Putting Down Roots is an environmental arts initiative led by the Museum of Everyone, visual artist Steven Doody, assisted by Amanda Nyoni and in association with Easy Treesie and the Irish Refugee Council.

Putting Down Roots is one of a series of socially inclusive art projects in outdoor spaces and an initiative of  'In the Open/Faoin Spéir', supported by Birr Festivals Collective, Lough Boora, Tullamore Arts Centre and Offaly County Council and funded by the Arts Council. 

This project will see 8,000 native trees planted across the county of Offaly representing the number of people seeking asylum and refugees in Ireland and living in Direct Provision.

With a donation of €5 per tree, we are aiming to raise over €40,000 that will directly support young people who are in the protection process and lived in Direct Provision system to enter third-level institution. We are very grateful to Tullamore Credit Union for their donation to support the planting of 100 trees. 

Our Partner Easy Treesie does amazing work in creating awareness among young people around climate change and biodiversity, this project involves a collaboration that has the potential to become a sustainable model that benefits the environment, the community, and indeed the most vulnerable young people in Ireland.

At the heart of this project is the idea of communities working together to help young adults put down roots on the island of Ireland. 

The project launched at Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore on 18 November 2021 when we planted the first trees. 

RTÉ covered the launch of the project, their video and coverage is available here. 

Read Manufa's story here.