The second and final weekend of the Roots and Shoots: Gaisce Gold Residential in partnership with Student Volunteer Ireland and supported by Irish Aid took place in Connemara, Galway, from 16th to 18th January 2026. We welcomed back 16 fantastic young people to participate in workshops and hear from some incredible guest speakers, all focused on sustainable development goals (SDGs).
One standout moment of the weekend was the participants’ project presentations, where they mapped the Sustainable Development Goals within their own communities. This exercise highlighted the wide range of organisations, initiatives and spaces already working towards positive social, environmental and economic change across Ireland. Advocacy and global citizenship were central themes of the weekend. emphasised in an interactive session with Mark Kelly from the ESD Academy at ATU. Dr Lorraine Tansey from Student Volunteer Ireland joined the participants to hear their presentations and played the SDG to 2030 game, where the young people learned to balance personal ambitions while pursuing shared goals. They also heard from Marie-Anne Michel from Trócaire on effective advocacy campaigns, encouraging critical thinking about power and influence. Mariyam Bangura, a Trócaire volunteer, shared her experiences as a feminist advocate in Sierra Leone, inspiring participants to consider the real-world impact of advocacy.
The weekend wrapped up with a certificate presentation from Gaisce CEO Avril Ryan. Reflecting on the experience, participant Aoife said, “What a privilege to meet so amazing and powerful young people!” Francesca added, describing the programme as “a really fun, empowering and insightful residential project.”
Beyond the workshops, we also made sure to make some time for fun. Participants held a Come Dine With Me where they planned, prepared and shared a three-course meal.
Our sincere thanks to our partners in Student Volunteer Ireland, to Irish Aid for supporting this valuable initiative, and to our fantastic facilitators from Trócaire, the ESD Academy at ATU, STAND and Financial Justice Ireland for sharing their expertise and passion throughout the Residential.