Archive for category: News

Halloween is coming!

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Din, din, din… *Cue scary music… The weather this year has been great for the garden, lots of our plants have thrived with the mix of sun and rain but alas some have come along too much. It all started with a distinct lack of slugs, nobody knew why. Then somebody mentioned that they hadn’t seen the resident cat for a while. The local dogs seemed to be barking at nothing when they dared to come near the garden. And of course there was the mysterious bite mark one of the Tuesday gardeners seemed to have recieved while trying to cut back some particularly nasty looking brambles. It’s, it’s almost as if the plants have evolved in some way…
As always we’re in bad need of some extra helpers to bring the garden alive for the community on Halloween night. If you can spare even an hour or two between now and the 31st please get in touch.
Thanks to Breda Jackson for yet another brilliant poster

Vote for the Repair Café !

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Mud Island’s monthly Repair Cafe, which is entirely volunteer run, has been in existence since May 2023, thanks to the inspiration, leadership and coordination of Mud Island committee’s chairperson Nathalie Cazaux Crowley. We think she’s a perfect candidate for the Rediscovery Centre’s Full Circle Award. They’ve a few different awards but the Community Circular Champion (which honours people who lead or support community initiatives like sharing libraries, swap events, food waste solutions, or local repair cafés) seems a good fit. If you’d like to do the same, here’s the link! https://www.circular.ie/full-circle-awards – closing date is Friday 25th July

Emergency Meitheal and what happened in 2024?

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The garden is always full of activities and we are grateful of all we have achieved throughout the years (see all the events posters and help we got in 2024!)

This week we are calling an Emergency Meitheal on Saturday!

We need lots of help to prepare for our annual Open Day and to catch up with lots of planting. If you could commit to an hour or so tomorrow it would really help us. Activities will include:

– Preparing beds for planting.
– Planting out our abundance of seedlings. Painting (but not the artistic kind!).
– Labelling plants & making labels.
– A bit of DIY.
– Weeding pathways.
– Watering thirsty plants and trees.
– Enjoying our fecund garden ; )

Thanks from Mud Island!

 

 

Launch of “Why Wouldn’t You?”

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What a morning at the launch of “Why Wouldn’t You?” — a powerful 12-minute short film shot in parts during the latest Christmas Fair 2014 in Mud Island Community Garden!

Here you can view ‘Why Wouldn’t You?’

The film, created by DCU’s Irish Refugee Integration Network (IRIN) and Sanctuary, shines a light on solidarity, inclusion, and what it really means to build welcoming communities. It’s a moving, visually rich portrait of people coming together across difference to support those who have been forcibly displaced.

Alongside the film, a brilliant companion manual has also been launched — a practical resource packed with tools, real stories, and creative approaches for educators and community groups across Ireland.

We also got to hear the beautiful voice of Liam Ó Maonlaí acapella!

‘Let’s keep building solidarity, one song and one story at a time’ – Mudislander Dee (who wrote this piece and also took the photo!)

Design and make a handy tote bag in one hour

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As part of the Dublin City Inclusion & Integration Week, Mudisland and the Repair Café team is delighted to invite you to a free workshop on Sunday 25 th at 2pm. Mary, one of the sewing magician volunteer will show us how to create a bespoke bag upcycling material!

There will be tea, coffee and treats kindly sponsored by DCC.

Community Gardens Cycle 2025

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Saturday, 24 May 2025 – 11:00am
Meet at Mud Island Community Garden, North Strand

Join the 2025 Community Gardens Cycle & Biodiversity workshop!

Hey there, bike and plant enthusiasts!

Get ready for the 2025 Community Gardens Cycle, an event filled with community garden tours, cycling, and biodiversity tips. Our gathering will bring together cycling and gardening lovers from Dublin City and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned cyclist, gardener or both, this event is perfect for anyone looking to grow their fitness, knowledge, and green thumb. Mark your calendars and come connect with fellow nature enthusiasts! Let’s grow together!

This year there is only one route:

We will meet at 11am at Mud Island Community Garden in North Strand, (check google maps).

Cycling to Raheny Community Garden

From Raheny Community Garden we will cycle to Mucky Lane for the Biodiversity workshop with Aaron Foley who is Dublin Community Growers Biodiversity officer.

From Mucky Lane we will cycle to Killester Blooms Community Garden. We plan to arrive by 2.15pm and we will join their Streetfeast.

More details, including full details of the route, to be published shortly

SPACES ARE LIMITED. Please book your space to avoid disappointment. If your plans change and you are unavailable to attend, cancel your booking to facilitate others in the reserve list to attend.

Social Event
Dublin City Climate Action Promotion and Education

Poems at Dusk

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Are you a poet and you know it? Join us this Saturday from 6 for an evening of poetry with an Open Mike followed by performances by poets Jan Brierton and John Cummins
Jan Brierton’s poems are honest, candid and often hilarious, and, from an opening gambit that went viral in 2021, has seen her work find a huge audience. Since that accidental notoriety, the intervening years have seen her publish a book four months after her first Instagram prose, launch a podcast (currently on hiatus) and compose a second collection.
John Cummins Poetician, one of Ireland’s most unique voices, has brought his spoken word poetry to every corner of our isle. From festival fields to our national concert hall, John shares poetry that aims to highlight, uplift, and inspire. His words break down the border between audience and performer. John’s story is the story of us. He is also singer and writer with Dublin band Shakalak.

Have you received our newsletter?

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If you have not received our newsletter you might not know all the things that are happening in the garden… What you can do is join the garden online and you will then receive the news directly in your email box. Alternatively, you can keep yourself in the know by checking FB, Instagram or even the infamous X (we’re still there trying to spread LOVE :-))

For our calendar we always have a haiku and a special art picture because we do not only garden plants, we also care for local talents…

See you in the garden soon

Bealtaine Festival in the garden

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On May 4th, Mud Island Community Garden in Dublin will host its annual Bealtaine Festival, celebrating the arrival of summer with a day full of music, poetry, and community activities. This vibrant event will feature a diverse lineup of performers, ensuring a memorable experience for all attendees.

The festivities will kick off at 2 PM with a performance by Tolka Trad, followed by a bilingual circus workshop at 3 PM that promises fun for all ages. Throughout the afternoon, attendees can enjoy poetry readings by Roxanna NíCliam and Siobhan MacMahon, storytelling by Brian Treacy, and music by local artists such as Rú Ó Sé and a local folk group.

The highlight of the event will be a special performance by the renowned musician Liam Ó Maonlaí at 6:30 PM, bringing the day to a spectacular close with his captivating music.

Mud Island Community Garden, known for its lush greenery and community spirit, provides the perfect setting for this celebration. The Bealtaine Festival is a wonderful opportunity to connect with neighbors, enjoy local talent, and welcome the summer season in a beautiful garden setting.

So, mark your calendars for May 4th and join the Mud Island Community Garden for a day of celebration, creativity, and community spirit. Entry is free, and everyone is welcome!

What happened in 2023?

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Well a lot…

In 2023, the garden was very busy as we opened our urban haven to multiple groups and organisations. There are so many that we are probably forgetting some. Drop us a line if you used the garden and we forgot to mention it. Big HELLO & shout out to our friends from:

Dublin Cycles Campaign annual Food Cycle (trip around community gardens) (May)

Refugee Health European conference visit (June)
Cruinniu na nog – Nature Mobile workshop (June)
Lets Set Sail (with Ellie O’Neill and Silver Birch) (July)
ATD Ireland (Altogether in Dignity with Saol, Pavee Point and more) – Festival of Change (July)
Sonnie Condell & Robbie Overson concert (August)
Ceili with Ceoltoiri Chluain Tarbh (August)
Rather Gather festivalito (September)
Huni Kui – Amazonian culture (September)
Kevin Murphy & friends (concert) – (October)
2 instrument making workshops with Masamba (October)
12th European Forum ECLLD  Field trip (October)
Workequal – workshop about being confident (december)
Other partnership (ongoing)
NCIRL Early Learning Initiative After School projects (local primary schools) ‘Doodle Den’
A Playful City + Swan Youth Club / UCD students
Hill Street Family Resource Centre visits ( with one of our gardener Breffni’s workshop)
Cluid Housing Association residents (inspiration for their own gardens)
Liberty Park Creche
Young adults from Shaping Futures project, (INOU initiative)
Teacher Heather Gray (Creative Minds Arts & Culture festival)
Dublin City Community Co-operative
Our Organic Garden
Community Climate Action (on zoom)
EasyTreesie
Gaelic Woodland Project
8 week Get Growing training for learners of English (GreenFriends)
Common Purpose training organisation (innovative community initiatives)
Patuyu – bolivian dancing group (ongoing)
Take One Ingredient (ongoing)
Global Citizenship Education / Lourdes Youth & Community Service (LYCS)
Sea Scouts
Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) Probation & Community Service team
(Welcomed referrals from Social Prescribing workers & mental health workers to join as gardeners)
DCC’s biodiversity officer & DCC’s community climate action officer.

Afghan Kite making workshop (August)

CPR training (September)
East Wall Here 4 All, Cross Cultural Conversations, Intercultural Language Service and the lovely Integration officers and volunteers
from Gateway, East Wall.
TCD research
Cloud Café (adds to compost, brings us brownies and lend us their barbecue!)
Da Mimmo (pizzas & school project)
Tree craft (wood chip for garden paths)
Child Vision (delivering precious horse manure)

Forthcoming visits planned include students from Trinity’s Botanical Society and we are also looking for volunteers interested in getting involved with Heritage Keepers and do not miss out Tornaido Fire Performance & fundraiser March 23 rd (from 6pm)!

Festival in a van (with Narrative4) received a DCC Neighbourhood Grant to develop ‘the Stories of Hope’, a storytelling exchange
project in Mud Island in 2024 Date TBC.

We also helped some two film crews (short film shot in Alderborough House) &  a small Film crew shooting onsite.
Promotional video for ‘Mad Dog’ (launch 24 th March 2024 in the garden!).

Our team of volunteers also organise our own events:
Table Quiz in Cusack’s (April), Spring Fair (in collaboration Five Lamps Arts Festival), Open Day (June), Harvest Festival (August), Halloween (700 visitors!) & Christmas Fair with our first Irish language festival, Féile na Láibe.
Seed to Pizza project with local primary schools (March to September).
And our first own Brigid’s celebration (February).

In 2023, we also had some ongoing activities in the garden, which will continue in 2024:
– Crochet & knitting group.
– Monthly Repair Café mending bicycles, clothes, crockery and sharpening gardening tools and knives
with potluck picnic and swap shop / bric-à-brac.
– Language classes in Arabic & Spanish from our volunteers (we’re looking for a volunteer to front an Irish one).
– Sewing classes / group.
– Relaxation Sundays.

And finally, we did win some awards (and we are so proud!). We must thank our funders without whom all these activities could not be:
In 2023, we got 2nd place in our section at Dublin City Council’s Citywide Neighbourhood Award 2023!

The Urban Land Institute‘s National Excellence in Place-making Award got us in the front page of the commercial property of the Irish Times. We are currently shortlisted for the LAMA (Local Authority Members Association) All Ireland Community & Council Awards 2024 under their Best Green Sustainable category. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to our trusted funders: Croke Park, NEIC and DCC, and IFSC Inner City Trust and new additions: Wheels We Deliver for pollinators and Central Bank.

So bring it on 2024!