The Columban Way is a rural community driven project focused on connecting communities using low impact walking tourism to provide socio-economic opportunities where large ticket tourism offerings are scarce on the ground. The project is staffed through 100% volunteering with support from Carlow County Council, Carlow Tourism and Failte Ireland. With your support we will be able to continue our work towards Bangor, Co. Down and through Europe to Bobbio, Italy.

We have come together to draw attention to a 28.87 acre site being sold in Carlow. Gateway & Adjoining Lands, Strawhall, Athy Road, Carlow Town, Co. Carlow is for sale by Greencore Group plc. Advertised as “Tremendous potential for further development” There is zero mentioning of any mature trees nor woodland within the advertisement; lot 6 has a well established woodland (Link below for sale details) We are calling on you to help us protect these trees from potential destruction. We want these woodland back as a public amenity. . We want to protect the wildlife under the Wildlife Act 1976 that call this place home already. Trees are vital to preserve and hugely important to biodiversity in the ongoing climate change. And as we have seen before, trees and woodlands removed overnight; we have come together to prevent this from happening. We need our trees! Though this is not solely about the trees and wildlife this is about the community coming together seeing the potential these lands already have for the community. For our future community. Protecting and enhancing our environment for future generations. And only a brisk walk away from our town centre. What we need? We need time. To buy time we need support. We need you to join us, sign our petitions, and share our social posts. Write your support to newspapers. Contact the local representatives. Contact the Carlow County Council. Spread the word for the love of our trees we are coming together! Already a large community has come together in Carlow and further nationwide to bring these woodlands into the public domain. We hope you will share some support and hopefully some day you will get to come visit 😉 Contact us [email protected] (Link to sale details below in "campaign website")

An Tánaiste comments about homeschooling can be read here: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41096002.html The socialising and isolating issue is brought up very often by those who do not know the rich and varied experiences home-educating and unschooling families have and share with each other. Despite the right of parents to be the primary educator of their children, protected by the Constitution, the Tánaiste’s comments reveal that he considers there is something misaligned in parents who chose home-education over sending their children to state schools, or something misaligned with their children as a result. It is a classic misperception by those who know little about home-education that children do not learn to socialise when educated at home, and that home-educating families are isolated or somehow removed from society at large, in an ignorant bubble, as the minister himself projected. Sometimes you find the truth when you turn 180 degrees. In all fairness, it's an understandable knee jerk reaction to think that without classroom activities, children don't socialise. The reality is radically different and backed up by studies. Homeschooled children do not only have ample time for visits with their school going friends, there are many wonderful home-ed communities to connect with any time of the week. You see, as a general rule, home-educating families love meeting with home-educating families. There's people across the length and breadth of this country meeting up, organising museum visits, art projects, play sessions, camping trips, shared educational opportunities etc etc. Furthermore home-educated and unschooled children meet with a variety of people throughout the day, the post man, the busker in the street, the person giving the guided tour just to them, their grandparents, etc. etc. Within home-education children's interactions are not restricted mostly to their own age groups and therfore there is an increase in having friendships with much younger or older children and adults too. It was deeply offensive to hear the comments from our Tánaiste who is meant to protect every child and person in the county. The comments crudely undermined our sincere efforts, and were regarding a case which anchored on religious beliefs and did not in any way represent the home-educating communities of Ireland. We ask Minister Martin to please make a retraction and restore the faith of this minority group by expressing respect for personal decisions regarding our families, as is our right. Home-educating and unschooling families and their children are very much part of modern Irish society, and their local communities. We are a Constitutionally protected minority, and in other countries this legality is deemed progressive and supportive of democratic choice. Photo by Sasko Lazarov

Endometriosis affects 200 million people worldwide and yet there's only 200 specialists globally to perform effective excision surgery. Every single day patients are suffering debilitating chronic pain, extreme fatigue and a variety of horrific symptoms which leaves us with zero quality of life. Our economy suffers because we are unable to work. In the UK endometriosis costs the economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and healthcare costs. A note from the organiser below. A chara, We invite you to join us for the Irish EndoMarch 2023 on Sunday 26th March. This event is part of the global EndoMarch movement, aimed at raising awareness about endometriosis, its associated issues, and creating a supportive community for those affected. Endometriosis has a significant impact on the lives of women in Ireland, and more needs to be done to improve diagnosis, treatment, and support for those affected by the condition. A dedicated multidisciplinary centre is required to improve care for those living with endometriosis in Ireland. Improved Diagnosis: A multidisciplinary centre would assemble an expert group from diverse backgrounds, encompassing gynaecologists, radiologists, pain management specialists, pelvic physiotherapists, and surgeons. This collaboration would result in a precise identification of endometriosis, leading to a prompt and accurate diagnosis for patients and reducing the requirement for multiple surgeries and procedures. In Ireland, the delay to diagnosis is an average of 9 years. Coordinated Care: A multidisciplinary centre would allow for seamless coordination of care, with all members of the team working together to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment plan. This would minimise the current issues faced by those with endometriosis and reduce the risk of miscommunication, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care. At present, women are left to source individual care providers with no standardised model of care. Access to Expertise: A multidisciplinary centre would bring together a team of specialists with a wealth of experience and expertise in endometriosis. Patients would have access to the latest treatments and technologies, as well as the expertise of specialists who are up-to-date on the latest research and developments in the field. It would also allow for Irish research teams to recruit participants and generate new research potential. Improved Quality of Life: A multidisciplinary centre would provide a comprehensive approach to care, including pain management and support for emotional and psychological well-being. This would help to improve the quality of life for patients with endometriosis, reducing the impact of the condition on their daily lives. It would reduce the delay to diagnosis, reduce the need for women to travel outside of Ireland for treatment and improve not only the health outcomes, but also the fertility outcomes of those availing of the services. It is imperative for both the medical community and society as a whole to give endometriosis the attention it deserves. It is crucial to listen to the experiences of individuals living with endometriosis in Ireland and to have faith in women's accounts. Whether you have personal experience with endometriosis or simply want to support the cause, this event is open to everyone who is passionate about improving endometriosis health and awareness outcomes. To register for the event and for more information, please visit the EndoMarch 2023 event page on Eventbrite: https://EndoMarch2023.eventbrite.ie We hope to see you there to join us in the campaign to raise awareness about endometriosis. Sincerely, Kathleen King Team Ireland EndoMarch 2023

Another 7 wind turbines are proposed to be built on a mountain above Glencar in Leitrim, which already has been exploited by the wind industry more than any other Irish county. These turbines would carry the name "Charafenna wind farm" and would expand and connect with the pre-existing Carrickeeney windfarm, as well as the additional and current proposal for another 18 machines on Dough Mountain to the East. It would require excavations to create a cable connection across 9 Kilometres of farmland to the electrical substation at Manorhamilton, a significant widening of the high mountain road, the addition of a new circular industrial service road on the top of the mountain, plus 7 additional buildings (one for each turbine). Each machine would be at least 150m tall and very visible from the head of the Glencar Lake Valley and the world famous Devil’s Chimney waterfall. They would overshadow a great many residential homes in close proximity as well as their turbary rights on the mountain above, producing severe noise pollution and shadow flicker, devaluation of property and a loss of local jobs in tourism and other fields. —— From this elevation there are magnificent views across the Glencar and Glenade valleys as well as an astounding vista right across Donegal bay to the distant mountains above Killybegs. Home to hen harriers, barn owls, golden eagles, sparrowhawks, buzzards, kites, grouse, red squirrels, pine martens, hares, bats, foxes, badgers and bees - This is quite simply one of the most pristine places in Leitrim and indeed Ireland. —— And whilst of course the world is in dire need of better solutions to our energy issues, it is easy to understand that this old technology cannot possibly be the best solution. - Firstly we need widespread education to encourage every household to wake up and cut their own energy usage…there are a myriad of simple ways to do this. - For energy generation we need to be investing in far more progressive thinking than we currently do - this could perhaps include offshore windfarms instead (although not good for marine life), wave power generation, solar collection and other far less obtrusive and destructive technologies. - Wind turbines have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years and are not biodegradeable or recyclable. They end up in landfill. - They create a significant loss of biodiversity - in this case, affecting a rich and specific local fauna which includes rare and protected species. —— When making decisions which directly affect the community, our ancestors traditionally considered the impact upon at least 7 future generations. Would that we in Ireland were still this wise and forward thinking… What will our children and grandchildren say about us when they realise that we selfishly made irreversible, ignorant decisions which altered and destroyed the mountains and inhabitants of these very special places? These lands were beloved of W.B.Yeats, our great poet and thinker, who would surely be turning in his grave to see Glencar progressively overshadowed by major industry? —— In recent years Leitrim County Council has had a history of leniency in its responses to such applications, a stance which now needs to be scrutinised and reevaluated to be in line with the future, not the past. It is time that our authorities cease to think in purely monetary terms, ticking boxes to benefit themselves and their industral partners, but instead to begin to lead with impeccability and forward thinking so as to leave behind a legacy from which everyone in Ireland may benefit. Please add your voice and your intent to this petition, so that together we may share and cherish this precious land for many more centuries to come, and wisely show the way into the future for new generations who may better care for it as well as for one another…

The pressure of home work can effect children's mental health and well being and that of their parents. If you agree please join me in this petition.

Society relies on trade work and to encourage uptake and retention of apprentices they need to be paid properly. Apprentices are working very long work weeks without being adequately paid, leading to apprentices dropping out and pursuing different careers

It is important that the level of anger, frustration and concern from teachers across Ireland about these changes is shared with the Minister and Department of Education so that they understand why these requirements are making it increasingly difficult for teachers to upskill, train and qualify for their EPV days entitlements and CPD certification.

Homework for younger children can cause unnecessary stress just before bedtime and eat into what little leisure time families have during during the week. In a typical household with working parents, by the time children are collected from childcare, have eaten dinner and completed their homework, its already time to being bedtime routines. Instead, parents could spend valuable time playing with their children or engaging in physical activities with them that would allow them to sleep better and have a more positive and fun time with their parents. Take Finland as an example. Finland regularly tops international polls for their high educational standards and Finnish schools do not have homework. For the wellbeing of families and educational outcomes - homework in primary school children should be banned now. Homework can be very important for developing independent learning skills in older children but research shows that it has little impact on the learning development of younger children and can actually increase the gap in attainment for disadvantaged students. https://theconversation.com/primary-school-children-get-little-academic-benefit-from-homework-181652 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1501844

Castlemartyr National School is based on the busy N25 Cork to Waterford road, less than 200 metres from a busy junction as well as having an adjacent road servicing an estate. The school has been supported by a traffic warden for over 30 years but since November, the school has had to do without a warden due to the safety concerns expressed by a number of wardens who have held the position. Although this position is actively being recruited for, it still leaves the issue of safety around the area of paramount concern. Traffic surveys carried out at the areas have shown that a large percentage of passing traffic will regularly break the speed limit which is set at 50km/h. Footpaths opposite the school are extremely narrow and passing traffic is less than one metre away from anyone using those footpaths. This can mean that large trucks and other vehicles can be traveling at 50Km/h less than one meter away from children or families with buggies walking to and from school. The School has 245 students with over 170 families as part of its community with many having to travel to the school, particularly families from Mogeely. Children cycling or using a Scooter to get to school have no option but to use the road or narrow footpath. Parking in the locality is extremely limited due to the size of the car park in the school. Many people have to find parking locally and then walk to the school. The entrance to the car park at the school is less than 5 metres from the entrance to Kiltha park which means that there are three lanes of traffic that need to be navigated when crossing the road close to the school. This also causes concern for local residents as driveways may be used for turning or parking when dropping or picking up children. The N25 sees upwards of 15,000 vehicles pass through Castlemartyr each day. With such a large volume of traffic passing through a populated village it is vital that the safety of pedestrian and motorists alike is addressed with the highest urgency. https://trafficdata.tii.ie/sitedashboard.asp?sgid=XZOA8M4LR27P0HAO3_SRSB&spid=5229D2644906 The list can go on but we need action and we need your support, we want Castlemartyr to be a safe place for children going to and from school. Some form of traffic calming has to take place. Please sign and share this petition to show your support and help us ensure our children can walk safely to school.

Children between 0-18 years of age have a legally protected ‘right to play’. By changing the zoning from community/playground to housing - on November 1st 2022, the full council violated the public sector duty and breached children’s right to play, beside Inchicore sports centre. The zoning vote on November 1st 2022 was the culmination of the downgrading of the pitches by Dublin City Council. The pitches were declared 'unsafe' by an inspector from Dublin City Council and then they were locked, and new security company signs erected. New sirens had been installed and went off warning children to leave the pitch when they played there. The children had to cut a hole in the fence and break into the pitch to be able to play there. The children and their parents ignore these sirens and messages from the loud speaker. The council are actively driving people away from using the pitch. Decalaring the pitch a 'health hazard' is unacceptable and currently children have to trespass to access the basket ball/football playing pitches. Local people deserve better and will not stand for removal of sports facilities.

It's important that we can educate our kids in a non religious environment. As well as having a low cost School for those who struggle with paying for uniforms ,book etc.