Episodios

  • S2 Ep6: Save Our Seas

    S2 Ep6: Save Our Seas
    Mar 26 2025
    The shores of our island are thriving with life, from seagrass meadows and kelp forests to rock pools and salt marshes. In the face of global challenges for our oceans, how can a balance be found between conservation strategies and community needs in highly dynamic marine environments? In this episode we discuss some of the issues facing our coastal areas with experts in the field of marine conservation. Supporting the recovery of marine life will take a concerted effort all around our coasts and we look at innovative approaches through marine protected areas and nature restoration that can have benefits for climate change, biodiversity, and livelihoods.

    Richard Nairn is a writer and ecologist who holds a Master’s Degree in Zoology. He has published seven previous books including a recent trilogy on nature in Ireland. In Wild Shores, he explores the coasts of our island under sail, and in Future Wild, he looks at possibilities for nature restoration.

    Robert Walsh is the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force officer, representing a coalition of environmental NGOs working on ensuring healthy, resilient, and productive seas for Northern Ireland. They have an MSc in Climate Change: Managing the Marine Environment from Heriot-Watt University and a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology from the University of Stirling. With over 10 year’s worth of experience in marine environmental management, Robert is passionate about ensuring marine environmental management that works holistically across regions.

    Anna Murtagh is the Marine Protected Area Officer for Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council. Growing up sailing, she was captivated by the fascinating marine life that Ireland has to offer, which naturally inspired her to study marine biology. Through her studies, the importance of protecting our marine life became even clearer, and since then, she has been dedicated to conserving our marine ecosystems. Anna’s work focuses on ensuring the health and sustainability of coastal and marine environments, with a particular passion for safeguarding the unique waters surrounding the island of Ireland.

    Cara Bradley is the Marine Conservation Officer at Ulster Wildlife, working to bring nature back through the restoration of European Native Oyster populations in Belfast Lough.

    For more information on marine protected areas, take a look at Fair Seas, where you can also learn more about the 30 by 30 strategy, which aims to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. In the episode we discuss the need for better understanding of our seas that can be developed through ocean literacy, and the Irish Ocean Literacy Network is doing great work in this sphere. For an example of community led nature restoration, take a look at Seawilding, a seagrass and native oyster initiative in Lough Craignish, Scotland.
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    26 m
  • S2 Ep5: Living on the Lough

    S2 Ep5: Living on the Lough
    Mar 26 2025
    Balancing ocean conservation with sustainable livelihoods can be challenging. Healthy seas depend on meshworks of habitat. This episode looks at seagrass meadows and their part in maintaining ecological diversity and mitigating the effects of climate change. Seagrasses and oysters don’t often elicit the same intensity of interest as coral reefs; to most, they seem, by comparison, less vibrant, less full of colour and obvious life. But they have incredible ecological and cultural importance that we explore with our guests through their varied research and experiences, as we look across themes of ocean literacy and consider ways that art can facilitate difficult conversations about marine management.

    Heidi McIlvenny is a PhD student at Queen’s University Belfast, where her multidisciplinary research focuses on seagrass habitats and their ecosystem services. Her professional experience includes roles with environmental organisations, where she established a community-led shark tagging programme and pioneered habitat restoration projects. She has also worked in consultancy capacities and with the Office for Environmental Protection. Currently, Heidi serves as a Director for the Irish Ocean Literacy Network.

    Kian Louet-Feisser is the managing director of the Carlingford Oyster Company. His parents, Peter and Ann, started the company in the 1960s after sailing into Carlingford Lough in a wooden boat and becoming enchanted by the natural beauty of the place. The family business is now run by Kian, his wife Mary, and their children.

    Suzanne Carroll is a visual artist based in Dundalk, currently leading a research project for Shifting Tides titled “The Fishery Exchange.” This initiative unites local artists and scientists with oyster producers to promote the regeneration and conservation of Carlingford Lough.

    To learn more about ocean literacy and how it emphasises the reciprocity between humans and marine ecosystems, take a look at the Irish Ocean Literacy Network. You can find out more about seagrasses and ways to contribute to citizen science initiatives with Coastwatch. The Carlingford Oyster Company is located near Carlingford town.
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    25 m
  • S2 Ep4: Diving Deep

    S2 Ep4: Diving Deep
    Mar 26 2025
    There are strange and otherworldly creatures at the bottom of the sea. In this episode we meet some of the intrepid divers exploring the depths of Carlingford Lough, hearing about both the wonders and horrors of what they have seen there. It turns out there is an abundance of life, from crabs and anemones to dolphins and seals, but also worrying issues that need to be tackled, including pollution, biodiversity loss, and warming seas. Divers are in a unique position to observe and study undersea environments, and we learn how some of our guests are leading citizen science programs beneath the waves, as well as hearing about their conservation ambitions for Carlingford Lough. It is also important to find ways of sharing their findings with those who don’t have such unique access to our waters, and this is something that can take a dash of creative inspiration.

    Dain McParland is a seasoned scuba diving professional with over 15 years of experience in scientific diving, dive safety, and instruction, and more than 3,000 dives. As the owner of Oceanauts Diving in County Down, Northern Ireland, Dain is committed to delivering exceptional diving experiences and fostering a love for the ocean. With a degree in marine science, he combines his academic expertise with his passion for underwater exploration to promote marine conservation and educate others about the wonders of the underwater world.

    Muirin Sneddon is an A-level student at Our Lady’s Grammar, studying environmental technology, geography, and art. Her artistic work is inspired by growing up on the shores of Carlingford Lough, and swimming and sailing in its waters. Her works include “The relationship between humanity and marine environments”, “The contrast in our Environment”, “The hidden roots of Ireland”, and “The reality of climate change”. Her creative works focus on the beauty of her local environment and how it is being affected by climate change and human activity. Her art consists of both textile and ceramic mediums, creating installations and wearable textile designs inspired by her home.

    Eloisa Wainwright is a well-adapted scuba diver with almost a year of experience, having completed certifications within Oceanauts Diving, including safety training for above and below the water, guiding ocean dives, and deep ocean dives, whilst working alongside Dain McParland. She is committed to becoming a Dive Master and professional scuba diving instructor. Eloisa thrives on adventures and experiences underwater, being guided by her love of marine life. Eloisa aims to use her educational qualifications of A-level biology as well as her love for ocean life to study marine sciences and conservation further and to train and guide upcoming divers, educating them on the ocean she fell in love with.

    Claire Casey is the Northern Ireland coordinator of SeaSearch, a citizen science project for divers and snorkelers, designed to gather data for marine research.
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    29 m
  • S2 Ep3: Soundwaves

    S2 Ep3: Soundwaves
    Mar 26 2025
    In this episode, we sit down with composer and sound artist Karen Power to discuss her project: Hidden Life in Carlingford Lough (2024), a composed soundscape containing only sounds that were recorded on and underneath the Lough. The work seeks to amplify the sounds coming from the lough’s amazingly diverse life, which Karen hears on a par to musical conversations. It seeks to create space for locals and others to listen and perhaps discover something new about a body of water that they have lived beside their whole lives. So many of these - often tiny - creatures are simply living lives underneath what most of us think of as a largely quiet space. Karen’s work places focus on listening, as a relatively unconsidered way to connect.

    Dr. Karen Power is an Irish composer and sound artist, based in Cork, Ireland. Karen's compositions utilise two primary sources; acoustic instruments and everyday sounds. Everyday environments and how we hear everyday sounds lie at the core of Karen’s practice, with a continued interest in blurring the distinction between what we consider “music” and all other sound. She has listened and recorded in some of the world's most isolated and challenging locations: The Arctic, Amazon, Namib Desert, Outback Australia, and most recently Antarctica. Karen’s art utilises our inherent familiarity with certain sounds, as a means of engaging with performers and audiences to alter our relationship with our world and how we behave and effect change in our living environments. Many of her works are devised to ensure that an active listening environment is created, maintained, and shared by all involved. These works simultaneously challenge the listener's memory of hearing while presenting new contexts for such sounds, forever altering how we hear our world. Her work also seeks to actively acknowledge the change we all bring upon it.

    For more information about Karen’s work, visit www.karenpower.ie
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    27 m
  • S2 Ep2: Crossing the Lough

    S2 Ep2: Crossing the Lough
    Mar 26 2025
    At the narrows between Omeath and Warrenpoint, ferry boats once carried folks across Carlingford Lough. In wartime, the passengers might have carried a piece of butter or bag of sugar up their sleeve. Stories such as these inspired a community-engaged art project using driftwood and bits and pieces found on the beach around the lough.

    All sorts of stories wash up on the shores of the Irish Sea; some are just a bit of fun, but others are vital in informing how we consider the landscapes and seascapes around us. In this episode, we hear about seaweed foraging and the ways that language holds our knowledge of the land and sea; the ways that coastal communities have depended on their shores for generations; and how once upon a time someone drove a car into the middle of Carlingford Lough.

    Steve Lally has been working as an international storyteller and bestselling author for fifteen years. He has recently worked with the Shifting Tides project to create socially engaged sculptures inspired by stories of smuggling between Omeath and Warrenpoint.

    Samuel Arnold Keane is a forager, illustrator, and performer, merging various art forms to tell the stories of the seaweeds, coasts, and streets he gathers, wades, and walks. At the essence of his creative practice is a passion for the natural world, to share this with others through image, performance, song and word.

    Stories are told by Ian Sherry, Roisin Mulligan, and Anne McKeown, recorded by Declan Mallon and Steve Lally.

    To read more about the work of Samuel Arnold Keane and Danae Wollen, take a look at their interview for the Shifting Tides Blog, Duileasc: Foraging as Activism, or read about our ancient links to seaweed in this article published by The Irish Times. Steve Lally has also published a number of books including Down Folk Tales and Irish Gothic Fairy Stories.
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    27 m
  • S2 Ep1: Shorelines

    S2 Ep1: Shorelines
    Mar 26 2025
    The undersea world often remains out of sight. In this episode, our guests take us from the forests of County Down to the rocky shores and hidden depths of Carlingford Lough. Together, we explore how we can make the natural world more visible through creative and scientific approaches, activism and art.

    There’s a lot to be learned from a walk on the beach, where creatures washed up on the sand provide insight on what is happening beneath the water. Citizen science can offer everyone a means of contributing towards marine research, by helping to provide baseline information for measuring future change. A lack of historical scientific data can often make it difficult to understand just how much life has been lost in our oceans. And so, in this episode, we take a look at the role that anecdotal evidence plays in learning about the ecological past.

    Colum Sands is a universal storyteller drawing on a long Irish tradition of humour and poetry to weave songs for the world. He has performed solo and as a member of “The Sands Family” in over thirty countries, presented BBC radio programmes over 22 years, and produced over 100 albums. Colum is a founding member of RARE (Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment). Today, Colum remains committed to a joyful journey of discovery, exploring how creative action can channel the energy of community power to celebrate, respect, and protect the natural life-support system that we are lucky enough to be surrounded by.

    Dave Wall is Citizen Science Officer at the National Biodiversity Data Centre where he manages the Explore Your Shore! and Dragonfly Ireland 2019-2024 citizen science projects. He also leads on developing the Data Centre’s work programme on citizen science and marine biodiversity.

    Susan Farrell is a writer and painter who is inspired by her love for the shores of
    Carlingford Lough. Her creative works intentionally seek to remind others of the beauty and
    delicacy of the environment and the urgent need to preserve it.

    Explore Your Shore is a national survey of marine and coastal biodiversity, intended to create a robust baseline dataset for intertidal plant and animal species in Ireland. Their website hosts a useful set of online training materials to prepare citizen scientists who want to contribute to marine research. The National Biodiversity Data Centre runs a range of other programs that are worth checking out. You can also visit iNaturalist, a worldwide community of citizen scientists.
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    25 m
  • S2: Season 2 Trailer: The Shifting Tides Project

    S2: Season 2 Trailer: The Shifting Tides Project
    Mar 13 2025
    In the new season of the Across Divides podcast, we take a deep dive into the Shifting Tides Project, which brings together coastal communities from the twin shores of Carlingford Lough, working across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

    Over six brand new episodes, we discuss global challenges facing our seas, from climate change and pollution, to overfishing and habitat loss; we also reflect on how scientists, artists, and communities are making sense of local issues and finding creative ways to respond, including citizen science, storytelling, music making, and nature restoration.

    Producer and Host: Alexander McMaster
    Sound Editor: Luke Lacey
    Project Director: Suzie Cahn
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    1 m
  • S1 Ep12: Women in the COVID Recovery

    S1 Ep12: Women in the COVID Recovery
    May 30 2022
    In times of crisis, women have often carried significant burdens that are not well recognised. In this episode, we look at the role of women in community and peacebuilding, and the development of policy guided by lived experience. We discuss systemic, historical and intersectional discrimination against women. Lived experiences of women during the pandemic were researched as part of the feminist recovery plan which proposes new opportunities to address a whole society change. This episode concludes with a reading from poet Annemarie Ni Churreain.


    Guests

    Rachel Powell, women’s sector lobbyist with the Women’s Resource and Development Agency and chair of the Women’s Policy Group for Northern Ireland, who recently published the feminist recovery plan for Covid-19. She is on the board of directors of the Washington Ireland Program and recently advised the NI government on an expert panel for a gender equality strategy.
    Annemarie Ni Churreain, a poet from the Donegal Gaeltacht. Her poetry has been shortlisted for the Shine Strong Award for best first collection in Ireland and for the 2018 Julie Suk Award in the USA. Many of her poems inhabit parallel worlds, suggesting dual ways of experiencing people, places and events, often evoking the mystery of ‘in between’ places. Annemarie Ní Churreáin

    Coumilah Manjoo is originally from Mauritius and lived in England, Ireland, France before working in Northern Ireland for the past 12 years. She studied social sciences and a LLM in Human Rights, Her work has fostered Intercultural dialogue in the voluntary sector with grassroots organisations. She is also a daughter, sister, and mother of three. The power within | Just Fair


    Links

    Feminist Recovery Plan

    Belfast Multi-Cultural Association - Home | Facebook
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    55 m
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