In this episode, we speak with Doris Noe, who together with her husband Chris Murphy, has fought for years against the building of a dual carriageway through wetlands between the freshwater lakes of Lough Neagh and Lough Beg. These lakes and the lands around them form precious wildlife habitats of international environmental significance. For 100s of years, Whooper swans have overwintered in pastureland after migrating from Iceland, feeding on the lush grass from October to April. Despite strong public protest and overwhelming scientific evidence for the need to protect these wetland habitats, alternative routes along were rejected in favour of 4 miles of new dual carriageway built, with no requirement for planning permission, north of an existing route and further fragmenting this special landscape. We discuss how Doris Noe, who together with her husband Chris Murphy, fought for years against the building of the road. We talk about birds, place, Seamus Heaney who grew up here, the finality of extinction and why Doris and Chris are still fighting for justice for these beautiful birds.

Some resources about Doris’ cause:

Controversial new A6 will brutalise Heaney country, says petition

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/controversial-new-a6-will-brutalise-heaney-country-says-petition/35027236.html

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland: Fighting for nature in a corner of Co. Down

http://www.natures-keepers.org/northernireland/portfolio/doris-noe-chris-murphy/

Ecocide in Heaney Country

https://vimeo.com/415894558

A6 upgrade: Environmentalist loses bid over 'Heaney' road

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39408566

Actor Stephen Rea calls route through Lough Beg wetlands 'beyond stupid'

https://www.change.org/p/save-heaney-country-ecocideinheaneycountry/u/22402952

In this episode we talk with Dr Nuala Flood, Fulbright Scholar and senior lecturer in Architecture at Queen’s University. In 2019, the School of Architecture declared a climate emergency, integrating climate action into every teaching, research and outreach activity. Each January, Nuala runs an intensive week-long course: Public CoLab. Students work in small teams with local and international experts to design ambitious, site-specific projects. This year’s theme was 'Lagan Futures'. We talk about the imaginative projects students designed for the river as public space, a 'possible Lagan', about climate grief and people's right to beautiful, liveable places shared with plants and animals.

References

Public CoLab 2023: Embracing Belfast's Riverfront as Public Space, edited by Dr Nuala Flood

https://issuu.com/nualafloodqub/docs/public_colab_2023_-_embracing_belfast_riverfront_l

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/nuala-flood

“Planners should be looking 200 years ahead to protect Belfast from climate crisis” by Shauna Corr, Belfast Live, 24 June 2022. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/planners-should-looking-200-years-24221030