US researchers make timely return to north Mayo
In 2020, Dr. Hunter Vaughan, Assistant Professor of Ecomedia in the Department of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College, Boston, began a research project about the growth of both digital infrastructures and renewable energy infrastructures in Co. Mayo.
The former included subsea cable landing stations and data centres, while the latter encompassed solar panels and wind turbines.
Together with Dr. Meryl Shriver-Rice, Director of Research at the Institute for American Indian Studies, Dr. Vaughan carried out research in the Killala community over three weeks at the end of the Covid pandemic. They talked with local citizens and politicians, and hosted an event using techniques of photo elicitation and participatory mapping.
In Killala, the researchers gained insights into rich local knowledge and political aspirations for community revival when discussing data and energy infrastructure growth. The groups explored local needs and desires in the context of digital and renewable energy technologies, discussing geographical and aesthetic preferences in planning new infrastructure development while considering local people’s appreciation of Killala's architecture and coastal vistas.
Now benefitting from a second round of research grant funding, additional resources and planning time, and the partnership of Moy Valley Resources IRD, the team will return to Killala in July to conduct two days of public events. These meetings will focus on local feelings and desires, as well as perceived problems and benefits of renewable energy growth alongside internet infrastructure expansion.
Two open community events will take place on July 9 and 10 at 8.30 p.m. in Killala Community Centre, and one-to-one conversations can also be facilitated by prior arrangement.
It is innovative that the findings of the engagement between researchers and the public at the end of July will be made available to the local community in a written summary report. It will be placed at the service of interested local parties to raise awareness and visibility of the issues surrounding digital and renewable energy technology development. It will help support community agency and voice in this area of development and in this way, the community-based research conducted from 2020 comes full circle in that its findings may now have an impact on the place in which it was undertaken, and give back to those who contribute.
Refreshments and spot prizes will be available and an interesting evening’s discussion and interaction is assured.
If you would like the opportunity to speak to the researchers on a specific aspect of the topics at hand (biodiversity, ecology, agriculture, landscape protection, and so on) on a one-to-one basis, contact Annette Maughan, CEO of Moy Valley Resources IRD, to discuss same at amaughan@moyvalley.ie.