Field Notes by Aislínn • 19 October 2025

The Land Calls Again

Irish historical figures like Connolly, Ceannt, Plunkett and Pearse have lived on in the national consciousness, to a point where we all feel our own personal relationship with them.We have all studied fragments of the fight for Irish freedom in its many iterations, from the Battle of the Boyne, the flight of the Wild Geese or the signing of treaties. We move through streets where battles were fought and arrive in train stations named after signatories.Growing up in Tipperary, it is impossible n...

Field Notes by Aislínn • 12 October 2025

Lavender's Light

I think Autumn is my favourite season. I love dusting off my favourite leather boots that have my feet imprinted, putting back on my favourite winter coat and returning to night classes. I adore how rich the colours appear in the low sun, the smell of cinnamon, newly unwrapped copybooks, and crisp mornings. Music sounds sharper, the sunlight is golden, and there’s an intoxicating feeling of hope on the horizon. The world is at its best. While September is the dawn of new beginnings, it can also...

Field Notes by Aislínn • 5 October 2025

The First Teachers

This week I’m reflecting on an anecdote shared by the late Jane Goodall. She delivered it during a talk at the Brooklyn Museum.While undertaking her PhD in Cambridge and conducting studies in Tanzania, she was scolded by her professor for giving the chimps names. She was told it was more scientific to number them and that one could not speak of their personalities, minds, or emotions, as these qualities were said to be unique to humans.Jane said: “I had animals when I was young, and Rusty, my do...

Field Notes by Aislínn • 3 October 2025

Budget 2026 Must Secure Our Future

Budget 2026 could be the landmark turning point for Ireland taking ownership on climate and nature action.The backdrop is stark, as 2025 has been a bruising year for the Irish environment. Reports are mounting that highlight systematic inaction by the government is heightening the escalating crises.The European Environment Agency recently concluded that Irish nature is in a “very poor” state, with economic growth coming at the expense of our ecosystems.The Environmental Protection Agency confirm...

Field Notes by Aislínn • 28 September 2025

The People’s Parks

Have you ever gone out for a long walk and returned with a sense of clarity? I love the sense of purpose that comes with being outdoors, especially when hiking. I crave times when all I have to focus on is placing one foot after another and surrendering to whatever mountain has decided to humble me that day.If I can manage to fit a hike into the week, everything else suddenly feels more manageable, or at very least, less likely to make me want to throw my laptop out the window.I’ve often brought...

Field Notes by Aislínn • 21 September 2025

Knowing Nettles

When was the last time you were stung by a nettle?It’s a fairly harmless question, but it might reveal how far we’ve drifted from noticing the world beneath our feet.In an age when ecosystems are under serious pressure, some argue that humanity’s survival may depend on our capacity to understand and live in harmony with nature.Lately, I’ve been thinking about eco-literacy, which is our ability to read and learn from the natural world. If our existence depends on learning more about what grows ar...

Field Notes by Aislinn • 14 September 2025

Where the Stations Sleep

It all started with a fifteen-minute train ride from my small apartment in Flemingsberg to central Stockholm. Hurtling past the snow-covered streets and morning commuters, that train ride reshaped my perspective on transport. The train has always been my favourite way to travel, and I’ve explored Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway by rail.But I’m no Francis Bourgeois. I can’t name train models and I don’t stand by tracks to watch them pass. What interests me isn’t the trains themselves, but how...

Field Notes by Aislinn • 7 September 2025

Until the Cows Come Home

As a journalist, one of my biggest frustrations was how agriculture was treated as a niche topic. It was always difficult to pitch farming stories, as they were considered not to appeal to a Dublin audience. We’ve all seen the familiar setup of an IFA representative pitted against an environmentalist, with a host floundering to keep the discussion on track. This format only reinforces the tired narrative of persecuted farmers under siege from ignorant city slickers, while genuine, solutions-focu...

Field Notes by Aislinn • 27 August 2025

When the Birds Don’t Follow the Plough

At the beginning of this summer, I started research for my master’s thesis on the challenges facing organic tillage farmers. From as long as I can remember, I have loved walking fields with my dogs. A lot of land around me is tillage, and I find the thrill of the harvest intoxicating, from the first preparation of washing the combine in mid-spring, to dinners served out of the boot of a car after a day of baling, and even the feeling of chaff in my socks.Although I circle fields daily with my d...