Cill Ulta
2021 to Date
Training and Mentoring | Rural Regeneration | Grant Writing Support | Sustainable Impact
Since 2021, Educate + Innovate has been engaged in work to scope, support and develop the plan for the Northwest Bioeconomy Hub under the Cill Ulta project which is planned to provide leadership in equipping communities, entrepreneurs, and SMEs to develop sustainable and long-life products, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and their overall carbon footprint while innovating ecological agricultural techniques. This project has the commitment and driving force of this ambitious not for profit social enterprise, Údarás na Gaeltachta, UCD, Donegal County Council, and ATU.
This interview with Donegal.ie gives an introduction to a dynamic duo playing an instrumental role in driving Cill Ulta’s success. Mairéad and Eithne are the driving force 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 3 years.
‘’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 from a language, cultural and heritage perspective. In addition, passing on the skills of crop cultivation to the youth is a key mission. Each year Cill Ulta brings in 10 young people from the community to gain valuable paid work experience in cultivation and research practices.
Mairéad captures the unique merger in this project “I love the passion for our language, biodiversity, leadership, and rural development, which is evident as soon as you walk onsite ’’
In 2023 Educate + Innovate was shortlisted in the annual Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards in the Partnership with a Social Enterprise category. This category, which is sponsored by The Department of Rural and Community Development, recognises businesses engaging through collaborative means to increase the impact of social enterprise. The nomination acknowledges our work with Cill Ulta in providing the guidance and expertise it needs to grow and continue its essential work in promoting food sustainability and the circular economy.
It has been our pleasure to investigate the potential for this flagship regional bioeconomy hub of climate action focused enterprise, innovation, applied research, commercialisation and learning.
Empowering People and Place
