In this episode, host Alan Swan speaks with Dolly Dunne from the Irish Wheelchair Association and Trevor Gillespie from the Delta Centre to discover how Carlow is proving that true sustainability isn't possible without accessibility. From specially designed raised garden beds to sensory gardens that calm the mind and restore the spirit, this episode reveals an essential truth: when we design environmental projects with accessibility at their core, we create better spaces for everyone.
About Carlow's Eco Journey: Carlow's Eco Journey shines a spotlight on the county's vibrant environmental actions quietly taking place, and the inspiring individuals and groups behind them. From conservation efforts and heritage protection to inclusive green initiatives and creative climate solutions, each episode captures the spirit of collaboration and care that defines Carlow's approach to climate action.
Credits: Produced by Carlow County Council in association with Creative Ireland. Hosted by Alan Swan. Executive Producer: Dee Sewell (Carlow County Council). Sound Production, Design & Research: SwanMcG. Special thanks to: Carlow County Council Environmental & Climate Action Team, Creative Ireland Carlow & Stakeholders. This project is funded and supported by Creative Ireland Carlow and Carlow Arts Office.
For more information: https://carlow.ie/
Eight-year-olds conducting energy audits. University students partnering with local organisations on sustainability projects. A generation that doesn't need to be convinced climate action matters - they already know. In this episode, host Alan Swan speaks with Susanne Keating from Carlow Educate Together National School and David Ryan from South East Technological University to discover how young people in Carlow aren't waiting for permission to create change. From building bug hotels and wildflower meadows to implementing real-world circular economy solutions, this episode reveals that the next generation isn't paralysed by eco-anxiety - they're activated by eco-action.
About Carlow's Eco Journey: Carlow's Eco Journey shines a spotlight on the county's vibrant environmental actions quietly taking place, and the inspiring individuals and groups behind them. From conservation efforts and heritage protection to inclusive green initiatives and creative climate solutions, each episode captures the spirit of collaboration and care that defines Carlow's approach to climate action.
Credits: Produced by Carlow County Council in association with Creative Ireland. Hosted by Alan Swan. Executive Producer: Dee Sewell (Carlow County Council). Sound Production, Design & Research: SwanMcG. Special thanks to: Carlow County Council Environmental & Climate Action Team, Creative Ireland Carlow & Stakeholders. This project is funded and supported by Creative Ireland Carlow and Carlow Arts Office.
For more information: https://carlow.ie/
A broken barber’s chair. Two black sacks of wool. And the volunteers who refused to let either go to waste. In this episode, host Alan Swan meets Frank Morris from Tullow Men’s Shed and Bernie Patterson from Bosom Buddies - Carlow Women's Shed to explore how these community spaces are tackling isolation, repairing what’s broken, and helping people rediscover purpose and pride. From restoring heritage pieces to creating “twiddle muffs” for Alzheimer’s patients, these sheds are proving that sustainability isn’t just about recycling, it’s about renewal, connection, and keeping local skills alive.
About Carlow’s Eco Journey:
Carlow’s Eco Journey shines a spotlight on the county’s vibrant environmental actions quietly taking place, and the inspiring individuals and groups behind them. From conservation efforts and heritage protection to inclusive green initiatives and creative climate solutions, each episode captures the spirit of collaboration and care that defines Carlow’s approach to climate action.
Credits:
Produced by Carlow County Council in association with Creative Ireland
Hosted by Alan Swan
Executive Producer: Dee Sewell (Carlow County Council)
Sound Production, Design & Research: SwanMcG
Special thanks to: Carlow County Council Environmental & Climate Action Team, Creative Ireland Carlow & Stakeholders
This project is funded and supported by Creative Ireland Carlow and Carlow Art Office.
For more information: https://carlow.ie/
What happens when clubs ask a different question, not "what do we have to give up," but "how can we do this better?" In this episode, host Alan Swan speaks with Cliona Connolly and Pamela Deegan from Carlow Lawn Tennis Club, and Keith Moran from Carlow Town Hurling and Camogie Club to hear how volunteers tackled rising energy bills and waste with practical fixes that made facilities better, not worse. From insulation, LEDs, and smarter heating to a boot-swap, reusable cups, and bee-friendly planting, the clubs show how climate action can save money, build pride, and strengthen community.
About Carlow's Eco Journey:
Carlow's Eco Journey shines a spotlight on the county's vibrant environmental actions quietly taking place, and the inspiring individuals and groups behind them. From conservation efforts and heritage protection to inclusive green initiatives and creative climate solutions, each episode captures the spirit of collaboration and care that defines Carlow's approach to climate action.
Credits:
Produced by Carlow County Council in association with Creative Ireland. Hosted by Alan Swan. Executive Producer: Dee Sewell (Carlow County Council). Sound Production, Design and Research: SwanMcG. Special thanks to: Carlow County Council Environmental and Climate Action Team, Creative Ireland Carlow and Stakeholders. This project is funded and supported by Creative Ireland Carlow and Carlow Arts Office.
For more information: https://carlow.ie/
There's a 9,555-year-old raised bog hidden in County Carlow. And there's a walking trail that connects eleven villages across 100 kilometers, following in the footsteps of a 6th-century Irish monk. What do these two have in common? They're both being preserved, restored, and celebrated by ordinary people, volunteers who somehow find the time to protect the landscape that defines their home.
In this episode, host Alan Swan sits down with two remarkable people dedicated to protecting very different parts of Carlow's landscape. Jules Michael, an artist who got "sucked into the whole world of bogs" when asked to design a poster for the Drummin Bog Project. And Damian Howard, a volunteer with the Friends of Columbanus Myshall working on the Columban Way, a 100-kilometer pilgrimage route.
Their stories reveal something essential: protecting our environment isn't just about conservation. It's about connection, community, heritage, and the deep human need to belong to a place.
About Carlow's Eco Journey:
Carlow's Eco Journey shines a spotlight on the county's vibrant environmental actions quietly taking place, and the inspiring individuals and groups behind them. From conservation efforts and heritage protection to inclusive green initiatives and creative climate solutions, each episode captures the spirit of collaboration and care that defines Carlow's approach to climate action.
Credits:
Produced by Carlow County Council in association with Creative Ireland Hosted by Alan Swan Executive Producer: Dee Sewell (Carlow County Council) Sound Production, Design & Research: SwanMcG. Special thanks to: Carlow County Council Environmental & Climate Action Team, Creative Ireland Carlow & Stakeholders. For more information: https://carlow.ie/