Climate change workshop led by University of Galway to be held in Fanad

 A climate workshop led by the University of Galway will be held in Fanad. 

Residents are invited to a community workshop to share stories, explore nature-based solutions, and help shape recommendations for future climate resilience in the area.

The workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 26  from 7:30 – 9pm in the Rossnakill Tourism-Activity Centre (Rossnakill Community Hub).

The event, led by the University of Galway as part of an international climate change project, will highlight insights gathered from local residents and provide a space for discussion about protecting the coastline, landscape, and community. Attendees will help identify priorities that can inform local and national policy, ensuring Fanad is prepared for the impacts of climate change.

Over the past few months, University of Galway researcher Arsenia Da Cruz has been meeting with Fanad residents, including farmers, fishers, business owners, and long-time locals. Participants shared personal stories about life on the coast, changes they are noticing in the weather and sea, and hopes for future generations.

“These conversations were powerful and personal,” Arsenia Da Cruz said. “People spoke about their connection to the land and how the coast is part of who they are. Being in Fanad has helped me see how communities respond to change and how nature can be part of the solution. Climate change is something we all face. But solutions start locally.

“By listening to communities like Fanad and learning from their knowledge, resilience, and care for their home, we can develop effective, locally grounded responses.”

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Da Cruz’s work is part of an international project funded by the Marine Institute’s Our Shared Oceans programme: Localised Adaptation for Climate Change in Ireland and Timor-Leste: Co-developing Frameworks for Nature-Based Solutions. 

The project links communities in Ireland with those in Timor-Leste, a small island developing state in Southeast Asia, to share ideas about living with the impacts of climate change. Supported by Dr Kevin Lynch and Dr Kathy Reilly from the University’s School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies, the project focuses on learning from local voices to shape sustainable, community-driven climate solutions.