Send us a text

Did you know that only 2% of the forest cover in Ireland is made up of native trees? 

On this episode, Oisín Ó Néill, one of the Directors of the Gaelic Woodland Project discusses his journey from solicitor to grassroots environmental advocate, emphasising the critical link between local action and policy change. We also discuss all things biodiversity in Ireland. He tells us about the unregulated invasive species cherry laurel, and the broader issues facing Irish forestry, like non-native plantations, overgrazing by deer and why it may not be time for wolves to make a comeback in Ireland. 

Gaeilge is also a central part of the Gaelic Woodland Projects' work. We discuss how natural heritage and linguistic heritage are connected and how we are still seeing the impacts of Ireland's colonial history manifest in our natural environment today. 

This episode was recorded as part of the Wiki Loves Earth 2025 Campaign and photo competition. You can find out how to enter and win prizes here. 

If you're attending Bloom festival this year, Oisín will be at the Sustainable Living Stage on Saturday at 16:45 for a discussion panel about invasive species. Tickets for the festival are available via Ticket Master.

Resources Mentioned: 

• The National Biodiversity Data Centre offers a range of resources on pollinator-friendly plants that won’t play havoc on our ecosystems, including species and guidelines for gardens.
• Protecting Woodlands and The Cherry Laurel Project.
• Hometree charity
• Rhodedenderon Rangers
• Mary Renyolds 
• Gaelic Woodland Project Instagram @gaelicwoodlandproject
• Website: gaelicwoodlandproject.com
• National Parks and Wildlife Service

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

Rising Voices is a Global Voices outreach project that supports underrepresented communities who want to tell their own stories using digital media. By offering training, resources, microgrants, and mentoring, the initiative helps these communities, especially those speaking endangered or indigenous languages, join the global conversation and share their perspectives online. 

Wikimedia Community Ireland recently joined their campaign that brings together a diverse group of Wikimedia Affiliate Groups to co-organize local workshops focused on digital activism for Indigenous, minoritized, or low-resource languages. 

These workshops will incorporate elements of the Rising Voices – UNESCO toolkit project “Digital Initiatives for Indigenous Languages,” which has been adapted to a number of virtual and in-person workshops over the past several years.

In this episode, we talk to Lucy, a member of the IgboWikimedian Group who are taking part in the initiative. We learn more about her unique and diverse language community, the challenges they face and the importance of initiatives like Rising Voices in strengthening their language in the digital space.

About Our Guest 

Lucy Chinyeaka Iwuala is a Wikimedian, language professional, and cultural heritage advocate dedicated to bridging digital gaps for African languages. With a focus on Igbo and other indigenous African languages, she works to expand online content, empower women contributors, and leverage technology for linguistic preservation. Her initiatives combine digital literacy training with community-driven projects to ensure underrepresented voices take part in shaping the digital narrative of Africa’s cultural heritage.
 
Igbo Wikimedians User Group (Nigeria) represented here by Lucy Iwuala

Igbo language is one of the most spoken ethnic languages in Nigeria and is spoken by the Igbo people who are native to the present-day South Eastern Nigeria with an estimated population of 34 million (2016 est.), excluding Igbo people in the diaspora. Small ethnic Igbo populations are also found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

The aim of the Igbo Wikimedians User Group is to leverage on this huge number of people who speak the Igbo language to ensure that content production and consumption in the various Igbo Language platforms of Wikimedia is given front row focus.

Resources and Books mentioned:

• ÌGBÒ: A beginner's guide to learn how to read, understand, speak and write the Ìgbò language by Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu
• Omenka App 
• 'Things Fall Apart', a novel by Chinua Achebe
• Global Voices Website:

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

What is folklore, really? Is it just old stories, or is it something much more alive, shaping who we are today? In this episode of the WCI Podcast we sit down with Fáin, a folklorist, oral storyteller, and multimedia creator, to explore the living, evolving nature of folklore—and how we can all engage with it.

Fáin, who studied under the legendary Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, has worked with the National Leprechaun Museum and now shares Irish folklore through YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch, where they combine traditional storytelling with open knowledge advocacy. We discuss everything from colonial influences on folklore, the hidden histories of Ireland, and even how folklore shapes national identity and cultural resistance.

As a judge for Wiki Loves Folklore 2025, Fáin also shares what they hope to see in this year’s photo and writing contests. If you're interested in folklore, open knowledge, or storytelling, this episode is packed with insights, untold stories, and ways you can get involved in preserving and sharing our cultural heritage.

📷 Want to take part in Wiki Loves Folklore?
Submit your photos and articles before March 31st!
🔗 Find out more at wikimedia.ie

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!

Fáin is Hog and Dice on Socials @hoganddice (Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 

Books Mentioned: 

‘Locating Irish Folklore’ - Diarmuid Ó Giolláin

'The Festival of Brigit' by Séamas Ó Catháin

Stone lifting account mentioned: @IndianaStones 

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

We are delighted to be kicking off the new year with Pauline Cummins for  Art+Feminism.

 Art+Feminism is an International Wikimedia Campaign that dares us to imagine and initiate a more equal world, starting with the internet. The vision of the Art+Feminism Project is to actively create an internet that reflects diverse global histories of art-making, where communities who have most often been written out of history feel welcome and empowered to participate in writing (and righting) stories.

In this episode, we are joined by Pauline Cummins, an Irish sculptor, painter, performance and video artist from Dublin, currently based in Rua Red. Cummins was previously a lecturer at the National College of Art and Design and was the founding chairperson of the Women Artists Action Group. Her performance and video work examines the human condition from a feminist perspective. Her practice explores themes of the political body, activism, human rights and gender.

She tells us about how she helped set up the Women Artists Action Group in 1987 in response to the exclusion women artists faced at that time. She explains that community and international collaboration were key in advocating for women's rights along with a healthy dose of stubborn determination!

We also discuss the impact that our current digital landscape is having on art and together we envision what a truly feminist internet would look like.

If you are looking for an inspiring conversation that is sure to replenish your determination to fight for what you believe in then this is the episode for you!

• To learn more about the international Art+Feminism Campaign please visit artandfeminism.org 
• To find out more about Cummins' work and upcoming shows please visit PaulineCummins.com

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

 In this special Heritage Week 2024 episode, we explore the transformative power of digital technology in preserving Ireland's rich cultural heritage. Join us as we chat with Gary Dempsey, co-founder of Digital Heritage Age, who shares how his innovative work is empowering communities across Ireland to protect and promote their local history through cutting-edge digital projects.

About Gary Dempsey:

Gary is a dedicated heritage professional with over a decade of experience in the field. As a co-founder and the Creative Director of Digital Heritage Age, Gary leads innovative projects that integrate technology and heritage to enhance community engagement and education. He also imparts his extensive knowledge and expertise as a lecturer at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) - Galway City, where he teaches a variety of modules including Heritage, Film, Animation, and Game Design.

Since beginning his career in heritage management in 2010, Gary has developed a keen interest in community heritage management, collection, and promotion. His passion for the field is evident in his current research, which focuses on the historical role of stonemasons in medieval Ireland.

Digital Heritage Age is a heritage collective who explore the intersection of technology, heritage, and community. Our mission is to utilize innovative digital tools to preserve, protect, and promote our shared cultural heritage, working closely with communities to ensure their voices and perspectives are included in the process.  We aim to foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of our collective heritage, and inspire future generations to continue the legacy of preservation and innovation. Harnessing the power of technology to unlock a new era of cultural heritage preservation. DH_Age can be contacted through their website (Digitalheritageage.com) or on social media (@DH_Age) Twitter

More socials and contact - https://linktr.ee/dh_age

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

Hosted by Sophie Fitzpatrick, Project and Communications Manager, and Amy O'Riordan, Irish Language Officer, at Wikimedia Community Ireland, and joined by Catherine Cleary of Pocket Forests this episode explores Catherine’s community project for climate action in Ireland as part of the Wiki for Human Rights Campaign 2024. 

This year, as we mark the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the #WikiForHumanRights campaign is more relevant than ever. The campaign is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to neutral, fact-based, and up-to-date information to advocate for a sustainable future that places every human’s right to a healthy environment at the forefront.  

Our focus is not just on the Right to a Healthy Environment but also on how understanding how community driven action can lead us to sustainable solutions.

As we dive into grassroots initiatives with Catherine, co-founder of Pocket Forests, we explore how local action and open knowledge are crucial in advocating for environmental justice and human rights.

The campaign encourages Wikimedia communities to document and share knowledge on how human rights inform sustainable practices. Whether it's through regional writing contests or community events, the aim is to highlight issues crucial to local contexts, from environmental rights to broader sustainability challenges.

Join us in this journey to empower communities with the knowledge they need to secure a sustainable and just future.

Find out more at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiForHumanRights

Take part in the Wiki Loves Earth International Photography Competition, find more information here:

https://wikimedia.ie/2024/05/23/wiki-loves-earth-photo-competition-2024-returns-to-ireland-this-june/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Earth_2024_in_Ireland

Our Guest for this Episode

Catherine is a co-founder of Pocket Forests and has almost three decades of experience as a journalist and author. She is ambitious about developing strategic partnerships in environmental action with real impact that create a just transition to a more sustainable world. She has created several podcasts including The Pocket Forests Podcast

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

Hosted by Sophie Fitzpatrick, Project and Communications Manager at Wikimedia Community Ireland, and joined by Amy O'Riordan, the Irish Language Officer, this episode explores the Wiki Woman Erasmus Plus project on International Women's Day 2024.

The theme "Inspire Inclusion" prompts us to reimagine a world free from gender bias, aligning with our Wiki Celebrate Women Campaign. Uncover the challenges of the gender gap on Wikipedia, where less than 20% of biographies feature women and non-binary individuals.

Learn about the ongoing WikiWomen Erasmus+ project's collaboration with partners in Ireland, the Basque Country, and Friesland, addressing gaps in participation and content. Amy shares insights into creating multilingual educational toolkits, fostering language activism, and promoting inclusivity through active Wikipedia work.

Find out more at https://www.wikiwomen.eu/

Join our Edit-a-thon as Gaeilge for International Women's Day, check out more information here:

https://wikimedia.ie/2024/02/28/eagaraton-vicipeide-do-la-idirnaisiuntan-na-mban-ar-line-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-for-international-womens-day-2024-online/

And sign directly up via the dashboard here:

https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_Ireland/Eagarat%C3%B3n_do_L%C3%A1_Idirnaisi%C3%BAntan_na_mBan_Edit-a-thon_for_IWD_(8_March,_2024)

To find more information on global Wikimedia events for International Women's Day through the Celebrate Women campaign, visit the Meta page here:

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Celebrate_Women

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

In this enchanting episode, we delve into the magical realms of Welsh folklore and bardic traditions with our special guest, Mhara Starling. Hailing from North Wales and raised on the Isle of Anglesey, Mhara is not only a native Welsh speaker but also a transgender woman deeply immersed in traditional practices since childhood. Known for her popular witchcraft videos on TikTok, Mhara is a celebrant, tarot reader, and the author of 'Welsh Witchcraft,' a celebrated exploration of the magical traditions rooted in the landscape of Wales. 

As part of our ongoing commitment to the WikiLovesFolklore project's Feminism and Folklore campaign, this episode uncovers the rich tapestry of Welsh folklore with some of its feminist folk tales and how women were, in fact, central to many of the societal roles that previously had been solely attributed to men. From the mystical concept of Awen to the deep connection with the natural world, explore the intersections of language, culture, and magic. Get ready for a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of Welsh traditions with our delightful guest.

Books and Resources mentioned by Mhara in the Podcast: 

• Four Branches of the Mabinogi
  • Learn more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion
  • And here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi
  • You can find Lady Charlotte Guest's translation here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5160/5160-h/5160-h.htm
• The Mabinogion (2008) translated by Sioned Davies
• Pagan Portals - Rhiannon: Divine Queen of the Celtic Britons by 
  Jhenah Telyndru
• Pagan Portals - Blodeuwedd: Welsh Goddess of Seasonal Sovereignty by 
  Jhenah Telyndru
• Forthcoming Anthology by Ninth Wave Press: https://sisterhoodofavalon.org/ninth-wave-press/
• Cerridwen: Celtic Goddess of Inspiration by Kristoffer Hughes

Find Mhara on Social Media: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mhara_starling/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MharaStarling
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mhara_starling
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mharastarling2730?feature=shared

From her publisher:

• Author Profile: https://www.llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=6824
• Author Blogpost:

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

Dia dhaoibh agus fáilte - Hello and welcome to the premiere episode of our podcast, brought to you by Wikimedia Community Ireland. I'm Amy, the Irish Language Officer with Wikimedia Community Ireland, and I'm thrilled to be your host for this episode.

In this episode, we delve into the enchanting world of folklore and feminism as part of the WikiLovesFolklore campaign. Joining me is Orlagh Costello, an educator and devoted follower of Brigid – both the Irish Goddess and Saint.

We explore intriguing questions, such as discerning between the Goddess and the Saint, understanding Brigid as a poet, smith, and healer, and exploring the notion of Brigid as a title. Orlagh sheds light on the sources documenting Brigid's life, discussing their reliability amidst Christian influences and biases.

We also unravel the mystery of why Brigid isn't Ireland's patron saint, examining historical narratives and patriarchal reasons why Brigid was snubbed for the title of Patron Saint of Ireland. Orlagh shares her favorite stories of Brigid, offering insights into the Goddess she works with.

As this episode airs on Brigid's Day, the 1st of February, Orlagh reveals common practices observed across Ireland by devotees of Brigid. And, of course, we find out where you can connect with Orlagh and her rich resources on all things Brigid.

Join us on this captivating journey into Irish folklore, tradition, and the vibrant realm of Wikimedia Community Ireland. Let's celebrate the spirit of free knowledge together!


Links & Resources:

You can find Orlagh here: https://mybrigidsforge.com/

---

This podcast episode will shortly be made available on the Wikimedia Community Ireland YouTube Channel. 

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!