Community leaders come together to tackle Mayo’s sustainability challenges
A BROAD spectrum of representatives from community, voluntary, public and private organisations across Mayo gathered in ATU Mayo last Thursday for “Mayo Rising,” a collaborative event aimed at charting a sustainable future for the county.
The event, hosted at the ATU Mayo campus in Castlebar, brought together stakeholders committed to addressing the growing environmental and social sustainability challenges facing communities in the region. The initiative was supported by the Sunflower Charitable Foundation through Community Foundation Ireland.
Organisations represented on the day included Mayo County Council, ATU Mayo, CARO, Foróige, Leave No Trace, and Mayo Community Initiatives, among others. The event was built around two core sessions, with a morning panel featuring a diverse range of speakers involved in social, economic, cultural and environmental efforts across Mayo.
The afternoon saw attendees participate in a World Café format, a facilitated dialogue designed to surface practical ideas and actionable steps to progress the county’s sustainability journey.
Dr Deirdre Garvey, Head of the Department of Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences at ATU Mayo, noted the important role played by participants in shaping the event.
“The event was designed by participants on the ATU Sustainability Leadership postgraduate programme and highlighted not just the challenges but the great work that is happening throughout Mayo in our communities,” she said.
Topics under discussion included climate change, biodiversity loss, conservation, light pollution, renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainable travel, food forest planting, and nature restoration programmes.
Dr Garvey added, “We were delighted to host 13 different speakers, sharing their work and providing an opportunity to connect with others. It was a really insightful day with great engagement from all those who attended. We look forward to following up on all we have learned and our collective 'next steps'.”
The event marks a growing momentum in Mayo towards stronger community-led sustainability initiatives, with a focus on partnership, innovation, and long-term environmental stewardship.