New Podcast Series Dives into Community-Led Marine Restoration in Carlingford Lough
In May, a brand-new season of the Across Divides podcast set sail – this time taking listeners deep into the waters and communities surrounding Carlingford Lough, one of Ireland’s most ecologically rich coastal regions.
Over the course of six episodes, the podcast explores how people living along both sides of the border – north and south – are coming together to tackle the local impacts of a global marine crisis. From rising sea temperatures and plastic pollution to habitat degradation and overfishing, this season unpacks the tough environmental challenges facing our seas. But it also shares stories of resilience, collaboration, and creative restoration.
At the heart of the season is the Shifting Tides Project, a cross-border initiative that blends science, art, heritage, and community storytelling to reconnect people with the sea. It’s a bold, hopeful experiment in what coastal restoration can look like when driven by local voices.
“Carlingford Lough is more than a body of water; it’s a shared heritage, a living ecosystem, and a living example of how communities on both sides of the border rely on each other,” says Suzie Cahn, Project Director of Shifting Tides. “In this season of Across Divides, you’ll hear from an extraordinary group of people who are not only raising awareness about marine issues but healing our relationship with the sea through creativity and community engagement.”
Who You’ll Hear From
Listeners can expect powerful interviews and stories from inspiring individuals such as:
- Suzanne Carroll, a visual artist from Dundalk leading The Fishery Exchange, where artists, scientists, and oyster farmers collaborate to bridge the gap between culture and conservation.
- Heidi McIlvenny, a marine researcher and PhD student at Queen’s University Belfast, whose work with seagrass habitats and community science is driving local ocean literacy.
- Dain McParland, a veteran scuba diver and marine science educator in County Down, who has logged over 3,000 dives and now uses his business, Oceanauts Diving, to champion marine protection.
- Colum Sands, acclaimed folk musician and co-founder of RARE (Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment), whose music and environmental advocacy bring storytelling and activism together in powerful harmony.
With its focus on real people doing real work, Across Divides offers listeners an immersive and inspiring look at what it means to care for our marine environments—and each other—across boundaries.
🎧 Listen Now: All episodes of Across Divides are available on major podcast platforms. Direct link is here.
About the Podcast
Across Divides is part of The Wheel and NICVA’s iCommunity programme, supported by the Shared Island Civic Society Fund (Department of Foreign Affairs). The current season focusing on Shifting Tides is funded through the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme in collaboration with the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
