Date/Time
Date(s) - 12 August 2016 - 13 August 2016
All Day
Location
Corofin Parish Hall
Categories
A two day event celebrating Active Conservation based in Corofin and the Burren.
Burrenbeo Trust and the Burrenbeo Conservation Volunteers are delighted to be hosting a wonderful event celebrating active conservation volunteering entitled: Working for Wellbeing of People and Place on the 12th-13th August 2016 in Corofin, Co. Clare and out in the ultimate learning landscape, the Burren.
There is a really exciting programme planned, jam-packed with inspiring talks, workshops, fieldtrips and much more. This event will bring together leading specialists in the field of conservation volunteering, green health and community stewardship – demonstrating the benefits of volunteering practices for our environments, but also for our community’s wellbeing – building strong, resilient and sustainable practices for the future.
The event will be launched with spectacular keynote addresses from:
- Stuart Brooks, (CEO of the John Muir Trust and Chairman of IUCN UK) and
- Duncan Stewart (Presenter of Eco Eye and Chairman of Green Foundation Ireland)
What does this event hope to achieve?
- To explore and highlight the benefits of conservation volunteering for people, individually and collectively, and for the environment;
- To create a fun, inclusive active conservation event in the Burren focused around both learning and sharing knowledge;
- Identify conservation volunteering groups in Ireland and the UK and create a platform to learning from one another; and
- To identify new and progressive ideas around active conservation.
This event is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the skills, trends and developments in active conservation volunteering but most of all to network with like-minded individuals.
Who should attend the event?
The event is open to everyone. A variety of individuals will make this an enriching experience where the learning is as much from each other as from the workshop leaders. This event is for anyone that is interested in helping to conserve their local natural and built heritage, including:
- Conservation volunteering groups locally and nationally
- Individuals and groups that are interested in community engagement
- Individuals and groups that are interested in green health
- Individuals who are interested in building strong and inclusive communities
- Conservationists interested in progression and innovation
- Anyone who wants to visit the Burren and contribute to its sustainable future
How do I book?
The event cost range from 0-€20. Bookings are filling up fast, so get in there as you don’t want to miss out! You can book your place by clicking here.
Thanks to Burren National Park, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for access to some lands.
Other useful information:
Registration
Registration will take place between 17.00 – 18.00 pm on the 12th August and 08.30- 09.00 on 13th August, in Corofin Community Hall, Corofin, Co Clare.
How long is the event?
The event kick starts with an optional walk in the beautiful Burren at 2pm on 12th August. Then the main event starts at 6 pm, with registration from 17.00 – 18.00 pm. We recommend you get there as early as possible. Friday evening will begin with a welcoming reception hosted by Burrenbeo Trust during a networking and information sharing session, followed by keynote addresses from Stuart Brooks (CEO of The John Muir Trust) and Duncan Stewart (Eco Eye). The evening will provide an opportunity to get a taster for all the wonderful conservation and community work being conducted all over Ireland and the UK! Day two (13th August) will commence at 9.30am with a selection of 9 talks, from which delegates will select a block of three to attend. Talks are divided by the following themes: ‘Volunteering and Community’; ‘Nature- Wellbeing of People and Place’; and ‘Creating Experts of the Ground’. This session will then be proceeded by an interactive group workshop facilitated by Mary Hawkes Greene (President of the Burren College of Art), entitled ‘Conversations on Conservation’. After lunch, delegates will have an opportunity to get out and active in the beautiful Burren when they engage in one of four conservation volunteering fieldtrips. The event will then be closed with a delightful ‘bring and share community picnic’, followed by a reflection and feedback session facilitated by Stuart Brooks and Dr Brendan Dunford.
Where to sleep
You will need to organise your own accommodation. There is a lot of reasonably priced bed & breakfast accommodation in Corofin and the best website to view these is www.visitcorofin.com for the different options. Prices range from €35-€55 pp per night. Just be warned that some may not be in walking distance of the village/venue so best to ask beforehand unless you have a car.
There are no hotels in Corofin but The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon (www.fallshotel.ie) is approximately 25 mins away, The Old Ground in Ennis (www.theoldground.ie) is 25 mins away, and the Lady Gregory in Gort (www.ladygregoryhotel.ie) is 35 mins away.
Otherwise www.burren.ie and www.airbnb.com offer good alternatives around the Burren. Here is a list of people/B&Bs that may be able to provide accommodation:
Hostel
- Corofin Hostel: http://corofincamping.com/
- Kilfenora’s Hostel (www.kilfenorahostel.com) is 20 mins away
- Carron’s Rock Hostel (www.claresrock.com) is 20 mins away
Bed & Breakfast
- Wendy Moxley + 353 (0) 87 915 7849
- Oliver & Colette Nagle +353 (0) 86 958 2508
House for rent
- Catherine Walters +353 (0) 6837617
- Mary Cahill +353 (0)87 6449711
- Brian & Mary Collins (www.corofincottages.com) +353 (0) 65 6837734
- Bofeys Holiday Cottage off main st in Corofin. Trish Cleary on trishcleary@gmail.com
- Margaret Dillon +353 (0) 61 411109
- Eiri na Greine, Marie McGauran (www.burrencottage.clareireland.net) +353 (0) 86 8219441
- If a group of 8 want to book a castle www.ballyportry.ie : Ballyportry Cottage. Self-catering Accommodation.
Other options include:
- Contact Mary Cahill at: http://www.clareireland.net/ballyportrycottage/accommodation.htm
- Roxton Accommodation. 1.5 miles from village Roxton Corofin Contact Eric Turner 353 (0) 876877404 or 353 (0) 87280558
- No more than 100 steps from the Hall, just a few more to the village. Contact Gerry Kennedy at 353 (0) 868034685
- Deelinmor Lodge in Carron: Twenty minutes away. http://www.deelinmor.com/
Following are several offerings in Laghtagoona Estate. A very short walk from the hall/village.
- Veronica Murray: 353 (0) 852838620 email: veronica88@live.ie
One king. One Double. Healthy continental breakfast included. Call to reserve and for prices.
- Patricia Murray: 353 (0) 864072525 email: trishamur@hotmail.com One double ensuite with healthy continental breakfast. Call to reserve and for prices.
- Joe O’Connell: 353 (0) 866049626 Two double rooms with healthy continental breakfast.
Food
Although tea and coffee will be available -food is not provided, so a packed lunch is advised. There will be some food provided at the community picnic, but people are encouraged (if possible) to bring one thing to share. There are also some great options in the village including:
- An Cupán Tae Cafe (Inchiquin Inn): Main Street, Corofin, Co Clare.
- Bofey Quinns: Main Street, Corofin, Co Clare
- Self-catering: If you have decided to go for a self-catering option or just fancy picking up some nibbles on route, then Corofin has two well-stocked supermarkets Centra and Costcutter, both on the main street.
Other bits & bobs
What to wear: Don’t forget waterproof clothing and prepare for the Atlantic weather (ie warm clothes)! Plus the Burren has very uneven terrain, please bring sensible walking shoes or preferably sturdy boots with ankle support for any of the outdoor activities.
ATM: There is an ATM in Costcutter on the main street of Corofin. If this is out of order, then some businesses will offer cash back facilities.
Guide books: Burrenbeo offers a fantastic selection of laminated Burren field guides (€10) which are great to know the region. These are available to buy either beforehand on www.burrenbeo.com or in our centre throughout the event.
What to do in the Burren: The Burren region has plenty of activities, good food and interesting places to stay. The Burren Ecotourism Network (www.burrenecotourism.com) is a great place to look for environmental, community driven initiatives in the region.
Need some help? Burrenbeo Trust is here for any queries, contact us on elaine@burrenbeo.com or on 091 638096 / 087 9689486.