rambling ~ the act of socially wandering from one neighbour’s house to another in your community.
(céilí-ing, raking, bothántaíocht, night visiting)
Just Rambling – For generations the people of Ireland have wandered the roads of their locality, in the dark months of winter, calling to their neighbours homes. An unannounced visit, sometimes without even a knock, they were always made welcome. The news of the area was shared, cups of tea and food, games of cards played, sometimes there was even music, song or dance. And there was always storytelling that involved meeting the fairies on dark winters night that would send you walking home all the brisker when your rambling had finished.
But things have changed in Ireland today. Our doors are locked, automatic gates keep spontaneous visits away, the tv and social media provide the news and stories and you have to ring a few days in advance if you plan on calling to the house. We have high speed fibre optic broadband connecting us around the world in seconds yet no human connection with the people who live all around us.
The loss of social connection is having a huge impact on mental health, particularly amongst our older generation. According to a study published in recent weeks by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing of Trinity College Dublin, this critical issue is linked to heightened feelings of loneliness and a sense of disconnectedness from their communities. Social connection plays a huge part in protecting our mental health, not just for the elderly, but for all ages. Another study conducted by Alison Fagan, published in the Journal of Aging Studies 2024, explored the lives of Irish centenarians and asked the question whether there was a secret to living well and ageing well. One of the biggest takeaways from their answers was social connectedness: connection to your family and your wider community.
We have to mind not only our physical health but our social health too. Just Rambling project seeks to reverse that and bring back the old ways of a community connecting with one another. Empowering the generations of today to ramble once again.
Throughout this Winter 6 homes in Leitrim will welcome their neighbours to their kitchen for night of music, song, stories, food and good company. For anyone wanting to ramble that can’t travel, volunteers in the community will be assigned to give them a lift to and from the house.
But the notion of rambling isn’t just confined within this project to these 6 homes. We’re putting a national call out to the people of Ireland to go rambling this winter. Call in once a week to your neighbour or gather a few together to come to your own home, perhaps playing music together, sharing conversation, playing cards or any form of connection. Maybe you could check in on a neighbour who is isolated or has no form of transport and ask them would they like to go visit a friends house that they used to ramble to. Those long dark evenings of winter affect us all. You don’t only have to be an elderly person to go rambling, all ages can. We all need human connection and a community coming closer together only brings greater things for all within it. The future is local and community is future. Go rambling this Winter!
Listen back to the launch of Just Rambling live from Edwina’s kitchen on Countrywide on RTE Radio1
Just Rambling project is curated by Edwina Guckian with Leitrim musicians Brian Mostyn & Fionnuala Maxwell. Supported by Creative Ireland, Leitrim County Council Arts Office & Leitrim Development Company Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme
(céilí-ing, raking, bothántaíocht, night visiting)
Just Rambling – For generations the people of Ireland have wandered the roads of their locality, in the dark months of winter, calling to their neighbours homes. An unannounced visit, sometimes without even a knock, they were always made welcome. The news of the area was shared, cups of tea and food, games of cards played, sometimes there was even music, song or dance. And there was always storytelling that involved meeting the fairies on dark winters night that would send you walking home all the brisker when your rambling had finished.
But things have changed in Ireland today. Our doors are locked, automatic gates keep spontaneous visits away, the tv and social media provide the news and stories and you have to ring a few days in advance if you plan on calling to the house. We have high speed fibre optic broadband connecting us around the world in seconds yet no human connection with the people who live all around us.
The loss of social connection is having a huge impact on mental health, particularly amongst our older generation. According to a study published in recent weeks by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing of Trinity College Dublin, this critical issue is linked to heightened feelings of loneliness and a sense of disconnectedness from their communities. Social connection plays a huge part in protecting our mental health, not just for the elderly, but for all ages. Another study conducted by Alison Fagan, published in the Journal of Aging Studies 2024, explored the lives of Irish centenarians and asked the question whether there was a secret to living well and ageing well. One of the biggest takeaways from their answers was social connectedness: connection to your family and your wider community.
We have to mind not only our physical health but our social health too. Just Rambling project seeks to reverse that and bring back the old ways of a community connecting with one another. Empowering the generations of today to ramble once again.
Throughout this Winter 6 homes in Leitrim will welcome their neighbours to their kitchen for night of music, song, stories, food and good company. For anyone wanting to ramble that can’t travel, volunteers in the community will be assigned to give them a lift to and from the house.
But the notion of rambling isn’t just confined within this project to these 6 homes. We’re putting a national call out to the people of Ireland to go rambling this winter. Call in once a week to your neighbour or gather a few together to come to your own home, perhaps playing music together, sharing conversation, playing cards or any form of connection. Maybe you could check in on a neighbour who is isolated or has no form of transport and ask them would they like to go visit a friends house that they used to ramble to. Those long dark evenings of winter affect us all. You don’t only have to be an elderly person to go rambling, all ages can. We all need human connection and a community coming closer together only brings greater things for all within it. The future is local and community is future. Go rambling this Winter!
Listen back to the launch of Just Rambling live from Edwina’s kitchen on Countrywide on RTE Radio1
Just Rambling project is curated by Edwina Guckian with Leitrim musicians Brian Mostyn & Fionnuala Maxwell. Supported by Creative Ireland, Leitrim County Council Arts Office & Leitrim Development Company Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme
