transition

I discovered the Transition Town Movement in 2008, and was very excited to find that it brought together a lot of my interests and concerns about the environment, community and creativity. The idea was born in Kinsale in 2005, when a teacher and his students turned their minds to the question of 'what will happen as oil runs out, how will it affect our lives and how can we best prepare for the consequences?' There are now thousands of local communities around the world inspired by the Transition model. Climate change is the other big transition issue. Read about this report from the US government's own scientists for the latest exciting bad news.

I used to feel helpless and overwhelmed by all the doom and gloom about oil and climate change; now I feel empowered to do something practical. Marella Fyffe who runs Omagh Hostel was bitten by the same transition bug, and together we set up Transition Town Omagh. In a short space of time we have found a lot of very talented individuals who share the same drive to act locally for a better future. Have a look at the fledgling website, thanks to Paul Brogan:
www.transitiontownomagh.wikispaces.com

namedropping

In March '09 we formed a very strong board drawn from all walks of life; I don't like to drop names but it consists of Rosemary Salisbury, Bob Salisbury, John Moore, Mark McGuigan, Elaine Wylie, Pheme Glass, Julie Campbell, David McElrea, Colm McGinn, Phil Cargill, Les O Donnell, Vincent Brogan, Malcolm Lake, Michael Deehan, Paul Maguire, Ronnie Bruce, Raymond McKinley. We're busy raising awareness about how our community can wean itself off fossil fuels, and how to support one another in areas like food, transport, waste and energy.

What I love about the transition movement is that it is not about campaigning against things, but focuses positive energy on getting things done, with creativity and a sense of play thrown in. We had our first public meeting in Omagh Library at the end of June- a very stimulating get together, with lots more to follow. A big part of the transition model is an 'Energy Descent Action Plan', which means adapting to the future without the oil. Many towns, cities and communities all around the world are rising to this challenge and creating wonderfully inventive alternatives.

Some examples are: growing more local food, community gardens, creating community owned renewable energy companies, even new community currencies. Permaculture lies at the heart of this movement; it engages with the head, the heart and the hands. For me, it brings many strands of my interests together, and is about changing our way of living and thinking from a linear profit-driven society to a more balanced, fair, holistic one.

the history park

Transition Town Omagh feels very lucky to have been given a home in the scenic surroundings of the Ulster History Park. Our dream is to have a permaculture course there, which fits with the owners' vision of creating a holistic healing retreat, and respite spa for carers. Our first Powerdown course from January to June '09 was a great success, and Marella's monthly workshops in organic fruit and veg are full up.

We've applied for funding to make a community garden, where people can then come and learn how to set up their own gardens. We'll have a gardener installed in the Autumn, and there's lots of training and workshop space, class room facilities, an auditorium and 32 acres of grounds, conference facilities and accommodation, for starters.

we've only just begun

Dec 2008: We ran a series of four hour-long transition programmes on the award-winning Strule FM community radio.
Permaculturalist James Devlin advised us about the future design of the gardens in the History Park, while 200 trees were planted at Omagh Hostel as part of Omagh District Council's biodiversity programme.
We had a 'Slow Food Sunday' where over fifty people brought a local dish or two, and went home with some food for thought about transition towns.

May 2009: Three transition films were shown to rapturous acclaim at the Mid-Ulster Film Festival in the History Park.

June 2009: We were delighted to be invited by the Pushkin Trust to a talk at Baronscourt given by John Milton, one of the founders of the environmental movement in the early 1960s. It was a highly stimulating event, and many new creative links were made. The Trust's patron, the Duchess of Abercorn, has placed creativity and the environment right at the heart of her work for many years.

We're developing new links by the minute with people like Northern Ireland Energy Agency, Belfast Unemployment Centre, Macca Community Gardens, and local Alcohol Awareness groups. The transition adventure has only just begun.

namedropping

the history park

we've only just begun

transition links