craft
We operate on a zero waste philosophy and encourage self-sufficiency by event attendees.
What to bring:
- Bring water from your own local well (the central fire will have a kettle on the go all day for herbal teas)
- Picnic blanket or campchair.
- Picnic food for yourself (there will also be soup and bread to share).
- Your own cup, bowl and eating utensils.
This is a free event, although donations of support on the day will be welcome.
To ensure this is a safe and family-friendly event, this will be an alcohol and drug-free space. Children must be always accompanied by a responsible adult.
Shannon Rights Alliance is a newly formed alliance of groups with an interest in protecting the Shannon and working towards Rights of Nature for the River. We are delighted to invite your group to host a table at our launch event as part of National Biodiversity Week on Sat 20th May 2023 at Doon Shore Amenity.
The day will include talks, stories and music with the theme of biodiversity and protection of the River Shannon. Please find attached a schedule for the day. Entry is free as the event is sponsored by the Irish Environmental Network and Zero Waste Alliance Ireland. We are expecting to attract good numbers to the area and we thought it might be beneficial to you and interesting for visitors if your group wanted to host a table with information about what you do for people who visit.
We are hoping to work together with groups all along the River Shannon to find our common interests and ways to come together to ensure the River continues to be the inspiring life-giving entity that it has been for us and previous generations, and we hope will be for long into the future. As well as hosting a table, we would love to talk with your group about how we might work together towards Rights for the Shannon.
On the day arrival and set up is at 0930 – please be as self-sufficient as possible and bring your own chairs, tables, water and food.
