Film of the 2013 Féile Bríde, “Dreaming for the Earth: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change” made by Dave Donnellan
Dreaming for the Earth – Féile Bríde Reflections
A short report on “Dreaming for the Earth: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change”, Afri’s 2013 Féile Bríde conference held on the 2nd February in Kildare
Afri’s 2013 Féile Bríde, “Dreaming for the Earth: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change” was held in the new venue of the Osborne Centre, which is beautifully surrounded by a lake and native Irish trees. This year the conference was aimed at tackling climate change, and opened with John Feehan, an expert on the Curragh, giving the history and uses of the Curragh, and then bringing the participants to the Curragh to explore the landscape for themselves. John strongly encouraged locals interested in preserving this public space, to consider forming a taskforce to care for the Curragh, in particular, to tackle the rampant furze.
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Féile Bríde 2013: Dreaming for the Earth
Féile Bríde 2013
Dreaming for the Earth: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change
Saturday 2nd February, Osborne Centre, Kildare
The wonder and awesome beauty of our planet is also a reminder of her fragility, uniqueness and the urgent need to protect her. Our planet home is blessed with sufficient abundance to care for all but is increasingly reeling and groaning from relentless exploitation and abuse.
Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, describes his experience of seeing the Earth from space: “suddenly from behind the rim of the Moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realize this is Earth…home.”
Impressions from Afri’s Féile Bríde 2012
Saturday 4th February 2012, Kildare Town
At the start of Afri’s Feile Bride, the pupils of Coláiste Éinde, under the direction of Pete Mullineaux, staged a remarkable drama that asked the question “what if?”. What if the world was organised differently, in a spirit of cooperation and compromise rather than of conflict and greed? I was reminded of a story told about the Irish revolutionary Peadar O’Donnell, who wrote an article critical of his erstwhile colleague Eamon De Valera and his record in government, especially the fact that half a million people emigrated from Ireland under De Valera’s stewardship. The story goes that De Valera rang O’Donnell to protest, claiming that had O’Donnell been Taoiseach half a million people would still have emigrated. To which O’Donnell replied, “Yes, Eamon, but not the same half million”. I like to think of the very different Ireland we might have now if those who had left had been able to stay, and if those we could have most done without had departed: what if? Continue reading “Impressions from Afri’s Féile Bríde 2012”
Feile Bride 2012: Fire and Food
Saturday 4th February, Derby House Hotel, Kildare Town
This year’s Féile Bríde is a celebration of fire and food. There will be contributions from Mayra Gomez from Bolivia, who has worked around the world on peace and justice issues, and from Roisin O’Brien from Be The Change.
The programme also includes a short theatre piece, musical contributions from a Bolivian musician, some planting, workshops, and the lighting of the Brigid Flame!
Mayra Gomez will light the flame at the new Solas Bhride Centre site at 1pm and registration will follow at 1.30pm at the Derby House Hotel.
You can book on by downloading our brochure: Feile Bride Brochure 2012.
Afri PEACEMAKER 2011 is now available!
The 2011 Peacemaker is now available here. The Peacemaker covers the highlights of 2011 including the Possibilities Civic Summit held in April and attended by the Dalai Lama, Mary Robinson and community activists such as Rita Fagan and John Monaghan from Rossport, as well as reports on our regular events such as the Féile Bríde, and the Famine Walk. We also include updates on our recent campaign. Please contact the Afri office if you would like to receive a hard copy of the publication.
Impressions from Féile Bríde 2011: Seeds of Change
Saturday, 5 February 2011, Derby House Hotel, Kildare Town
The theme of Féile Bríde this year was food and it addressed some of the key concerns linked to food security: globalization, sustainable development and, in the words of Michael Kelly of Grow It Yourself, how we can take “control of the garlic situation”!
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Peacemaker 2010
Our annual newsletter, Peacemaker, is now available to download from our website. The newsletter represents a snap-shot of our year with short reports and photographs relating to some of Afri’s activities.
This year, Afri celebrated 35 years of working for justice and peace and we would like to thank everybody who has supported us and our work over the years.
Peacemaker 2010 (PDF)
Awakenings – Afri’s Féile Bríde Conference 2010
The Afri Féile Bríde Conference 2010 took place on 6 February in the Derby House Hotel, Kildare.
The event celebrated the wonder of our Universe, captured remarkably in the film ‘The Awakening Universe’, and through the reflections of Nellie McLaughlin whose book ‘Out of Wonder’ is also a celebration of the incomprehensible beauty, intricacy and vastness of the Universe.
The indomitable human spirit too can often confound us in its power and ability to inspire. Such is the case of Richard Moore who, amazingly, despite being blinded by a rubber bullet at the age of ten, has never wallowed in bitterness or hatred. ‘I learned to see life in a different way’ is how he describes his remarkable acceptance of circumstances that would plunge most people into understandable despair, bitterness and desire for revenge. Not only did Richard accept his blindness but he had an abiding ambition to meet the soldier responsible for firing that rubber bullet on that fateful day. He persevered in his quest until he succeeded and Charles, the soldier, joined Richard on stage during a very moving and inspiring session entitled: ‘Transcending Conflict: Freedom in Forgiveness’.
Richard and Charles told their inter-twining story highlighting the consequences of war and conflict. Richard also went on to talk about his work in Development in Tanzania and Ethiopia and the importance of achieving the UN Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the number of people suffering from hunger by 2015.
As every year, the discussions were embedded in music through the wonderful performances of Fionnuala Gill and Liz Madden and her band.
Féile Bríde 2010 – Image Gallery
Unless indicated otherwise, all pictures taken by Susan Hensel, Afri.
Féile Bríde 2010: Awakenings
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Derby House Hotel, Kildare.
Clár
1.10 Lighting of the Flame – Richard and Charles
1.30 Registration
2.00 Opening Music – Fionnuala Gill
2.10 Introduction
2.15 ‘The Awakening Universe’ – short Film
2.30 Response
2.40 The Evolving Story of the Universe – Nellie McLaughlin
3.40 Music – Fionnuala Gill
3.45 Tea Break
4.15 Music – Liz Madden
4.20 Transcending Conflict: Freedom in Forgiveness – Richard Moore with Charles
5.00 Discussion
6.00 Concluding Music – Liz Madden and friends
7.30 Dinner
9.00 Céili (free admission for conference participants)
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Admission to the conference: €20 (concession: €15)
Dinner: €20
For the full programme of the week long Féile Bríde Festival check out www.solasbhride.ie