21st Gathering comes to the Sperrins / Na Speiríní for the first time
Major gathering to protect nature, rural communities, water, peatlands and cultural heritage.
Campaigners and communities from across Ireland will come together in the Sperrins / Na Speiríní for a major gathering to protect nature, rural communities, water, peatlands and cultural heritage.
The Gathering will take place in the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the historic Silverbrook Mill, Donemana / Dunamanagh in Tyrone on Saturday, June 20th.
Set at the entrance to a wooded gorge of the River Dennett, Silverbrook Mill is a unique heritage site, understood to be the only known example in the country of three traditional water powered mills on one complex.
The first Gathering was held in Derry in November 2017 in response to the illegal landfill site at Mobuoy.
Since then, its organisers describe it as having “grown into an ongoing space for connection, campaigning and shared learning, with conversations on Rights of Nature, planning, health, waste crime, language and creativity, and the Aarhus Convention”.
Hosted in partnership with local grassroots campaigns including Save The Moat – Save The Sperrins, Save Our Sperrins and Damien Devine from Foyle River –Catchment Outdoor Group (FROG) CIC, the event comes at a time of “growing concern around industrial development, environmental destruction, and the future of rural landscapes across the island of Ireland”.
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A Gathering co-organiser said: “The Sperrins are facing increasing pressure from major industrial proposals across the Sperrins AONB, threats to peatlands and watercourses, biodiversity loss, cumulative landscape impacts and the underassessment of sensitive upland ecosystems.
“These issues are not isolated, that they are part of a wider pattern in which rural communities, protected landscapes and fragile ecosystems are being asked to carry the burden of large scale development without proper recognition of cumulative impacts, community wellbeing, cultural heritage or environmental limits,” they added.
“The theme of this year’s Gathering is Bogland, Water, Mountains, reflecting both the beauty of the Sperrins and the urgent need to protect the natural systems that sustain life, health and community in the area. Throughout the day, attendees can take part in a guided walk, guided bus tours into the Sperrins, aquatic lifecycle workshops, resilience and wellbeing sessions, storytelling, music, art, dance, archery, stalls and community discussions.
“The Gathering is about building solidarity, resilience and hope. It is about people coming together to protect what matters most: our water, our environment, our landscapes, our heritage and our communities.
“The Sperrins are a living landscape, not an industrial sacrifice zone. This event is about creating connections, sharing knowledge and reminding each other that none of us are alone in these struggles. It is about standing together with compassion, courage and collective strength,” said the co-organiser.
Speakers, musicians and contributors throughout the afternoon will include community campaigners, environmental voices and artists. Guest speakers include Gerry McGovern, Alex Sloane, Damien Devine, Save The Moat – Save The Sperrins, Save Our Sperrins and Save Benbradagh.Musicians include, Kathy Dunphy, Paddy Nash, Conor O’Kane, Stone Resistance and The Earth Mamas.
A special Rights of Nature Declaration for the Sperrins will also take place during the day, alongside a newly composed dance to celebrate the beauty, spirit and living heritage of the Sperrins.
The day will be followed by dinner and an evening music session, and musicians playing throughout the day include
The Gathering is free to attend, with tickets available through Eventbrite: (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1987989379750?aff=oddtdtcreator). People are encouraged to book in advance so organisers can plan for numbers for walks, workshops, food and camping.
There will be workshops and archery suitable for both children and adults running throughout the day, alongside stalls, music, art, community activities and aquatic lifecycle workshops facilitated by FROG CIC.
‘The Sperrins are facing increasing pressure from major industrial proposals across the Sperrins AONB’
Hill Top Café will be onsite between approximately 5pm and 6pm serving hot food, with vegan and vegetarian options available to purchase.
Everyone is welcome. The Gathering is for anyone who cares about nature, water, mountains, peatlands, communities, connection, culture, heritage, learning, music, art, environmental protection or community action.
Organisers stress that people do not have to be part of a campaign to attend. The event is open to families, individuals, children, young people, older people and anyone curious about what is happening in the Sperrins and across the country.