Who we are
Indigenous Ireland is an education and training association exploring what it means to be indigenous or hold indigenous values on the island of Ireland. We are concerned with connecting and relating to the land and sea territory of the island of Ireland in an embodied way. This means building experiential evidence to understand and heal our past, establish health and balance in our present and build fortitude for our future together as people sharing the land and waters of Ireland.
How does this approach help us to be indigenous to here?
The body politic of Ireland is fraught with complexity in its story, part of which has been repeatedly engendering division- between people, and between people and their natural eco-system/s (land and waters). Our bodies hold the score- restoring them to health is a first essential step to recovery. In order to do this, our eco-system/s as life-givers have also to be restored These missions naturally go hand in hand and require a combined inward and outward journey to reintegrate our natural alignment with Mother Earth. We guide groups and individuals who wish to explore dúchasach or indigeneity in this way and to this end we organise events around our indigenous calendar year- Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine agus Lughnasagh
We actively share with and learn from other indigenous peoples worldwide on global developments in indigenous issues and endeavour to produce and disseminate information among our groups members, subscribers and podcast followers.
Born and reared in Doire (Oak Grove or Derry) with care and love from the Henderson, Mitchell, Steele and Plews people.
I am a water based mammal, sustained and inspired by the River Faughan, Foyle, Roe and the Atlantic Ocean.
I have 2 boys and I work in community education and human rights.
Li-Ban mermaid myth on Lough Neagh and River Bann
Over the past 4 years I have been working with a small group of local girls and women to develop the local myth of Li-Ban as a River Guardian Story. Currently the group are designing a set of Oracle Cards that honour the elements and species from this ecosystem and aim to promote nature connection and nature informed wisdom.
Wise Warrior Women
This work is ever evolving and involves community education and facilitation with a range of women’s groups on the themes of transformative justice, patriarchy, de-colonisation and re-indigenising, drawing on nature-informed wisdom and methodologies.
Shane O’Connor is my name, and my other clanns are Moorhouse, Murphy and Bryan from the Eastern coastal waters, woods and hills of Leinster, Ireland. I have two daughters, Kíra and Lúa and although originally from Baile átha Cliath/Dublin, I live (not just survive!) with my family in Madrid. I work with people to create beneficial change by reconnecting with indigenous wisdom, practices and knowledge.
Ár n-anáil a Athdhúichiú – Re-Indigenising our Breath
I run training in indigenous breathing or re-indigenising our breath. This training can be taken in person or on-line. Breathing as we are meant to and as we were made to involves releasing ourselves from learned behaviour and engaging the way our ancestors breathed for immediate and long term health benefits
Indigenous Ireland Podcast
The Indigenous Ireland monthly podcast keeps us connected in meaningful ways with our co-collaborators in Ireland and around the world, to learn from the development of their lives and work, and how this work relates to the themes we are working with. Listen here
Tá mé i mó chonai i nDoire ar an imeall le Dún na nGall – I live on the border of Derry and Donegal, beside the mighty Foyle river and the fecund Lis na Grá woodland. My immediate clanns are McBride, McCudden, Anderson and Price. I have 4 children and work in outdoor education
Sinsear i nDan- Grúpa Fear – Men’s Group
Future Ancestry is a concept borrowed from indigenous teaching in Hawa’ii. Translated into Irish as Sinsear i nDan (literally Ancestor being Made), I work with a group of men in Co. Donegal to explore indigeneity and the legacy they wish to leave as teachers, leaders and influencers among their families, friends and in the fields they work in.
The Triskele Process- An Modh Triskele
The Triskele Process is a mentoring process devised by Lorcan, Shane and Easkey Britton. Through 9 steps it aims to develop a connection to the Irish concept of Dúchas- Being, Identity and Belonging in Nature, or being native to a place. It is also available as a Handbook written by Lorcan for the purposes of self-guiding yourself through the 9 steps. It can be accessed here.