Around 2015 a group of residents sat down to think about projects for the area. One idea was a working farm: organic food, animals, an orchard, a kitchen and a café, and a place where children learn to grow and rear.
By 2019 the idea had been presented to 39 local organisations, from parents’ groups to youth projects. Most of the land around Ballymun belongs to the council, so the farm needed the council to release some.
In 2022 the council set aside 6.6 acres. The group said it needed a lease to unlock EU funding.
In 2025 a research group described the farm as a hidden gem that few locals knew about. Young people from a local youth project dug foundations for ramps, painted a solar-powered shelter, and started making short films about the farm.
How it happened
- About 2015
Residents brainstorm projects for Ballymun.
- 2019
Plan presented to 39 local organisations.
- 2022
The council sets aside 6.6 acres.
- July 2025
Young people build ramps and start making films about it.
What helped
- Presenting the idea to dozens of local groups.
- Young people making films so neighbours hear about it.
What was hard
- Finding land: most of it belongs to the council.
- A lease was needed before funding.
- Few people knew it existed.
Who was involved
- A Ballymun native who led the idea
- Local residents
- Teachers, parents’ groups and youth projects
- TASC, a research group
Money
- Needs a lease to unlock EU funding (2022)
Pictures to ask for
No photos yet. These are the pictures we would ask the people involved for, with their permission. Never photos of children.
Where this comes from
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