The Barna Way - Lisa Fingleton

The Barna Way is an eco-social arts project organic farm and native woodland near Ballybunion Co Kerry co-ordintated by photographer Rena Blake and artist Lisa Fingleton. The house and lands are steeped in history, song and tradition. Both Rena’s mother and grandmother were born here.

The Barna Way is about listening to the land and creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. As well as being an organic farm and wildlife sanctuary, the project also has a ‘Healing Herb Garden’ and ‘Peace Path’ through native woodland. In 2020 over 10,000 native Irish Trees were planted at The Barna Way with support from Greenbelt, Supervalu and the Native Irish Woodland Scheme.

From here they engage with the diverse community groups through social farming and live food and cultural events, while protecting habitats for wildlife. This seventeen year project is propelled by an accelerated sense of urgency around food insecurity, climate crisis, biodiversity loss and forced migration.

For the next two years The Barna Way will be a hub for the new Brilliant Ballybunion project funded under the IGNITE, Creative Climate Action Fund, which is managed by Creative Ireland. The project will engage the local community to creatively explore the future for Ballybunion in terms of protecting biodiversity and local food systems.

The project will work with diverse community collaborators to grow food, protect habitats and create a vision for the future in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss. This project will have multiple elements in terms of creating long term transformative change in 4 stages: Information; Exploration; Inspiration and Expression.

The project is coordinated by Grainne Toomey from Ballybunion Community Forum in partnership with The Barna Way, Lisa Fingleton (Artist), Rena Blake (Photographer/Grower), Dr Joanne O Brien (Ecologist) and Dr Clare Watson (Evaluator).

Rena is one of the coordinators of the ‘Ballybunion Community Market’ every Saturday morning in July and August. The Barna Way also works with people with disability through the Kerry Social Farming Project.

Lisa and Rena host a number of creative experiences and workshops in conjunction with the MOYA festival including ‘Art in Nature’ ‘Songs for the Spirit’ and ‘Living Lens’. In their respective studios, they create work that reflects their passion for food and their commitment to biodiversity and climate action. Lisa recently published her highly acclaimed new book ‘The Local Food Project’, about the power of eating local food to increase health and well being; to reduce plastic and carbon; and to support local food producers.

The Barna Way welcomes artists/writers in residence, volunteers and interns from all other the world who are passionate about creating a sustainable and inclusive world. Lisa and Rena have travelled extensively and have lived in many countries. They value intercultural exchange and the sharing of knowledge through ‘thinking global and acting local’. They strive to ‘BE the change they wish to see in the world’ though their work in ‘The Barna Way’ and welcome others to join them in their journey.

NEW AND RECENT PROJECTS AT ‘THE BARNA WAY’ 2024

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