Introducing a New Community-Led Project for the Brosna Bioregion

charlevillecastle
2 days ago
3 min read

Understanding our rivers, landscapes, and communities — together

Charleville Castle has always stood within a living landscape: shaped by rivers, woodlands, peat-lands, farms, and the people who call this region home. Today, that landscape is changing, and communities across the Brosna Catchment are beginning a new journey to understand it in a deeper, more connected way.

Over the coming months, we are supporting a community-led effort to explore the Brosna bioregion—its rivers and tributaries, its history and ecology, and the everyday relationships people have with the places around them. This work is part of a wider conversation emerging across Ireland about local identity, land and water stewardship, and how communities can reconnect with the landscapes that sustain them.

At this early stage, the focus is simple:to listen, learn, map, and understand. Before we talk about projects or actions, we need a shared picture of the place itself.

Why the Brosna Bioregion?

The River Brosna flows through Offaly and Westmeath, connecting towns, villages, farms, wetlands, parks, and historic sites—including Charleville Demesne. Its tributaries and surrounding catchment form a natural “region” that is more than lines on a map: it is a network of local stories, livelihoods, challenges, and opportunities.

By looking at the Brosna as a whole, we can begin to understand:

• how water, land, and communities interact

• where pressures and strengths lie in the landscape

• what local people value most

• what connections we may have overlooked

• where shared priorities might emerge in the future

This is not an academic exercise; it is a community conversation.

A First Step: The Brosna Community Survey

To begin building this shared picture, we are inviting anyone who lives in, works in, or cares about the Brosna region to take part in a short survey.

The survey asks about:

• your connection to the region

• the places you value

• what you feel is working well

• what pressures or changes you notice

• what you would like to learn more about

It takes 5–10 minutes and is completely voluntary. Your perspective—urban or rural, lifelong resident or newcomer—helps shape a clearer understanding of the region.

[Take the Survey]

Who Is Involved?

The work is being supported by Aiséirí Lasrach, a small team participating in the COBALT “Spirit of Place” programme, alongside local collaborators, volunteers, and community members. Charleville Castle is serving as a meeting point and creative home for the early stages of the project.

This is not a predefined plan or campaign.There is no predetermined outcome.The aim is to build a shared foundation—an atlas of understanding—on which communities may choose to build future conversations or initiatives.

What Happens Next?

Over the winter and into early 2025, we will be:

• gathering survey responses

• developing simple maps and storytelling materials

• listening to local knowledge

• hosting small conversations online and in person

• sharing updates openly and accessibly

As the work evolves, we hope to invite more voices from across the Brosna Catchment, including farmers, residents, schools, historians, environmental groups, businesses, and those simply curious about the place they live.