Westport Eco-Congregation

05/06/2026

Our Earth. Our Responsibility. Our Future. 🌍 Small actions today lead to a greener tomorrow. Let’s do our part! 🌱✨

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

A Reflection by Fr Hugh O’Donnell

On the hospital escalator, going down, a lady in a wheelchair breaks into song. To my friend’s enquiry, I say, ‘it’s called, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’. ‘Was she trying to tell us something?’ he asks. ‘Could it be that dancing begins in the heart?’

It seems that every new born wants to skip, flap, stretch, step out and sing. And it’s telling that while holding the hand of a parent, a child will happily dance her way between cracks in the pavement. While being held!

Perhaps nothing expresses the notion of God better than that. And how blessed it is to understand that God is holding us by the hand and with every breath is calling us to let go of what holds us back. In other words, to dance our way into life’s richness with all the children of God; from the mayfly hatching out their brief, exquisite lives, to a flock of whimbrels passing up the Shannon northwards, to the woodpigeon in the trees close by – all caught up in the gift of their choiring! It seems that creation at source is a song and dance affair dancing us into the fullness of being. For the Sufi poet Rumi, God knows only four words; ‘come dance with me’!

And what’s this? Suddenly this morning I notice the cactus with its first, annual, pink flower and a rosette of others ready to bloom. Is this not another kind of dancing, I wonder, bearing witness to the ecstasy of being alive. And gratefully so.

05/06/2026

Park Pedal is coming to Westport.
Bring the family, from Balance Bikes and up to a cycle on the Westport Greenway.

Meeting at 2pm. Upper Mill Street Car Park, Westport.

Event hosted in conjunction with Cycling Ireland Community Bike Rides and Westport Wheelers

Sunday 7th June- FREE event.

https://eventmaster.ie/event/eob5SrKF8x

05/06/2026

📸 Credit

04/06/2026

Summer is almost here and we are looking for donations for our School Uniform Bank, please!

All local Primary & Secondary school uniforms in good condition welcome. Crested school jumpers particularly appreciated. No other clothes, shoes or bags please.

Donations can be dropped to our office on The Fairgreen or left in our porch Monday-Friday 9.15am-5pm. We will also leave a container outside the office for anyone who wants to donate outside office hours (please put items in a waterproof bag).
Details on collections will come later! (Updates posted on this page)

Please share, thank you!🙂

Curiosity Westport, Mayo Parenting PAX Whole Foods & Eco Goods Mayo Child & Family Support Networks Mayo CYPSC Westport Meals on Wheels and Charity Shop Westport Educate Together National School Scoil Phádraig Gaelscoil na Cruaiche Holy Trinity N.S. Brackloon N.S Murrisk N.S Louisburgh NS Rice College Westport Sacred Heart School Westport Sancta Maria College Family Resource Centre National Forum The Mayo News Midwest Radio Westport Welcomes Ukraine Westport Tidy Towns Mayo Public Participation Network - PPN Cllr Brendan Mulroy Peter Flynn

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

Anna Byrne DC, Catholic rep on the ECI committee reviewed this inspirational publication: A must read for those communities who are caring for the natural, built and cultural heritage!

This colourful and user-friendly guide offers practical advice for faith communities on how the grounds they manage can contribute to conservation of biodiversity. The handbook has been supported by the Local Biodiversity Officers and has been encouraged by the Catholic Church’s Return to Nature Project and Trócaire. In the foreword Bishop Martin Hayes reminds us that nature is not a resource to be exploited, but a gift to be cherished and protected. (Laudato Si’3)

Work for the care of creation in different faith communities are well documented in the form of case-studies and reflective quotations. Details on what to do in different scenarios are comprehensive and well-illustrated. It is useful too, for all ages. Daire the nine-year-old grandson of a friend who was doing some work on ‘bugs’ for a school project was given a copy and said; ‘this is amazing’- good for grandparents who assist with homework perhaps! Advice on ‘legal duties’, ‘health and safety’ with a very useful list of contacts and resources make this free book an essential read for parish personnel and particularly parish councils. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Furthermore, in keeping with zero waste, it is available on-line at https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/

03/06/2026

03/06/2026