A recent gathering of community members, young and old, convened in the heart of the Burren for a May Tree Dance celebration, marking the launch of ‘Turas – Journeys in Stewardship’ project.
This initiative by Burrenbeo Trust, supported by Creative Ireland, aims to engage the Burren community in collective action towards environmental stewardship in response to the urgent challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity loss.
The May Tree dance celebration, reminiscent of the traditional ‘Dancing at the Crossroads’, served as a poignant reminder of the pivotal moment we find ourselves in – where the decisions we make today will profoundly impact generations to come. As we navigate this critical juncture, Turas seeks to inspire individuals to reconsider their relationship with the land and nature, drawing inspiration from the unique landscape and transhumance traditions of the Burren.
Dancer Edwina Guckian who curated the May Tree dance event which included music, song, dance, and folklore traditions, said “My work on the Turas project with Burrenbeo Trust is about bringing community together through Irish folk traditions and calendar customs. Reconnecting them with each other and the land by revisiting ideas of farming and celebrating nature just as our ancestors did here for thousands of years. Community is the future and the future is local”.
Throughout the year, Turas will collaborate with creative partners including dancer Edwina Guckian, writer Anja Murray, and food historian Max Jones to showcase the stories of those who have taken action for biodiversity conservation. Through a series of events over the course of a year, Turas aims to invite participants to engage with the concept of stewardship, where we all play a role in determining the futures of our places. In highlighting various Burrenbeo programmes that foster action for heritage and biodiversity, providing tangible routes for individuals to enact change in their own setting. This includes Farming for Nature Ambassadors, Heritage Keepers participants, The Hare’s Corner participants, and Burrenbeo Conservation Volunteers.
Speaking about the Turas project Burrenbeo Coordinator Áine Bird explained, “We’re delighted to be working with our creative partners, drawing inspiration from the Burren’s iconic landscape and transhumance traditions. The various events and outputs will hopefully motivate people to reimagine their relationship with land and nature and Burrenbeo can then actively support people to take their first step on their stewardship journey by offering them opportunities to implement simple – but impactful and empowering – nature-based solutions to climate change”.
The next event in the Turas project is the concert “From Stone to Sea – a celebration of place,” in partnership with the Kinvara Community Orchestra, scheduled for June 2nd and 3rd in Kinvara. Featuring creative partners of the Turas project, including poet Jane Clarke and concertina player Jack Talty, the concert promises to pay homage to local culture and heritage while underscoring the imperative of environmental stewardship.
For further details on the Turas project and forthcoming events, please visit burrenbeo.com/turas.
Burrenbeo Trust is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The fund supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural transformations.