A series of learning opportunities that can be taken as individual days or weekends.
Participants of all five weekends will receive a full Permaculture Design Certificate.
The Growery, No.1 Oxmantown Mall I Birr I R42 V070
TUTORS AND FACILITATORS INCLUDE
Davie Philip, Suzie Cahn, Ben Whelan, Hannah Mole, Andrew St Ledger, Kevin Dudley, Feidhlim Harty, and Ollie Moore
COST & BOOKING
Individual Days I €60 (Each day can be taken as a stand alone module)
Individual Weekends I €110
Permaculture Design Certificate I €500 (all 5 weekend sessions)
Concessions Available – Enquiries & Bookings I birrgrowery@gmail.com
Jobseekers contact your local DSP case officer or local Intreo office to apply for training support.
Delivery Coordinated by Cultivate: The Sustainable Ireland Cooperative
The PDC is certified by the Permaculture Association of Britain
Weekend 1
21st March – An Introduction to Permaculture
An overview of the history, ethics, principles and holistic design processes of Permaculture
Led by Davie Philip
22nd March – Community Resilience
Introducing regenerative design
and a place based and cooperative approach to climate adaptation
through community wealth building and place making
Led by Davie Philip and Ollie Moore
Weekend 2
4th April – Regenerative Horticulture
Introducing a Permaculture approach to gardening with a focus on soil and seeds.
Led by Suzie Cahn and Hannah Mole
5th April – Regenerative Agriculture
Looking beyond
sustainability and organic and exploring the difference and similarities
between regenerative, biological, syntropic, agroecological farming.
Led by Kevin Dudley
Weekend 3
25th April – Technology, Energy and the Built Environment
An introduction to new trends in appropriate technology, digitisation, ecological building and renewables.
Led by Ben Whelan
26th April – Water and Wetland Systems
An introduction to water in the home, rainwater harvesting , ecological wastewater treatment and habitat enhancement.
Led by Feidhlim Harty
Weekend 4
9th May – Microclimates and Forest Gardens
An introduction to the principles of forest gardening, plant co-operation and microclimates
Led by Ben Whelan
10th May – Agroforestry and Native Woodlands
Introducing the principles of agroforestry and Sustainable Forest Management with practicals in tree planting and pruning.
Led by Andrew St Ledger
Weekend 5
6th June – Social Permaculture
An introduction to the principles of Sociocracy and effective ways of working together in groups.
Led by Davie Philip
7th June – Permaculture Design
A final design exercise for those taking the full Permaculture Design Course
Led by Davie Philip
VENUE
The Growery in Birr in County Offaly is Ireland’s first
Urban Food Commons promoting organic technologies, local production,
food health and well-being, and climate resilience.
PERMACULTURE
Permaculture
is an ethically based, holistic design system based on ecological
principles. It provides a framework for creating productive ecosystems
and sustainable human settlements that mimic the patterns found in
nature, which deliver diversity, stability, and resilience.
Although permaculture is most commonly thought about in connection with gardening & farming, its principles, ethics and design methods can be adapted and used in each individual’s own work, home and community.
The Permaculture Design Course (PDC) was developed to teach the principles and foundations of ecological design.
Tutor Bios
Davie Philip – Davie facilitates community resilience
and local climate action with Cultivate, the Sustainable Ireland
Cooperative that he co-founded in 2000. He has taught Permaculture since
2004. Davie was a co-founder of the ecovillage project in Cloughjordan,
Co. Tipperary where he is based. Davie is currently the chair of
Cloughjordan Community Farm, Ireland’s largest CSA (Community Supported
Agriculture) initiative. He sits on the Council of ECOLISE, the European
network for community-led initiatives on climate change and
sustainability for 4 years, and in April 2019 was elected as a
co-president.
Suzie Cahn – Suzie teaches Permaculture internationally and also runs
courses in Nature Connection, Natural building (cob, strawbale), Tiny
homes, Sustainable Living, biodiversity/nature friendly Gardening,
Creativity for groups, Land art, Foraging and Herbs for health,
Organisational structures, Team building, facilitation skills, training
other teachers, and many other topics at Carraig Dulra, the social
enterprise she founded in 2006
Hannah Mole – Hannah is a
Permaculture designer and teacher at Earthcare Permaculture Design in
County Roscommon. Earthcare provides design, consultancy and training in
Permaculture design and regenerative natural systems. Hannah’s designs
integrate food, fuel and water security, animal systems, recreation and
beauty, and nature conservation. She holds a diploma in Applied
Permaculture Design awarded by the UK Permaculture Association.
www.earthcare.ie
Ben Whelan – Ben has developed and overseen
Cultivate’s programmes and activities over its 17 years of operation and
taught Permaculture since 2006. He has taught and published in many
areas of sustainability including permaculture, bioregionalism and local
economics. In 2012 he founded the WeCreate Fab Lab, a digital
fabrication lab aiming to inspire individuals, organisations and
communities to engage in collaborative making and local manufacturing.
Andrew
St. Ledger – Andrew St Ledger, well known Native Woodland specialist,
consultant, advocate and practitioner. He is Education officer and Co
Founder of The Woodland League. Biodiversity Officer, Forestry
workshops, and wood crafts Tutor with CELT (Centre for Environmental
Living). CELT Representative on the Environmental Pillar coalition of 28
national NGO’s, member of the Pillar Steering Committee and Pillar
forestry spokesperson and policy maker.
Feidhlim Harty – Feidhlim is director of FH Wetland Systems Ltd. environmental consultancy, based in Ennis, Co. Clare. FH Wetland Systems specialises in designing and planting constructed wetlands, reed beds, zero discharge willow facilities and other natural sewage treatment systems. He also designs and advises on stormwater wetland projects, wetland habitat creation and consultancy and other areas of environmental protection and enhancement. Feidhlim is the author of three books including, ‘Permaculture Guide to Reed Beds: Designing, Building and Planting Your Treatment Wetland System.’ and his latest ‘Towards Zero Waste: How to live a plastic and junk free, healthier life.’
Oliver Moore – Ollie has a PhD in the sociology of farming and food, specialising in organics, direct selling and consumer-producer relations. He lectures with the Centre for Cooperative Studies in UCC, part of the Department of Food Business and Development. Ollie is actively involved in Cloughjordan ecovillage and in particular the Cloughjordan Community farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) initiative.He has contributed to the work of Irish and international NGOs such as Trocaire, Fair Trade, CSA network Urgenci and La Via Campesina.
Kevin Dudley – Kevin is the Farm Steward at Cloughjordan Community Farm. He is passionate about regenerative agriculture and sensible farming. Studied at the Centre of Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at Santa Cruz University, California. Worked with Seed Savers for 11 years on Irish native apple projects, spent a year in New Zealand working for a seed saving organisation.
