Corrymeela 60
Corrymeela, the only existing peace and reconciliation group to predate the Troubles, is approaching 60 years at work. While the group that became the eponymous Corrymeela identified the site they wanted to purchase outside Ballycastle, Co Antrim, a former Holiday Fellowship venue, at the start of 1965, it was the summer of that year that they took possession and it only became an incorporated charity in December 1966. There will be Corrymeela Sunday events at Coventry (15th-16th March) coming up to St Patrick’s Day and then in the period 22nd – 31st August this year anniversary ‘open’ events will be held at the Corrymeela Centre that they hope will allow the generations who have been a part of the Corrymeela story to reunite and learn with people interested in carrying that story forward.
Also look for more information to come around a planned trip to Taizé in early autumn; events in Dublin at the end of October 2025; a service in the Croí on 30 October to mark the anniversary of the centre’s 1965 dedication; a special anniversary concert in Belfast Cathedral on 22 November 2025; a service in Exeter Cathedral on 23 November; and a conference on Reconciliation for Easter 2026. Other events and ongoing programmes will also take place. Up to date information is available at www.corrymeela.org
Féile Bríde: Justice and Solidarity
Afri’s Féile Bríde takes place on Saturday 8th February at Solas Bhríde, Tully Road, Kildare with the title “Brigid’s Light: Illuminating paths of justice and solidarity”. Speakers are Niamh Ní Briain on Brigid’s call to action today: Defying militarism and protecting the Triple Lock, James Hennessy on Solar lights and the work of Development Pamoja, Catherine Cleary on Pocket Forests and Raghad Abu Shammala on Solidarity is key; musicians are Emer Lynam, Dee Armstrong, Lughaidh Armstrong, Gráinne Horan, Kate Moore and the Resistance Choir. The programme runs from 10.15 am registration and finishes after the final programme item at 4.20pm. Full price for the day, including lunch, tea and coffee is €35, concessions €25 (further donations to costs welcome). Bookings via https://www.afri.ie/category/feile-bride-2025/ or to Afri at 8 Cabra Road, Dublin D07 T1W2.
Sperrins gold diggers inquiry halted
The public inquiry into gold mining by USA-owned Dalradian in the Sperrins near Greencastle, Co Tyrone, was abruptly halted after two days in mid-January. Opponents of the mining were there in strength but Dalradian have been working on site since 2009 and first submitted plans to mine in 2017. Their commitment, under pressure, not to use cyanide there may hold but does not cover other toxic and environmental effects, or the possible use of cyanide elsewhere. The inquiry was halted over the failure of the Department for Infrastructure in the North to give the required notice across the border but may resume in late March. The NI Executive makes the final decision on mining. https://www.facebook.com/search/posts/?q=save%20our%20sperrins
Another miraculous appearance by St Brigid
In a stupendous and recurring miracle, around her feast day every year St Brigid puts in an appearance at the Department of Foreign Affairs at St Stephen’s Green, calling on the Irish government to act for peace (in accord with St Brigid herself), and, currently, to protect the Triple Lock which requires UN approval for Irish troops deployment overseas. https://swordstoploughsharesireland.org/ and https://youtu.be/hl4LHqSVU4o?si=4J4YiOaFBm7cpJRn
ICCL on new government programme
ICCL/Irish Council for Civil Liberties has looked at both negatives and positives in the Programme for Government with the former including the retention of the Special Criminal Court and the extension of police powers, and the latter comprehensively reviewing the criminal justice system, modernising the Coroner Service, and tackling the use of recommender algorithms. www.iccl.ie
Transformative approaches to housing
Housing is a critical issue in wellbeing. Housing ourselves in the wellbeing economy is an in person and online event on Friday 14th February taking place at WeCreate Centre, Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Co. Tipperary, E53 VP86 and online from 10am – 5pm. It aims to explore transformative approaches to housing that prioritise sustainability, inclusivity, and community resilience and is hosted by Cloughjordan Co-Housing in collaboration with the Irish Hub of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance which Feasta co-ordinates. Details at https://cloughjordancohousing.coop/making-neighbourhoods/housing-ourselves-2025/ and Feasta is at https://www.feasta.org/
Glencree on 50 years after Feakle talks
It is 50 years since Protestant church leaders bravely met the IRA in secret talks at Feakle, Co Clare, setting a pattern for dialogue which eventually paid dividends. Glencree marked this anniversary with an event in December. https://glencree.ie/events/feakle-1974/
CRIS/Community Relations in Schools at 40
Belfast-based Community Relations in Schools is marking 40 years work with schoolchildren in building understanding and friendship. They will be celebrating with a gala fundraising dinner on Saturday 15th March from 6pm to late at Titanic Centre Belfast, tickets £75. More details and about CRIS’s work at https://www.crisni.org/40-years-of-cris
WRI on Israel-Hamas ceasefire
A statement from the Executive of War Resisters’ International (WRI) on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire can be found at https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2025/wri-exec-statement-israel-hamas-ceasefire
Oisín Coghlan moving on from FOE
Oisín Coghlan who has been at the helm of Irish Friends of the Earth for 20 years has decided it is time to move on but with many achievements under his/their belt. https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/news/announcement-oisin-coghlan-to-step-down-as-ceo-of-friends-of/
WBW course on Unarmed Civilian Defense
Among others, World Beyond War (WBW) has a 6 week online course (time recommendation 3 – 6 hours per week) on Unarmed civilian defense instead of war beginning on 12th May, course fee $100, concession as little as $25. It has a focus on the role unarmed civilian defense can play in resisting military force, invasion, occupation, dictatorship, and warfare. See https://tinyurl.com/84j96z3p for details. The WBW website is at https://worldbeyondwar.org/
Diasporas and peacebuilding
The January 2025 issue of Peace in Progress from the International Catalan Institute for Peace looks at the role of diasporas in peacebulding. https://www.icip.cat/perlapau/en/magazine/42-2/
Global Day of Action to #CloseBases, 23 February
World Beyond War, backed by many other organisations, is organising a global day of action to close military bases since they are “a critical piece of the war machine that must be dismantled. “ https://worldbeyondwar.org/closebases/
Organic Centre Rossinver
The Organic Centre in the heart of rural Rossinver, Leitrim looks forward to 2025 with the hope of brighter days ahead. As an educational charity, it specialises in promoting all things organic, sustainable living and biodiversity. The Organic Centre was founded in 1995 by local organic growers, and farmers. Developed on a 19-acre green field site at the foot of limestone hills beside Lough Melvin, it became a pioneering organisation, at the forefront of organic growing, and action for climate change. In the beginning there were 6 weekend courses which took place in 1997. Now, the centre looks forward to almost 40 courses ranging from growing to recycling workshops, stone wall building, cheese making, pizza oven building and more.
The calendar year now hosts a multitude of free seasonal events, including one to mark Brigid’s Day, Apple Day, Samhain, a Green Christmas fair, a large range of activities in Biodiversity Week in May and Heritage Week in August, to name but a few. And coming soon is Potato Day, a free family friendly event, on Sunday 2th March from 12-4pm, with demonstrations, tours, and an onsite craft and food market. Regarding training for growers, the centre also hosts a now adapted, part time, funded course in organic horticulture, an opportunity to learn and be part of a movement, as policy makers nationally and internationally start to recognise the importance of organic agriculture for planet and health. The MSLETB Level 5 in Organic Horticulture closes for applications on Feb 10th https://www.theorganiccentre.ie/Learn/now%20part%20time%20horticultural-course
You can organise a tour of the centre as an away day with your work, school or family – just ring 0719854338. You can go for a walk on the new Fowley’s Falls trail that links up with the Organic Centre, and end at the Grass Roof Cafe for tea and coffee. Check out the Organic Centre’s website and social media channels for more information on courses, events, and the onsite and online shop. https://www.theorganiccentre.ie/
Death of Ken Mayers
We regret to record the death of US peace activist Ken Mayers. Edward Horgan writes: “Ken Mayers, peace activist, member of Veterans For Peace US, and VFP Ireland Chapter, passed away at his home in Santa Fe New Mexico on 27th January. Many of you will have met Ken while he was virtually imprisoned in Ireland for almost 9 months after the peace action that he and Tarak Kauff undertook at Shannon airport on St Patrick’s Day in 2019. Ken was an inspiration to peace activists in Ireland, in the USA and worldwide, and in addition to his activism in Ireland he also attended and helped to organise peaceful protests in the US, Palestine, Korea, Japan and elsewhere. I have no doubt that Ken in Resting in Peace and the world is a better place because of his life’s work.” For photos of Ken Mayers in action, see e.g. https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/48187813206/in/album-72157616378924274 and https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/48863510693/in/album-72157616378924274
Principles and practices of peace education
The Open University has a free introductory short course (12 hours study) produced in collaboration with Quakers in Britain on how peace might be built in everyday classroom practice. It introduces layers of peace education for children and young people, including inner-peace and wellbeing; interpersonal peace through positive relationships and constructive approaches to conflict; and critical thinking about the world beyond the classroom. See https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/principles-and-practices-peace-education/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab for details.