Another trip round the sun is almost done as we approach Grianstad an Geimhridh – the Winter Solstice, when days start to get longer and we look forward to the Spring. It’s the time of year to be with the people you love – to rest, reflect and dream about the future. In the people’s gardens we are thinking about what we want to build and grow next and how far we have come together.

We started off 2025 with the usual stuff, plotting and planning about how to tan an eel skin, organise a Taylor Swift concert (whoever that is) and grow a Banana in sub zero temperatures. We dreamed about how to make a magic forest happen and establish a farmers market, without a farm.

Plans were made and then came the rallying call as always -‘Na habair é déan é!’ ‘Don’t say it, do it! Hands up who can help?’

The gardeners – also known as community workers, teachers, students, youth workers, engineers, young people, pensioners, asylum seekers, joiners, homeless people and many more, got to work turning ideas into action. We were joined by thousands of people who live around the gardens to plant vegetables and remember ancient ways and skills, harness energy from the sun and rain, and make potions from flowers that make you feel good. We made loads of pizza in the clay oven and marshmallows on the fire. We had Samhain S’mores celebrations with hundreds of kids and not one, but two, People’s Farms. Then we set up a food box scheme (Sure, why not?) so everyone could get the best food from local farmers who care about the planet.

[Tearmann Éiru was] one of many a Meitheal that harnessed the great power of our communities and our friends in various institutions, universities and construction industries, to take positive local action in the face of climate change.

We built Tearmann Éiru – an outdoor youth sanctuary in honour of the Síogaí and Ireland’s ancient gods – who also love swings, a tree house and places to grow food, make fires and sit about doing nothing but listening to birds and watching flowers grow. This was one of many a Meitheal that harnessed the great power of our communities and our friends in various institutions, universities and construction industries, to take positive local action in the face of climate change.

In places that have been unloved and abandoned for decades, like the old Mackies factory site, we brought life back – sowing wildflower meadows, building fairy houses and weaving willow fences demonstrating to the powers that be how easy it is to build things people need if you really want to – like houses for homeless people with jobs for everyone, for example.

The laughter of our children could be heard everywhere all year round – especially when they heard someone say silly things like; ‘The current policy does not allow for that’, and ‘you have no right to be on that land’. As if people can ‘own’ land that has been there since before we existed!

Around every garden, in every community, in every school - we grew trees to help bring back Ireland’s forests. And then, on a crisp, misty, wonderful winters day we made the trek up An Sliabh Dubh to plant the baby trees so that the Siógaí of the future will get their mountain forest back.

2025 was some craic – bring on 2026! Ar aighidh linn le chéile.

Happy Solstice!