Water, Land, Farming, Food Security & the Future of the Shannon Basin
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Location:
Abbey Road Studios, Abbey Road, Athlone, Westmeath, N37TH22
The studios are located in the former workhouse building on Abbey Road, opposite Abbey Road Graveyard. The artist studios are on the ground floor and can be visited by arranging an appointment directly with a resident artist. Vacant studios can be viewed by prior arrangement with Luan Gallery. The community space is on the first floor. You can get directions here.
An invitation to farmers across the Shannon Basin
Farmers hold generations of knowledge and experience of working with the land and water. This gathering is an opportunity to bring that knowledge together, listen to farmers from across the Shannon Basin, recognise the work already happening, and explore how we can work collectively towards a healthier, more resilient river and landscape.
We want to create a space for open conversation: to share what is working, talk honestly about the challenges facing farming and water, and explore what is needed for the future.
What do we want to hear from farmers?
We’ll explore questions including:
What farming practices are supporting healthier rivers, soils and landscapes?
Where are you seeing positive change?
What local knowledge, experience and innovation should be recognised and shared?
What pressures are affecting farming, water and the wider Shannon Basin?
Where are greater support, collaboration or new approaches needed?
What would a healthy and resilient Shannon Basin look like for farmers and communities?
We are delighted to be joined by Donal Chambers from our partners at Regenerate and Limerick based farmer Martin Crowe, ambassador from the Farming for Nature Network participating in the Water Quality scheme.
Exploring the Rights of Rivers
We will also introduce and explore an emerging idea: the Rights of Rivers.
Rights of Rivers recognises rivers as living systems with the right to exist, flourish and regenerate. Around the world, this approach is beginning to influence how people think about the relationship between rivers, communities and the wider natural world.
But what could it mean in the Shannon Basin, and what might it mean for farmers?
Rather than starting with answers, we want to explore this idea through farmers’ knowledge and experience.
We’ll ask:
What opportunities or concerns might the Rights of Rivers approach raise for farmers?
How could farmers’ knowledge, experience and perspectives help shape the future care of the Shannon?
Could this approach offer new ways of thinking about farming, water and the wider basin?
Your views will help shape the conversation and inform what happens next.
Key themes
We’ll explore the relationship between farming, water and the wider Shannon Basin, including water availability and quality, changing water levels, challenges and opportunities for farmers and communities, and the role of restoration and nature-based approaches. We’ll also introduce the Rights of Rivers approach and explore what it could mean for farming, including the opportunities, concerns and questions it raises, and how farmers’ knowledge, experience and priorities could help shape the future care of the Shannon.
Schedule
The gathering will be informal and participatory, with plenty of time for conversation, sharing and listening.
Welcome & introductions
5 minutes
Welcome from Shannon River Keepers
Setting the scene: farming, water and the future of the Shannon Basin
Rights of Rivers: an introduction
10 minutes
What is the Rights of Rivers approach?
Where is it emerging?
Why are we exploring it in the Shannon Basin?
Opening reflections
10-15 minutes
A chance for participants to introduce themselves and share:
Who you are and where you’re from
Your connection to the land and water
What brought you to the gathering
Small-group conversations
30 minutes
In small groups, we’ll explore:
What is working?
What challenges are we facing?
What needs to change?
What opportunities are there for collaboration?
What can farmers’ knowledge contribute to the future of the Shannon?
Sharing back
20 minutes
Groups will share key insights, ideas and questions with the wider gathering.
Bring something from your land
We invite participants to bring something that represents their connection to their land or community.
This could be:
Seeds or something grown on your farm
A photograph or object
Something that tells a story about your land
An example of work you’re proud of
A story, idea or piece of local knowledge you’d like to share
There will be time to share these during the gathering.
What we hope to achieve
By the end of the gathering, we hope to:
Build stronger connections between farmers and communities across the Shannon Basin.
Recognise and capture local knowledge, experience and innovation.
Identify shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
Create space for farmers’ voices to inform the future care of the Shannon.
Explore how the Rights of Rivers approach could be shaped by the people who live and work within the basin.
Inform the development of a Shannon Rights of Rivers Charter.
Above all, this is a chance to meet others connected to the Shannon, exchange experiences, share food and ideas, and build relationships for the future.
Come with your experience, your questions and your ideas for the future of the Shannon.