Climate Camp Ireland

Ireland's first Climate Camp is scheduled to take place near Shannon Bridge in County Offaly between the 15th and 23rd of August.

The week long camp is packed with workshops and seminars which tackle everything from bicycle maintenance to building your own wind turbine. The aims of the camp range from building a movement calling on direct action against polluters and carbon trading profiteers to proposing an alternative model which embraces sustainable living.

I am looking forward to attending, but my main concern is how I'm going to get there. It is clear that cars will not be welcome and although I love cycling I'm not sure my fitness level is good enough for me to join the bikebombers on their Dublin to Offaly 2 day cycle. A quick search for buses or trains that service the town brings up no results. I'm sure the organisers have come up with something and I guess that I'll have to keep an eye on their website to find out.

The camp is also looking for donations of certain materials for the construction of the camp, I did breath a sigh of relief when I saw that they were looking for toilet seats! Check out the 'Things we need' page of their website to see what you can contribute.

I'll try and keep you updated as I receive information. For the Facebook users amongst you there is an event group which you can join.

I'll look forward to meeting some of you there.

*UPDATE*

Transport arrangements as follows:

The climate camp is located beside the town of Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly.
How can I get there?
We are asking people NOT to drive to the camp. We not providing a parking service. We do not want to disrupt traffic in the village or block any footpaths, so please leave cars at home. If you have heavy equipment and children to carry we encourage you to take a train or bus and then avail of our shuttle service to and from ATHLONE. If you do arrive by car, you will have to find your own parking and this will be at your own risk.

You can reach the Climate Camp by:

Train:

Take a train to Athlone and from there our shuttle bus.
The shuttle buses depart from bus station in Athlone to the camp each day at 10.30am and 6.30pm. On Weekend days there is an additional departure from Athlone at 3.30pm. The journey takes 25 minutes and the cost is €5 each way.The first shuttle bus will run at 6.30pm on Friday 14th of August, from Athlone. The last bus will depart from the camp 9.30am on Monday 24th of August.
Buses leave the camp at 9.30 and 5.30 everyday, and also at 2.30pm on weekend days.
When you know your desired departure times from Athlone PLEASE TEXT 087 1320240 with your time and number of passengers to help us make sure everyone gets a ride.IT IS IMPORTANT TO TEXT SO THAT YOU ARE NOT LEFT STRANDED IN ATHLONE.
Bus
Take a bus to Athlone and from there our shuttle bus.
The shuttle buses depart from bus station in Athlone to the camp each day at 10.30am and 6.30pm. On Weekend days there is an additional departure from Athlone at 3.30pm. The journey takes 25 minutes and the cost is €5 each way.The first shuttle bus will run at 6.30pm on Friday 14th of August, from Athlone. The last bus will depart from the camp 9.30am on Monday 24th of August.
Buses leave the camp at 9.30 and 5.30 everyday, and also at 2.30pm on weekend days.
When you know your desired departure times from Athlone PLEASE TEXT 087 1320240 with your time and number of passengers to help us make sure everyone gets a ride. IT IS IMPORTANT TO TEXT SO THAT YOU ARE NOT LEFT STRANDED IN ATHLONE.
Cycling
A group is cycling from Dublin to the Climate Camp departing on 15th August. Contact bikebombers@gmail.com for all the details
We encourage as many people as possible to cycle to the camp from wherever you are in the country. If you are new to cycling and would like some advice contact 087 1320240. For tips on what to bring and choosing a route contact bikebombers@gmail.com for support.
You could also combine a short cycle with a bus or train journey. We'd recommend putting your bike on the train or bus as far as Ballinasloe. From there it's a 12km to the camp in Shannonbridge, which takes about 40 minutes to cycle. It's a pleasant route, not many cars and you'll get a good view of the vast cut bogs and rolling agricultural landscapes as you approach Shannonbridge from the west.
Walking
It's a 12km walk from the nearest bus station and trainstation in Ballinasloe. If you are walking we recommend using an Ordnance survey map to plan your route. The R road is a pleasant route, not many cars and you'll get a good view of the vast cut bogs and rolling agricultural landscapes as you approach Shannonbridge from the west, but there is no footpath for most the route.

Hitching or liftsharing
Hitchhiking in Ireland is becoming a lost tradition - it's a lot easier than you think! You can also check online whether there are any lifts going that you could take - www.tripmi.ie
Barge..Currach..canoe
Shannonbridge is on the River Shannon - if you have fossil-fuel free boat transport available to you, we encourage you to use it!