Gaia: Goddess of the Earth
St. Canice’s Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival 2024
Gaia, or Danu in Irish, is the Goddess of the Earth. She is the giver of life and a symbol of the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.
Our Gaia is made mostly from foraged and upcycled materials. The plants and animals which adorn her dress represent nature, and include teasel, ivy, ash, pine, holly, hydrangea, broom, ferns, contorted hazel, Virginia creeper, sedum mushrooms, dogwood, cornus, figwort, artichoke, rubus, black elder, aster, moss and a robin.
The lights spreading out from Gaia’s feet represent the mycorrhiza or fungi which form huge underground networks between trees. Scientists have discovered that these tiny organisms connect trees and allow them to share water and food, and also to communicate with each other. The trees use them to send distress signals to each other about threats such as drought or disease.
Staff from the Community and Culture Team (Creative Kilkenny) of Kilkenny County Council, in collaboration with colleagues in the Climate Action and Biodiversity Offices, created Gaia for the St. Canice’s Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival 2024. She embodies our concern for the Earth, for biodiversity loss and climate change. She is also a symbol of hope – for what we can achieve if we heed the distress signals and work collectively to halt them.
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Gaia: Goddess of the Earth at the St. Canice's Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival 2024
How can you help to address the Climate and Biodiversity crises in County Kilkenny?
If we all work together on climate action we can achieve so much more. Here are some useful ideas from the Kilkenny County Council Climate Action Office on how everyone can get involved.
Helping our Pollinators
There are 100 different types of bee and 180 hoverflies on the island of Ireland. Along with other creatures like moths, they provide important pollination services, helping fertilise many of our flowers, crops, and wild plants. Unfortunately, one third of our wild bee species are in danger of extinction.
There are simple ways everyone can help, whether you have a business, a farm, a community group, a garden, or a window box. On the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website you will find free resources to help you to support pollinators locally.
Below is a list of some of the plants that we used in our Gaia Christmas Tree, exhibited at the St. Canice’s Cathedral Christmas Festival 2024, along with ways in which they help nature and pollinators.
Follow us on our journey to implement Kilkenny County Council’s First Climate Action Plan
Kilkenny County Council Climate Action Plan
The Elected Representatives of Kilkenny County Council adopted the Council’s first Climate Action Plan in February 2024. The Plan includes 95 actions which the Council will take to reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions, prepare its’ operations and services for climate change, and support climate action in the county.
Kilkenny County Council must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 51% and improve its energy efficiency by 50% by 2030, and become a net zero organisation by 2050.
Join our Kilkenny Going Green network to get updates by emailing us at climate@kilkennycoco.ie
Follow us on Instagram @kilkennycoco and Kilkenny County Council on Facebook.
What to do at Home and in the Community
- Borrow a FREE “Home Energy Kit ” from the Library to measure how your home uses energy, see where energy is escaping, and see how you can make savings
- Check out the new Community Energy Hub to find out what home and community energy grants you can apply for
Launch of Community Energy Hub at the Mayfair Library - Sept 2024
- Book a one-to-one FREE Energy Clinic to get expert advice on reducing energy in your home, delivered by South East Energy Agency and Kilkenny Library Service. The next clinics are in Castlecomer Library 22 nd Nov 11am-1pm; Loughboy Library 10 th Dec 10.30am-12.30pm.
- Join a Tidy Towns Group to take climate action
- Join a Sustainable Energy Community to reduce energy use for the benefit of the community
- Protect and nurture wildlife and nature in your garden and community
- Apply for the Community Climate Action Fund Grants in 2025.
How Businesses can take part
- Contact the Local Enterprise Office, Kilkenny to get advice and find out which grant is most suitable for your company
- Sign up to the FREE Green for Business programme to meet with a green consultant who’ll show you the small changes that can have a big impact on your company
- Apply for the SEAI's Support Scheme for Energy Audits for a €2,000 voucher towards the cost of a high quality energy audit
- Avail of an Energy Efficiency Grant for technologies and equipment to reduce your energy, water and waste bills
Local Enterprise Office - Energy Efficiency Grant available for businesses
How can Schools and Adult Education contribute?
Green Schools - Climate Action Teacher Resource
- Visit the SEAI’s “Sustainable energy for Schools and Teachers” webpage packed with ideas for early years, primary and post primary
- Find out how you can reduce energy in school, complete your annual energy reporting and get information on grants available
- Bring energy and sustainability into the classroom in a fun, interactive way. SEAI offer workshops for both teachers and pupils at primary and post primary level. Online / virtual options available
- Check out the An Taisce Green Schools Climate Action Teacher Resource with tools and guidance for teachers to explore the topic of climate change through the curriculum
- Use the ETB’s Climate Justice Education in Practice Tutor Workbook which includes a wide range of teaching and learning resources for Adult Education
Inspiring Communities
Find out what communities in County Kilkenny are doing to take climate action. Kilkenny County Council and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications were delighted to award €511,000 to 22 Kilkenny communities in 2024 to take local climate action. Find out who they are and what they are doing by clicking here .
Kilkenny Community Climate Action Grant Groups 2024
If you have a great idea for climate action in your community or to find out about the next round of funding please contact Claire Prendergast, Acting Community Climate Action Officer, on 056-7794112 or email claire.prendergast@kilkennycoco.ie
Join the Kilkenny Going Green Network
Kilkenny County Council is Going Green and we’d like you to join us!
- Sign up to the Kilkenny Going Green network to hear about the latest grants, advice, and supports, and to follow Kilkenny County Council’s climate action journey. Email climate@kilkennycoco.ie
Kilkenny Going Green Network
- Follow us on Instagram @kilkennycoco; Kilkenny County Council on Facebook; and on our webpages https://kilkennycoco.ie/eng/services/environment/climate-action
- If you have any queries, or would like to tell us what you are doing for climate action in Kilkenny please contact the Kilkenny County Council Climate Action Office climate@kilkennycoco.ie ; Tel: 056-7794342.
Kilkenny Biodiversity Plan - Public Consultation Open
A Draft Biodiversity Action Plan for Kilkenny is open for public consultation until 18 th Dec. The Biodiversity Office would love to hear your views on it.
Kilkenny's Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-20230 (Draft)
The Plan sets out the policy and legislative context; provides examples of previous biodiversity research completed by Kilkenny County Council; outlines the biodiversity value in Kilkenny and the threats which are of concern.
The Biodiversity Action Plan provides an opportunity for Kilkenny County Council to examine its own work practices and lead the way by developing demonstration projects on how to design nature inclusive housing estates, manage parks and open space for biodiversity, improve the water quality and improve habitat diversity on public grounds. The Biodiversity Action Plan will help us to integrate the protection of biodiversity in the Council’s day-to-day operations.
The Plan is now available to view on https://consult.kilkenny.ie/ or a paper copy can be requested via biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie or by ringing 056-7794920.
Got a creative idea and want to really make a difference for our climate?
Ever dreamt of collaborating with an artist to bring your vision to life? The Creative Ireland grants are here to make it happen!
Mark your calendars: Open calls for grants start on January 6th, 2025. Don’t miss this chance to turn your creativity into reality!
Follow the link kilkennycoco.ie/eng/search/?q=creative+ireland to find out more details or follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeKilkenny/