Cill Ulta Falcarragh – Sowing the seeds for sustainable food innovation

Lárionad Acmhainní Nádúrtha LAN CTR (operating as Cill Ulta) is based in the townland of Cill Ulta, Falcarragh, Co. Donegal. LAN, or Cill Ulta as it is better known, is a centre for sustainable food, energy, research and Irish language preservation, not just for Donegal but the wider North West region. This social enterprise is undergoing significant transformation and building on its own legacy to shape its future path.

“The project initially began as a tomato growing enterprise in the 1960s. As oil prices grew, the value chain to export to Dublin began uncommercial”, explains manager, Eithne Nic Lochlainn. “In 2003, the existing community, re-established the site and through their hard-work and voluntary efforts, reclaimed much of the original land, including the 1-acre glasshouse on site.”

Cill Ulta is based in Donegal’s Gaeltacht, which is hugely important for a language, cultural and heritage perspective. In addition, passing on the skills of crop cultivation to the youth in the community, is a key mission. “Each year we bring in 10 young people from the community to gain valuable paid work experience in cultivation and research practices. I love the passion for our language, bioiversity, leadership, and rural development, which is evident as soon as you walk onsite,” outlines Project Manager Mairéad Nic an Iomaire. 

Mairéad and Eithne are two of the lynchpins of Cill Ulta, who along with ten staff, work with over 70 community groups as well as national, regional and local partners across a range of sustainability and biodiversity programmes. Eithne resides in the area and has focussed much of her efforts on this hugely important social enterprise., while Mairéad, originally from the Connemara Gaeltacht, has been part of the organisation for the past 2 years.

“How long do you have?’’ was the response from both ladies, when asked about their current projects. “Starting on a high level, we have two European Innovation Programmes focusing on bringing abandoned land into cultivation using regenerative farming methods. This includes the growth and supply of local sustainable produce, biodiversity research and training workshops’’ states Eithne with a radiant smile. 

Eithne adds “alongside our own community base, support and collaboration on research and funding with external stakeholders such as Údarás na Gaeltachta, Donegal County Council, Pobal, Teagasc, UCC and UCD has also been hugely beneficial to our development.”

Over the past 18 months Cill Ulta has put huge effort into establishing on site of the Northwest Bioeconomy Hub. This will facilitate food entrepreneurs and SMEs to develop sustainable and value-add products, reducing waste and enhancing the potential and growth of business partners. “We’ve already secured funding to support development and ultimately what we want is to create and sustain employment opportunities through innovative farming and food technology,” explains Mairéad.

What is so impressive about Cill Ulta is the range and breadth of projects they are involved in. It is all firmly rooted (no pun intended) in their vision to “promote Irish solutions to the challenges of climate change and agricultural import dependency, whilst supporting culture, language and the population of Donegal’s Gaeltacht.

“Our community is at the heart of what we do, they are part of and involved in every aspect. There are exciting changes happening at Cill Ulta and while we are applying knowledge, research and strategic growth to everything we do, we must also preserve the knowledge of the past.”

‘Cairde Chill Ulta’ is a new fundraising campaign to assist in the development of the North West Bioeconomy hub whilst also developing international knowledge transfer for other regions such as Cill Ulta, to develop practises to enhance climate actions. 

Cill Ulta is also a participant of the #BuyDonegal campaign which encourages people to support homegrown Donegal businesses such as this, wherever they are in the world. For those wishing to avail of fresh locally produced vegetables and herbs you can buy online here.

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Cill Ulta – Ag cur na síolta le haghaidh nuálaíocht bia inbhuanaithe

Tá Lárionad Acmhainní Nádúrtha LAN CTR (ag feidhmiú mar Chill Ulta) lonnaithe i mbaile fearainn Chill Ulta, An Fhál Carrach, Co. Dhún na nGall. Is ionad é LAN, nó Cill Ulta mar is fearr aithne air, le haghaidh bia inmharthana, fuinneamh, taighde agus caomhnú an teanga Gaeilge, ní amháin do Dhún na nGall, ach don réigiún iarthuaiscirt uilig. Tá an fiontar shóisialta seo ag dul fríd athrú suntasach agus ag tógáil ar a n’oidhreacht féin le todhchaí s’acu a chruthú.

“Thosaigh an tionscadal ar dtús mar fhiontar fás trátaí sna 1960í. De réir mar a mhéadaigh praghsanna ola, thosaigh an slabhra luacha easpórtáil go Baile Átha Cliath abheith neamhbrabúsach, a mhíníonn an bainisteoir, Eithne Nic Lochlainn. Sa bhlian 2003, Athbhunaigh an pobal áitiúil an suíomh agus trí obair dhian agus iarrachtaí deonacha, bhí said abalta cuid mhór den bunthalamh a shábháil agus an suíomh ina bhfuil an 1-acra teach gloinne lonnaithe ar. 

Tá Cill Ulta lonnaithe i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall, rud atá thar a bheith tábhachtach ó thaobh an teanga, cultúir agus oidhreachta de. Le seo, is é ceann dena príomh aidhmeanna nó le cinntiú go bhfuil na scileanna saothrú barra ag sul síos go dtí an chéad glúin eile agus an t-aos óg sa phobail Sa bhliain 2003, an pobal, misean lárnach. ‘’ Gach bhliain, tugaimid isteach 10 duine óg ón bpobal chun taithí oibre íoctha luachmhar a fháil i gcleachtais shaothrú agus taighde. Is breá liom an paisean d’ár dteanga, bithéagsúlacht, ceannaireacht, agus forbairt tuaithe, atá le feiceáil chomh luath agus a shiúlann tú ar an suíomh’’ a mdeireann an Bainisteoir Tionscadail, Mairéad Nic an Iomaire.

Is iad Mairéad agus Eithne buunchloch Chill Ulta, a oibríonn in éineacht le deichniúr ball foirne, le breis agus 70 grúpa pobail, chomh maith le comhpháirtithe náisiúnta, réigiúnacha agus áitiúla thar raon de chláir inbhuanaitheachta agus bhithéagsúlachta. Tá cónaí ar Eithne sa cheantar agus tá cuid mhór dá h-iarrachtaí dírithe ar an bhfiontar shóisialta thar a bheith tábhachtach seo. Tá Mairéad as Ghaeltacht Chonamara ó dhúchas, pairteach san eagraíocht le 2 bhliain anuas.

‘‘Cá fhad atá agat?’ a bhí mar fhreagra ón mbeirt, nuair a cuireadh ceist orthu faoina dtionscadail reatha. “Ag tosú ar ardleibhéal, tá dhá Chlár Nuálaíochta Eorpacha againn a dhíríonn ar thalamh tréigthe a thabhairt chun saothrú trí úsáid a bhaint as modhanna athghiniúnach feirmeoireachta. Áirítear leis seo fás agus soláthar táirgí inbhuanaithe áitiúla, taighde bithéagsúlachta agus ceardlanna oiliúna” a deir Eithne le meangadh gealgáire.

Cuireann Eithne leis seo ‘’ taobh lenár mbonn pobail féin, tacaíocht agus comhoibriú ar thaighde agus ar mhaoiniú le páirtithe seachtracha ar nós Údarás na Gaeltachta, Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, Pobal, Teagasc, UCC agus bhí UCD an-tairbheach d’ár bhforbairt fosta.’’.

Le ocht mí dhéag anuas, tá iarracht mhór déanta ag Cill Ulta ‘Mol Bithgheilleagair an Iarthuaiscirt’ a bhunú ar an suíomh. Éascóidh sé seo d’fhiontraithe bia agus do Gnóthais bheaga agus mheánmhéide (SME) táirgí inbhuanaithe agus breisluacha a fhorbairt, ag laghdú dramhaíola, agus ag cur le cumas agus fás na gcomhpháirtithe gnó. ‘‘Tá maoiniú faighte againn cheana féin chun tacú le forbairt agus sa deireadh thiar, is mian linn deiseanna fostaíochta a chruthú agus a chothú trí theicneolaíocht nuálaíoch feirmeoireachta agus bia’’ a mhíníonn Mairéad.

Is é an rud is suntasaach faoi Chill Ulta ná an raon agus fairsinge tionscadal ina bhfuil baint acu leo. Tá sé ar fad fréamhaithe go daingean ina bhfís chun “réiteach Éireannach a chur chun cinn maidir lena dúshlán athrú aeráide agus spleáchas ar allmhairí talmhaíochta, agus ag tacú le cultúr, teanga agus daonra Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall ag an am ceanna. Tá ár bpobal i gcroílár I ngach rud a ndéanaimid, tá siad páirteach agus bainteach i ngach gné. Tá athruithe spreagúla ag tarlú i gCill Ulta agus cé go bhfuil eolas, taighde agus fás straitéiseach á gcur i bhfeidhm againn i ngach rud a dhéanaimid, caithfidh muid eolas an ama atá thart a chaomhnú chomh maith.’’

Is feachtas tiomsaithe airgid nua é ‘Cairde Chill Ulta’ chun cabhrú le forbairt an Mhoil Bhithgheilleagair Thiar Thuaidh, agus ag an am céanna, aistriú eolais idirnáisiúnta a fhorbairt do réigiúin eile ar nós Chill Ulta, chun cleachtais a fhorbairt chun gníomhaíochtaí aeráide a fheabhsú. 

Tá Cill Ulta ina rannpháirtí san fheachtas #CeannaighDúnnanGall, a spreagann daoine tacaíocht a thabhairt do ghnóthaí dúchasacha i nDún na nGall cíbe áit ar domhan ina bhfuil siad. Dóibh siúd ar mhian leo leas a bhaint as glasraí agus luibheanna úra a tháirgtear go h-áitiúil, is féidir leat a cheannach ar line anseo.