Membership Forest

Trees are one of the most important elements of our environmental landscape at Lisnavagh.  You can wander among the groves of mighty oak, lime and chestnut, their sweeping branches alive with birdsong - home to many types of wildlife. Becoming a member of Lisnavagh helps us to preserve and maintain hundreds of acres of our native woodlands and forest for future generations of nature lovers and environmental enthusiasts. The Lisnavagh Estate is the largest carbon sink in the area, due to the number of trees, our old buildings and 5 km of native hedgerows.

To see which tree in the forest you resonate with, click here

Why become a member?

In a nutshell, the Farmyard, Lisnavagh promotes programmes that feature History, 

Heritage, Culture, Community Biodiversity, Climate, & Environment by hosting events that focus on co-creative art & environmental programmes and workshops. Our membership is open to all – whether you are an individual or an organization. There are benefits for everyone.

Our Goal

Our long-term goal is for the FarmYard at Lisnavagh to be a living lab; a community resource hub of innovation, resilience & sustainable living here in Ireland’s ancient east, specifically in Co. Carlow.  Using the creative arts, our programmes and training workshops explore the inextricable links and interdependencies between the arts, agriculture, biodiversity, community, history, heritage, innovation, technology, nature, the environment, health, wellbeing and climate action.

Restoration of the FarmYard at Lisnavagh

The first step of this journey is to renovate the buildings and restore them to their former glory.  This year, the FarmYard has been awarded a substantial grant from the Heritage Council under their Traditional Farm Buildings scheme, for vital repairs to the roof of the building. This is a major step forward for the FarmYard’s five-year restoration programme. By transforming an historic building and making it fully accessible to the public, collaboratively, the FarmYard will once again flourish as the community farm of the future it was originally designed to be.

Built by the Community, for the Community

We see the FarmYard as a model of self-sufficiency to be shared and enjoyed by all, a collaborative venture slowly evolving and growing - built by the community, for the community.   For some, it is perceived as a lifeline for mental health and wellbeing, a place to take a breath, recharge and be renewed.    We’re hosting more and more events in our seasonal calendar for people to participate and become more involved in designing and experiencing the kind of resilient communities we’d all like to be part of.

Getting involved

There are a multitude of ways to be involved with the FarmYard at Lisnavagh.  Whether you want to be a visitor or guest and soak up the atmosphere, an event facilitator, an artist, designer, farmer, educator, a volunteer, a local business looking to provide services to the community, a member, a special advisor willing to share your expertise or a sponsor who shares our values with an interest in promoting events and programmes that benefit the community, there is something for everyone.