Public Launch of Kerri ní Dochertaigh Writer in Residence

Public Launch of Kerri Ni Dochertaigh as Writer in Residence in partnership with The Woodland League took place on 4th December 7- 8:30pm at Raheen Woods Steiner Community National School, Tuamgraney, Co. Clare 

CELT are delighted to welcome and work with renowned nature writer and ecopoet Kerri Ni Dochertaigh as our Writer in Residence, taking place in partnership with the Woodland League and NatureCulture@LLN with thanks to funding awarded under the Irish Environmental Networks inaugural Andrew St Ledger Memorial Fund . 

Everyone was welcome to join us for the public launch of our Writer in Residence Programme, where Kerri read from her work on the night and led a gentle heart centered writing exercise for all who wished to partake.

Our Writer in Residence programme is part of our Writing the Land creative platform and  collaborative project with a focus on nature protection and restoration, engaging environmental and forest restoration organisations and local communities in the Echtghe - Slieve Aughty area.

This residency aims to honor, map, reconnect and restore our relations

to the Great Forest of Aughty.

Ecopoet and nature writer Kerri ní Dochartaigh is a mother, writer, holder and grower. She is moved by the way we tend and attend: to ourselves; to one another; to the living world. She has written for The Guardian, BBC, RTE, The Irish Times and others. She mentors and teaches worldwide. Her work currently explores ideas of one-anotherness, interconnectedness and ecologies of care.

Her first book, Thin Places, was published by Canongate in Spring 2021, for which she was awarded the Butler Literary Award 2022, and highly commended for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2021.Cacophony of Bone was published by Canongate in May 2023 and was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2023. 

She lives in the west of Ireland with her family.

For more info on her work please visit - https://linktr.ee/kerrinidochartaigh

Cacophony Of Bone

The Andrew St Ledger Fund was initiated by the Irish Environmental Network, in 

acknowledgement of Andrew’s transformative work, dedication and legacy in the area of Irelland’s native woodland conservation and restoration. The IEN initiated this award to ensure that his legacy continues to inspire through supporting projects that continue to benefit and restore our relationship to our native and ancient woodlands, alongside sustainable forest management and nurtues forest culture. 

Andrew St. Ledger was renowned for his work as a native woodland specialist offering nationwide guided walks and talks, workshops and presentations, and a creator/author of “Know Your Native Trees” education modules. Andrew was a dedicated CELT tutor for many years, offering master woodwork workshops and working as CELT’s  Environmental Pillar Representative, where he was widely recognised for his vision for Irish Forestry Policy.  He is also renown for his call for the restoration of The Great Forest of Aughty during his years of campaigning with both The Woodland League and CELT and upon launching the fund, the IEN wish to recognise his lifelong contribution highlighting how ‘he left the world a better place for his having been here’ 

CELT, NatureCulture@LLN and the Woodland League are delighted to be collaborating on this creative Writer in Residence project with Kerri, and to continue to honour Andrew’s vision and work in restoring the relationship between people and their native woodlands, and recognising the rights of the forest and nature to thrive and flourish and to be restored..

We are very grateful for this opportunity through the funding awarded under the Irish Environmental Network’s inaugural award of the Andrew St. Ledger Fund, in recognition of Andrew’s work and dedication to Native Woodland Restoration.