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Fáilte ar ais! Welcome back to the Wikimedia Community Ireland podcast — our first episode of 2026!

In this special episode, we're celebrating Wikipedia's 25th birthday with a look back at how it all began, how Wikimedia Community Ireland was founded, and how the Irish language has become central to our work.

We're joined by founding members Shannon and Eugene Eichelberger, who share their memories of discovering Wikipedia, their first edits, and how a trip to the pub after an edit-a-thon in 2014 led to the creation of WCI.

We also introduce Laura, our new Irish Language Officer, and reflect on the growth of Vicipéid (Irish-language Wikipedia), which now has over 60,000 articles — all written by volunteers.

In this episode:

• How Wikipedia launched 25 years ago as a radical experiment in collaborative knowledge
• Shannon and Eugene's first impressions and first edits
• The origin story of Wikimedia Community Ireland
• How the Irish language focus evolved and why it matters
• The role of Vicipéid in language revitalisation
• What excites the team about 2026

Links:

• Learn more: wikimedia.ie
• Vicipéid (Irish Wikipedia): ga.wikipedia.org
• Wikipedia's 25th anniversary: wikipedia.org

Go raibh maith agaibh as éisteacht! Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with anyone who loves free knowledge.

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

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Have you ever wondered what it's like to live in a castle? Descendant of United Irishman Robert Emmet, Thomas Emmet and his family live at Altidore Castle, which is both home, a museum and an Organic rewilding estate, in Kilpedder, Wicklow (with a fascinating past!).

As the Events and External Relations Officer at Historic Houses of Ireland (HII) and Vice President of European Historic Houses’ Next Generation board, our guest is breathing new life into Heritage Work. To celebrate the launch of Wiki Loves Monuments, we welcomed him to the podcast, fresh off the back of a week of sold-out tours for Heritage Week, during which his historic home opens up to the public.

Thomas Emmet's role at HHI supports the organisation's mission to represent over 200 historic houses across Ireland and to revitalise them in the process. Thomas spoke to us about his heritage work, involvement in festivals around Ireland and the history of the castle and his unique family legacy of commitment to social justice and political activism. He also gives our listeners some great tips for taking photos of built-heritage sites for the Wiki Loves Monuments 2025 photography contest.

About Thomas Emmet

Thomas Emmet is the Events and External Relations Officer for Historic Houses of Ireland and Vice President of European Historic Houses’ Next Generation board. He is passionate about heritage and works to help houses open to the public and host festivals and events. He is also a huge advocate for progressive politics and currently works on fundraising for candidates running for election. Additionally, he helped found an anti racism network in Wicklow. He is in the process of taking over the management of Altidore Castle (Co. Wicklow) and plans to open it to the public further with events around biodiversity and heritage preservation.

About Historic Houses of Ireland

Historic Houses of Ireland (HHI) represents and supports Ireland’s privately owned historic houses and castles, regardless of size or renown, sharing their architectural and cultural heritage with the public. Through advocacy, guidance, and events like guided tours, lectures, and cultural programs, HHI helps its members preserve and celebrate Ireland’s built heritage while fostering engagement with diverse audiences.

• Enter Wiki Loves Monuments 2025 here.
• Find all resources mentioned in this podcast here.

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

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Did you know that only 2% of the forest cover in Ireland is made up of native trees?

On this episode, Oisín Ó Néill, one of the Directors of the Gaelic Woodland Project discusses his journey from solicitor to grassroots environmental advocate, emphasising the critical link between local action and policy change. We also discuss all things biodiversity in Ireland. He tells us about the unregulated invasive species cherry laurel, and the broader issues facing Irish forestry, like non-native plantations, overgrazing by deer and why it may not be time for wolves to make a comeback in Ireland.

Gaeilge is also a central part of the Gaelic Woodland Projects' work. We discuss how natural heritage and linguistic heritage are connected and how we are still seeing the impacts of Ireland's colonial history manifest in our natural environment today.

This episode was recorded as part of the Wiki Loves Earth 2025 Campaign and photo competition. You can find out how to enter and win prizes here.

If you're attending Bloom festival this year, Oisín will be at the Sustainable Living Stage on Saturday at 16:45 for a discussion panel about invasive species. Tickets for the festival are available via Ticket Master.

Resources Mentioned:

• The National Biodiversity Data Centre offers a range of resources on pollinator-friendly plants that won’t play havoc on our ecosystems, including species and guidelines for gardens.
• Protecting Woodlands and The Cherry Laurel Project.
• Hometree charity
• Rhodedenderon Rangers
• Mary Renyolds
• Gaelic Woodland Project Instagram @gaelicwoodlandproject
• Website: gaelicwoodlandproject.com
• National Parks and Wildlife Service

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us Fan Mail

Rising Voices is a Global Voices outreach project that supports underrepresented communities who want to tell their own stories using digital media. By offering training, resources, microgrants, and mentoring, the initiative helps these communities, especially those speaking endangered or indigenous languages, join the global conversation and share their perspectives online.

Wikimedia Community Ireland recently joined their campaign that brings together a diverse group of Wikimedia Affiliate Groups to co-organize local workshops focused on digital activism for Indigenous, minoritized, or low-resource languages.

These workshops will incorporate elements of the Rising Voices – UNESCO toolkit project “Digital Initiatives for Indigenous Languages,” which has been adapted to a number of virtual and in-person workshops over the past several years.

In this episode, we talk to Lucy, a member of the IgboWikimedian Group who are taking part in the initiative. We learn more about her unique and diverse language community, the challenges they face and the importance of initiatives like Rising Voices in strengthening their language in the digital space.

About Our Guest

Lucy Chinyeaka Iwuala is a Wikimedian, language professional, and cultural heritage advocate dedicated to bridging digital gaps for African languages. With a focus on Igbo and other indigenous African languages, she works to expand online content, empower women contributors, and leverage technology for linguistic preservation. Her initiatives combine digital literacy training with community-driven projects to ensure underrepresented voices take part in shaping the digital narrative of Africa’s cultural heritage.

Igbo Wikimedians User Group (Nigeria) represented here by Lucy Iwuala

Igbo language is one of the most spoken ethnic languages in Nigeria and is spoken by the Igbo people who are native to the present-day South Eastern Nigeria with an estimated population of 34 million (2016 est.), excluding Igbo people in the diaspora. Small ethnic Igbo populations are also found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

The aim of the Igbo Wikimedians User Group is to leverage on this huge number of people who speak the Igbo language to ensure that content production and consumption in the various Igbo Language platforms of Wikimedia is given front row focus.

Resources and Books mentioned:

• ÌGBÒ: A beginner's guide to learn how to read, understand, speak and write the Ìgbò language by Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu
• Omenka App
• 'Things Fall Apart', a novel by Chinua Achebe
• Global Voices Website: https://rising.globalvoices.org/
• UNESCO toolkit “Digital Initiatives for Indigenous Languages”: https://rising.globalvoices.org/digital-initiatives-for-indigenous-languages/

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

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What is folklore, really? Is it just old stories, or is it something much more alive, shaping who we are today? In this episode of the WCI Podcast we sit down with Fáin, a folklorist, oral storyteller, and multimedia creator, to explore the living, evolving nature of folklore—and how we can all engage with it.

Fáin, who studied under the legendary Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, has worked with the National Leprechaun Museum and now shares Irish folklore through YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch, where they combine traditional storytelling with open knowledge advocacy. We discuss everything from colonial influences on folklore, the hidden histories of Ireland, and even how folklore shapes national identity and cultural resistance.

As a judge for Wiki Loves Folklore 2025, Fáin also shares what they hope to see in this year’s photo and writing contests. If you're interested in folklore, open knowledge, or storytelling, this episode is packed with insights, untold stories, and ways you can get involved in preserving and sharing our cultural heritage.

📷 Want to take part in Wiki Loves Folklore?
Submit your photos and articles before March 31st!
🔗 Find out more at wikimedia.ie

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!

Fáin is Hog and Dice on Socials @hoganddice (Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)

Books Mentioned:

‘Locating Irish Folklore’ - Diarmuid Ó Giolláin

'The Festival of Brigit' by Séamas Ó Catháin

Stone lifting account mentioned: @IndianaStones

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

We are delighted to be kicking off the new year with Pauline Cummins for Art+Feminism.

Art+Feminism is an International Wikimedia Campaign that dares us to imagine and initiate a more equal world, starting with the internet. The vision of the Art+Feminism Project is to actively create an internet that reflects diverse global histories of art-making, where communities who have most often been written out of history feel welcome and empowered to participate in writing (and righting) stories.

In this episode, we are joined by Pauline Cummins, an Irish sculptor, painter, performance and video artist from Dublin, currently based in Rua Red. Cummins was previously a lecturer at the National College of Art and Design and was the founding chairperson of the Women Artists Action Group. Her performance and video work examines the human condition from a feminist perspective. Her practice explores themes of the political body, activism, human rights and gender.

She tells us about how she helped set up the Women Artists Action Group in 1987 in response to the exclusion women artists faced at that time. She explains that community and international collaboration were key in advocating for women's rights along with a healthy dose of stubborn determination!

We also discuss the impact that our current digital landscape is having on art and together we envision what a truly feminist internet would look like.

If you are looking for an inspiring conversation that is sure to replenish your determination to fight for what you believe in then this is the episode for you!

• To learn more about the international Art+Feminism Campaign please visit artandfeminism.org
• To find out more about Cummins' work and upcoming shows please visit PaulineCummins.com

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!

Send us a text

In this special Heritage Week 2024 episode, we explore the transformative power of digital technology in preserving Ireland's rich cultural heritage. Join us as we chat with Gary Dempsey, co-founder of Digital Heritage Age, who shares how his innovative work is empowering communities across Ireland to protect and promote their local history through cutting-edge digital projects.

About Gary Dempsey:

Gary is a dedicated heritage professional with over a decade of experience in the field. As a co-founder and the Creative Director of Digital Heritage Age, Gary leads innovative projects that integrate technology and heritage to enhance community engagement and education. He also imparts his extensive knowledge and expertise as a lecturer at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) - Galway City, where he teaches a variety of modules including Heritage, Film, Animation, and Game Design.

Since beginning his career in heritage management in 2010, Gary has developed a keen interest in community heritage management, collection, and promotion. His passion for the field is evident in his current research, which focuses on the historical role of stonemasons in medieval Ireland.

Digital Heritage Age is a heritage collective who explore the intersection of technology, heritage, and community. Our mission is to utilize innovative digital tools to preserve, protect, and promote our shared cultural heritage, working closely with communities to ensure their voices and perspectives are included in the process. We aim to foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of our collective heritage, and inspire future generations to continue the legacy of preservation and innovation. Harnessing the power of technology to unlock a new era of cultural heritage preservation. DH_Age can be contacted through their website (Digitalheritageage.com) or on social media (@DH_Age) Twitter

More socials and contact - https://linktr.ee/dh_age

Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.

Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheide
License code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692D

Sign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!