The Mary Robinson Centre

03/11/2026

Ballina's own former president Mary Robinson has just been elected as President of the Assembly and Chair of the Council of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Mrs Robinson is the first woman to hold this title succeeding Ban Ki-Moon.

She will take her position in 2027 for a two year term.

The GGGI is an intergovermental organisation. Their aim is to promote green growth by integrating economic progress with environmental sustainability. The GGGI works with 30 partner countries and operates programs in over 57 countries.

A major theme for the GGGI currently is creating ways to help developing countries establish green policies that will protect their people and ecosystems while reducing poverty. Mrs Robinson has been consistently fighting for the rights of people and nature in some of our poorest countries and is dedicated to using her position as Chairwoman to improve the lives of the people there and the ecosystems that support them. Mrs Robinson touched on these beliefs in a statement accompanying her appointment where she is quoted as saying. "I believe that countries must accelerate the shift to sustainable, low-carbon economies while ensuring that the costs of this transition do not fall disproportionately on those least responsible for climate change."

A huge congratulations to Mrs Robinson from all the staff here at the Mary Robinson Centre, we are delighted to see Mrs Robinson advocating for our planet on such a large stage and hope that she will make a big impact in the next two years. 🌼🌿🐞

Pictures from the Mary Robinson Centre Climate Conference 2026
Source - https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2026/1102/1597695-mary-robinson-climate/

02/11/2026

Thank you so much to the guys from YouthReach for coming to work with us last week! We had a great week visiting the beautiful Karen Community garden and Ballina sensory park. We took all we learned back to the centre and made a tissue flower garland based on real flowers!

02/11/2026

🐒🐕 Deer rides, piggyback games and unlikely friendships 🐷🦌

A new global study led by the University of Oxford has documented 427 cases of primates forming cross-species friendships, from Japanese macaques grooming sika deer to a young snub-nosed monkey playing on a pig's back and a silverback gorilla cradling a tiny bushbaby.

Published in the journal Primates, the review spans five decades of evidence and 204 distinct species pairings, with dogs appearing again and again alongside rhesus macaques.

What's striking is that these bonds don't seem to offer obvious survival advantages. The animals simply play, groom and rest together, suggesting genuine curiosity and social flexibility that reaches beyond species boundaries.

The researchers say these behaviours may be early evolutionary building blocks for the caregiving instincts and cross-species companionship that define our own relationship with animals, with real implications for conservation and animal welfare.

Read the full story 👇
https://happyeconews.com/primates-forming-cross-species-friendships/

A new study documents 427 cases of primates forming cross-species friendships with dogs, deer, and pigs, suggesting the evolutionary roots of human pet-keeping may run deeper than previously believed.

31/10/2026

Long before we had a word for climate justice, our ancestors understood a simple truth: survival required collective preparation. 🍂

Samhain, or "Summer's End," was the moment the community came together. Livestock were brought in from pasture. The harvest was counted and shared. Land agreements were renewed. And on the hilltops, bonfires were lit, not just to ward off the dark, but to gather people, to mark the turning of the year, and to make sure everyone had what they needed for the months ahead. 🔥

That was the original climate justice: a shared understanding that the season was changing, and that no one should face the dark alone. 🌍

Today, the "winter" we face is climate change. And the lesson of Samhain holds: preparation must be collective, and it must be just. At The Mary Robinson Centre, we work to connect climate awareness with community action, because a just transition means no one is left out in the cold. ❄️

Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh. Happy Samhain to you all. 🎃

30/10/2026

🏮 Lanterns need legends. Could that be you?
On Sunday evening, we’ll carry soft lanterns through Newport. They’re not there to chase away the night, but to help us notice it: small, gentle lights that remind us how precious the darkness is, and how beautiful the stars are when we let them shine. 🌌
To make it happen, we need a few more friendly volunteers:
✨ Lantern allocation: handing out lanterns as walkers gather
🧹 Tidy-up crew: helping us leave everything as we found it
📍 Sunday 1 Nov · Newport · from about 6pm
It’s a lovely way to be part of our 10th birthday, and you’ll be right at the heart of the finale.
👉 Sign up via the url on the photos or DM us.

30/10/2026

🌍 Looking back at Climate Week 2026 💚

This month, we were proud to be part of something truly special. We screened the powerful documentary Forever is Now: A Story of Politics, Family, and Hope 🎬 for the students of St. Mary's Secondary School in association with Green Schools, and again for our wider community.

The film offered a rare, behind the scenes look at Eamon Ryan's final 18 months in government (2023 to 2025), exploring the storm of political pressure and online abuse he faced while pushing for global climate justice 🌱 At its heart, though, it was a story about family, weaving his political battles with his tender relationship with his autistic son, Tommy 💙

Forever is Now is a powerful reflection on persistence, empathy, and the belief that lasting change, whether in politics or family, requires patience and hope ✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us, to St. Mary's Secondary School, and to Green Schools for helping make these screenings possible 🙌

We were also delighted to partner with ACT UP for their first event in Ireland, held as part of Mayo Climate Action Week. Last weekend, in collaboration with the Mary Robinson Centre, we brought the community together at The Westport Cinema for a screening of Mrs Robinson, celebrating the life and legacy of Mayo native Mary Robinson, followed by a thoughtful panel exploring the hopes, ideas and dreams people have for their local community 💬

Because climate action isn't just about the big picture. It's about the places we call home, the people we share them with, and the future we want to create together 🌱

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their perspectives and helped make it such a success. This is what happens when a community comes together with curiosity, care and a willingness to act 💚

🌍💚

29/10/2026

🍂 Layer up for a Wild Halloween at Wild Nephin! 🌌

There is a definite nip in the air, but we are buzzing to greet visitors this October Bank Holiday and Mid-Term! With "half the park after dark," we have a jam-packed schedule of free events for the whole family at Ballycroy Visitor Centre.

🎃 What’s On:

Nature & Cultural Displays + Self-Guided 2km Trail
Outdoor Habitat Hunt & Indoor Halloween Hunt
Giant Jenga & Mancala Games
Award-winning Ginger & Wild Café (Open 10am - 4pm)

✨ Mayo Dark Sky Festival Highlights:

Ongoing: 'Shadows of Samhain' installation by Martina O'Connor

Wed 28 Oct @ 17:30: DUSKING twilight experience (Booking required)

Sat 31 Oct: Guided History Walk, Talk on Blacksod Lighthouse, and a Film screening

Sun 1 Nov: Guided Nature Walk, Cosmic Spectacle talk, and a talk on Whales & Dolphins

Sun 1 Nov @ 18:00: Newport Lantern Walk followed by Jack L concert

🚌 Good to know: The weekend events are FREE and there is a FREE Shuttle Bus running between venues! No need to book in advance for weekend events.

29/10/2026

Long before we had a word for climate justice, our ancestors knew one simple truth: survival takes collective preparation. 🍂

Samhain was when the community came together. The harvest was shared. The fires were lit. Not just to keep the dark at bay, but to make sure no one faced the winter alone. 🔥🌍

Today, our "winter" is climate change. And the lesson holds. Preparation must be collective. It must be just. ❄️

At The Mary Robinson Centre, we connect climate awareness with community action, because a just transition means no one is left out in the cold.

Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh. Happy Samhain to you all. 🎃

29/10/2026

📢 Today is the International Day of Care and Support.

Care work, paid and unpaid, sustains our societies and economies. Yet it remains undervalued and underprotected.

The numbers tell the story:
👩‍⚕️ Women in health and care earn on average 24% less than their male peers
⚖️ Women perform 76.2% of all unpaid care work, 3.2 times more than men
🌍 The global care workforce includes 249 million women and 132 million men

This year's theme, "Building sustainable care and support systems through decent work," calls on governments, employers and unions to close persistent gaps in labour rights, wages, social protection and representation for care workers.

At the Mary Robinson Centre, we believe care systems must be gender-responsive, disability-inclusive, age-sensitive and grounded in human rights. Investing in the care economy is investing in equality, dignity and sustainable societies.

It is time to recognize, reduce, value and redistribute unpaid care work, and to secure decent work for all care workers.