Garden in the Green

Community Gardens Ireland recently experienced its 13th Garden in the Green at Electric Picnic 2024, where we joined over 150 activists and socially engaged artists in the Global Green permaculture village for the three day festival.

With over 30 environmental organisations represented, from solar to soil, bogs to banjos, Global Green provides festival goers and climate activists alike with an opportunity to learn, engage, support, and enjoy one another’s company.

Throughout the weekend, we chatted about feeding, heating and lighting ourselves up, doughnut economics, conflicts, and all things growing as we support our communities locally, nationally and globally. Several of our volunteers participated on panels, taking part in some serious debates in Cultivate’s Elements of Change marquee, discussing the work we’ve done to improve legislation on allotments and community gardens, promoting our upcoming National Allotments and Community Gardens week, along with panel discussions about Feeding Ourselves and the Power of Community

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It often amazes folk how our little garden, that looks like it’s always been there, is gathered from all corners of the island. This year major plant and prop providers came from Derry, Cork and Carlow, with additional volunteers from Kilkenny, Laois, Dublin and Kildare. Yes, we partied during the evenings (it is a festival afterall!), but during the day we provided free activities for all who visited, with the fairy wands, lavender bags, and sheewees made from tetra cartons a huge success.

Why do we do it every year, one might ask? It’s not for the faint hearted with the preparations before the event, the travelling to and from, the set up and take down. But it is worth it all thanks to the amazing connections, firstly with one another, as we have the rare opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and catch up on activities for a long weekend, swiftly followed by the incredibly uplifting Global Green villagers, where we are constantly inspired by people who care about, and for one another.

We’re all safely home now and packed up, but already contemplating next year’s festival. If you’re a community garden or gardener and would like to get involved in the 2025 festival, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you at info@cgireland.org

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