Climate Camp 2023 took place in a big field at Shanvas Cross, Pollboy, Cluanín/Manorhamilton, Leitrim from 9th to 13th August. Continuing to work in solidarity with local grassroots struggles, this year we were invited by communities in Leitrim who are resisting destructive gold mining and Coillte forestry.
Our programme kicked off every day at 10am with a Morning Gathering, where we reached a consensus on a plan for the day and for the well-being of the Camp. Everyone was encouraged to attend. From 11am, there was an amazing range of workshops, learning, fun and direct action, detailed in the schedule below.
Sunday was the Day of Action: https://climatecampireland.ie/2023/08/13/campaigners-pull-up-sitka-spruce-on-coillte-plantation-in-leitrim-ireland/
Programme of events
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: Camp First Aid
This skillshare will cover some basic first aid that might be needed during the gathering. Facilitated by Lee
2.
Talk: Home and Community Independence
Building self and local independence using the resources around us. Facilitated by Marcus Mulvihill
3.
Outdoors: Bike workshop (3-4pm)
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Introduction & Welcome Session
Discussion with Camp Organisers, Slí Eile, Love Leitrim, Treasure Leitrim and other local groups to talk about the aims and reasons for the Climate Camp & to welcome people into the space
8pm: Evening entertainment
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Talk: Goldmining in Ireland
Ireland seems to be getting ready to embrace mineral mining at scale. What does that mean for affected communities, the environment and for our relationship with extractivism? Facilitated by Treasure Leitrim
2.
Workshop: Sli Eile Camp’s Culture of Care and Wellbeing
What skills, practices and organising structures can we embed into this temporary space to stop replicating the capitalist exploitation we aim to resist?
3.
Workshop: Abolition & Climate Justice
Exploring the intersection of carceral abolition and the planetary crisis, their shared roots in the Western colonial knowledge paradigm, and an exploration of animism and earth-based spiritual traditions as an antidote to the current hegemony of carceral ideology and capitalist-colonialist destruction. Facilitated by Marina Bell
4.
Outdoors: Decolonial & Anti-capitalist Plant ID Walk with Isa
5.
Offsite: Composting at the Organic Centre
Facilitated by Jimmy and Lucias White
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Talk: Sex work in Ireland
Raising awareness around sex work in Ireland. Facilitated by Jupiter
2.
Talk: Impacts of Climate Change on the Traveller Community
A discussion on challenges facing the Traveller community as a result of the climate emergency. Facilitated by Cheryl McGinley & Jamie Murphy
3.
Workshop: Conversation about systemic change
How can breaking silence around institutional abuses and movements for equality help tackle the climate crisis and achieve systemic change? Facilitated by Caelainn Hogan & Izzy Kamikaze
4.
Outdoors: Bike workshop (3-4pm)
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5.
Art tent: Painting with Natural Paints
Experiment with natural pigmented paints with Jo Lewis
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Workshop: Animal Rebellion & Climate Justice
Exploring a plant-based future and how to campaign for climate and animal justice with Animal Rebellion
2.
Workshop: How to make Compost
Everything you ever wanted to know about compost but didn’t like to ask. Facilitated by Lyn Brookes
3.
Outdoor: Developing practices to reconnect with nature
Our disconnect from the more-than-human world is central to the crises we face. How can we find new ways to reconnect? Experimental, embodied session. Facilitated by Laura Kehoe
4.
Talk: Forestry with Save Leitrim
Why is current forestry policy, programmes and practices failing us?
8pm: Evening entertainment
Céilí!
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Workshop: CATU Introduction & Training
What is CATU and anti-eviction training
2.
Talk: Frack Off! Fracking, USA & Shannon LNG
Learn about the campaign to stop the Shannon LNG import terminal from Irish & US campaigners and a US resident impacted by fracking
3.
Talk: Small scale Regenerative Farmers
Learn about small scale regenerative farming, a system addressing global problems with local solutions. Facilitated by James Gilmartin
2pm: Lunchtime Session
1.
Theatre: Caws for Concern (2-2.45pm)
Kids theatre play with Spooky Beure
2.
Offsite: Agro-Forestry (2-3.30pm)
Workshop at the Organic Centre
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: DIY Field Lab
Setting up a field lab to fight against extraction. Facilitated by Emma McKeever
2.
Talk: Eco Ableism
How can breaking silence around institutional abuses and movements for equality help tackle the climate crisis and achieve systemic change? Facilitated by Peter Kearns
3.
Talk: Building Democracy and Change
Who decides? Building democracy and change in social and environmental challenges. Facilitated by Dianne Little
4.
Outdoors: Bike workshop
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Fracking in Northern Ireland
When is a ban on fracking is not a ban on fracking? Facilitated by Eddie Mitchell & Tom White
2.
Talk: Data Centres in Ireland
Strategies and tactics for resisting data centres across the island of Ireland. Facilitated by Patrick Bresnihan
3.
Workshop: Cob Building
Connect to the ground beneath us and the neighbors around by building together. Facilitated by Ryan Harkin
4.
Art Tent: Ecstatic Dance
Facilitated by Tamara Samson
8pm: Evening entertainment
Open mic night with Open Mic Manor
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Workshop: Communities Against the Injustice of Mining
A space to hear from the resistance against mining across the island of Ireland. Facilitated by Eddie Mitchell & Sian
2.
Talk: Be gay, do crime: the queer roots of resistance
Space to share stories with an intro of my own journey of being gay and doing crime (civil resistance) and other movements that were about life and then were mad queer and why that could be. Faciliatated by Orla Murphy
3.
Talk: MASI – Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland
A discussion on immigration, direct provision, human rights and deportations. Facilitated by Maureen Nalubega & Vuyokazi Njikelana
4.
Outdoors: Woodland from an Arborculturist Eye
Explore native/non native woodland species and marvel their peculiar biological responses and communication patterns, whilst incorporating Irish associations of mythology and landscape. Facilitated by Shailagh Healy
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: Humanure Compost
Completing the human nutrient cycle. A humanure composting explainer. Facilitated by Mike Harris
2.
Workshop: Strategies for the Irish Environmental Movement
Participative workshop to discuss and share about what strategies the Irish environmental movement could engage in at this stage of the polycrisis. Facilitated by Sinead Sheehan
3.
Talk: Lessons from the Rojava Revolution and the Internationalist work of Jineoloji
What forms of knowledge and relating might we need to build revolution? Facilitated by Leonna O’Neill
4.
Talk: Fossil Fuel Infrastructure projects in NI
The Four beasts from the East: this is a chance to find out about 4 major fossil fuel infrastructure projects. Facilitated by James Orr
5.
Outdoors: Bike workshop
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
6.
Art tent: Block Printing Workshop
Learn how to print climate images on flags and clothing with Extinction Rebellion artists
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Ireland’s Natural Resource Regimes: Compradors, Climate and Colonial-Capitalism
How do we systemically understand the bias in Ireland’s natural resource regimes towards extraction and dismissal of the public? Facilitated byConor McCabe & Sinéad Mercier
2.
Talk: The Role and Responsibilities of Universities and the Planetary Crisis
This session will tackle the role of universities in the planetary crisis, and how they can be reformed to better respond. Facilitated by Emanuela & John Barry
3.
Talk: Reactionary Ecology
A brief history of the use and importance of environmental issues to reactionary and far right movements, with examples of how this is manifesting itself in Ireland. Facilitated by Sean Breathnach
4.
Art Tent: Sensory Games
Facilitated by Rob Ireson
8pm: Evening entertainment
Gig: The Deadlians, Aoife Hammond, Freespeakingmonkey, Ominous Morrow, Miss Ó with a Fada
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-5pm: Day of Action
Other events:
11am-1pm:
Talk: Bees & Biodiversity
Why bees are so important to human health and life on earth. Facilitated by Peter Farrell
Programme of events – the long version!
Wednesday 9th August
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: Camp First Aid
This skillshare will cover some basic first aid that might be needed during the gathering. Facilitated by Lee
2.
Talk: Home and Community Independence
Building self and local independence using the resources around us. Facilitated by Marcus Mulvihill
3.
Outdoors: Bike workshop (3-4pm)
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Introduction & Welcome Session
Discussion with Camp Organisers, Slí Eile, Love Leitrim, Treasure Leitrim and other local groups to talk about the aims and reasons for the Climate Camp & to welcome people into the space
8pm: Evening entertainment
Thursday 10th August
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Talk: Goldmining in Ireland
Ireland seems to be getting ready to embrace mineral mining at scale. What does that mean for affected communities, the environment and for our relationship with extractivism? Facilitated by Treasure Leitrim
2.
Workshop: Sli Eile Camp’s Culture of Care and Wellbeing
What skills, practices and organising structures can we embed into this temporary space to stop replicating the capitalist exploitation we aim to resist?
3.
Workshop: Abolition & Climate Justice
Exploring the intersection of carceral abolition and the planetary crisis, their shared roots in the Western colonial knowledge paradigm, and an exploration of animism and earth-based spiritual traditions as an antidote to the current hegemony of carceral ideology and capitalist-colonialist destruction. Facilitated by Marina Bell
4.
Outdoors: Decolonial & Anti-capitalist Plant ID Walk with Isa
5.
Offsite: Composting at the Organic Centre
Facilitated by Jimmy and Lucias White
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Talk: Sex work in Ireland
Raising awareness around sex work in Ireland. Facilitated by Jupiter
2.
Talk: Impacts of Climate Change on the Traveller Community
A discussion on challenges facing the Traveller community as a result of the climate emergency. Facilitated by Cheryl McGinley & Jamie Murphy
3.
Workshop: Conversation about systemic change
How can breaking silence around institutional abuses and movements for equality help tackle the climate crisis and achieve systemic change? Facilitated by Caelainn Hogan & Izzy Kamikaze
4.
Outdoors: Bike workshop (3-4pm)
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5.
Art tent: Painting with Natural Paints
Experiment with natural pigmented paints with Jo Lewis
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Workshop: Animal Rebellion & Climate Justice
Exploring a plant-based future and how to campaign for climate and animal justice with Animal Rebellion
2.
Workshop: How to make Compost
Everything you ever wanted to know about compost but didn’t like to ask. Facilitated by Lyn Brookes
3.
Outdoor: Developing practices to reconnect with nature
Our disconnect from the more-than-human world is central to the crises we face. How can we find new ways to reconnect? Experimental, embodied session. Facilitated by Laura Kehoe
4.
Talk: Forestry with Save Leitrim
Why is current forestry policy, programmes and practices failing us?
8pm: Evening entertainment
Céilí!
Friday 11th August
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Workshop: CATU Introduction & Training
What is CATU and anti-eviction training
2.
Talk: Frack Off! Fracking, USA & Shannon LNG
Learn about the campaign to stop the Shannon LNG import terminal from Irish & US campaigners and a US resident impacted by fracking
3.
Talk: Small scale Regenerative Farmers
Learn about small scale regenerative farming, a system addressing global problems with local solutions. Facilitated by James Gilmartin
2pm: Lunchtime Session
1.
Theatre: Caws for Concern (2-2.45pm)
Kids theatre play with Spooky Beure
2.
Offsite: Agro-Forestry (2-3.30pm)
Workshop at the Organic Centre
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: DIY Field Lab
Setting up a field lab to fight against extraction. Facilitated by Emma McKeever
2.
Talk: Eco Ableism
How can breaking silence around institutional abuses and movements for equality help tackle the climate crisis and achieve systemic change? Facilitated by Peter Kearns
3.
Talk: Building Democracy and Change
Who decides? Building democracy and change in social and environmental challenges. Facilitated by Dianne Little
4.
Outdoors: Bike workshop
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Fracking in Northern Ireland
When is a ban on fracking is not a ban on fracking? Facilitated by Eddie Mitchell & Tom White
2.
Talk: Data Centres in Ireland
Strategies and tactics for resisting data centres across the island of Ireland. Facilitated by Patrick Bresnihan
3.
Workshop: Cob Building
Connect to the ground beneath us and the neighbors around by building together. Facilitated by Ryan Harkin
4.
Art Tent: Ecstatic Dance
Facilitated by Tamara Samson
8pm: Evening entertainment
Open mic night with Open Mic Manor
Saturday 12th August
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-1pm: Morning Session
1.
Workshop: Communities Against the Injustice of Mining
A space to hear from the resistance against mining across the island of Ireland. Facilitated by Eddie Mitchell & Sian
2.
Talk: Be gay, do crime: the queer roots of resistance
Space to share stories with an intro of my own journey of being gay and doing crime (civil resistance) and other movements that were about life and then were mad queer and why that could be. Faciliatated by Orla Murphy
3.
Talk: MASI – Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland
A discussion on immigration, direct provision, human rights and deportations. Facilitated by Maureen Nalubega & Vuyokazi Njikelana
4.
Outdoors: Woodland from an Arborculturist Eye
Explore native/non native woodland species and marvel their peculiar biological responses and communication patterns, whilst incorporating Irish associations of mythology and landscape. Facilitated by Shailagh Healy
3-4.30pm: Afternoon Session
1.
Workshop: Humanure Compost
Completing the human nutrient cycle. A humanure composting explainer. Facilitated by Mike Harris
2.
Workshop: Strategies for the Irish Environmental Movement
Participative workshop to discuss and share about what strategies the Irish environmental movement could engage in at this stage of the polycrisis. Facilitated by Sinead Sheehan
3.
Talk: Lessons from the Rojava Revolution and the Internationalist work of Jineoloji
What forms of knowledge and relating might we need to build revolution? Facilitated by Leonna O’Neill
4.
Talk: Fossil Fuel Infrastructure projects in NI
The Four beasts from the East: this is a chance to find out about 4 major fossil fuel infrastructure projects. Facilitated by James Orr
5.
Outdoors: Bike workshop
Learn how to do simple bike repairs with Barry Semple
6.
Art tent: Block Printing Workshop
Learn how to print climate images on flags and clothing with Extinction Rebellion artists
5-6.30pm: Evening Session
1.
Talk: Ireland’s Natural Resource Regimes: Compradors, Climate and Colonial-Capitalism
How do we systemically understand the bias in Ireland’s natural resource regimes towards extraction and dismissal of the public? Facilitated byConor McCabe & Sinéad Mercier
2.
Talk: The Role and Responsibilities of Universities and the Planetary Crisis
This session will tackle the role of universities in the planetary crisis, and how they can be reformed to better respond. Facilitated by Emanuela & John Barry
3.
Talk: Reactionary Ecology
A brief history of the use and importance of environmental issues to reactionary and far right movements, with examples of how this is manifesting itself in Ireland. Facilitated by Sean Breathnach
4.
Art Tent: Sensory Games
Facilitated by Rob Ireson
8pm: Evening entertainment
Gig: The Deadlians, Aoife Hammond, Freespeakingmonkey, Ominous Morrow, Miss Ó with a Fada
Sunday 13th August
10am: Morning Gathering
Planning for the day and the well-being of the Camp
11am-5pm: Day of Action
Other events:
11am-1pm:
Talk: Bees & Biodiversity
Why bees are so important to human health and life on earth. Facilitated by Peter Farrell
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