Roisin Markham

This academic year Roisin Markham and Nadine McCarthy unite to bring a dynamic programme to the Ad Astra Scholars Academic Programme.

Dán: Futures worth Leading into is a combination of both their work in sustainablity, systems change, leadership, futures literacy and speculative design, education and skills in a world of uncertainity and complexity.

---

Session ii

Sensing Systems, October 2026

On Monday 21st September Nadine and Roisin meet with the Scholars and worked on Sensing Systems, the second part in the series. This session builds on Doughnut Economics positioning practicing principle 4. Getting Savvy with Systems as a key to understanding uncertainity and complexity.

Invited ask: Triad Communication see slide 21 (text to follow).

Resources: coming 1 November

---

Introduction to Doughnut Economics, Feburary 2026

On Saturday 21st of Feburary 2026 Roisin Markham brought Academic Scholars from Ad Astra Academy through an introduction of doughnt economics.
Were you there? what did you think of it? Where does it pique your curiosity?
We began with a Step into the Doughnut a participatory active session to explore a complex theory. We simply made two circles to represent the shape of the doughnut with two lengths of rope, a brief explanation of doughnut economics followed by minutes of reflection and conversations invited through 3 questions with three different people.

The questions deepen the conversation:

1. What is the place in wild nature that you would hate to lose?
2. What is the thing that you are grateful for that has allowed you to be here today that other people may not have?
3. What is the gift that you bring that could help humanity (and all beings) get into the doughnut?

After a short comfort break Roisin Markham shared context on the Doughnut Economics Action Lab and IDEN, the irish Doughnut Economics Network (2020-2026).

This slide deck was shared on the day but due to to some technical difficulties Roisin could not share it in full. Its provided here as an resource.

IDEN is a voluntary network that support people to get into action around doughnut economics across spaces where people live work and play.

There are lots of people using doughnut economics across Ireland not linked to IDEN two programmes of note:

Gemma O’Reilly, Policy Analyst with NESC, National Economic and Community Council is an advisory body to the Taoiseach, worked with doughnut economics and created an energy doughnut, you can read more about her work:

NESC Contributes to Panel Discussion on Doughnut Economics – National Economic & Social Council

Ireland’s Energy Transition: Applying Systems Tools – National Economic & Social Council

Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate – Phase 1

In response to the questions “what do you think young people should do?” the following are some advocacy and activists groups you might like to be aware of, engage with and follow. Social and climate justice are linked.
My work with doughnut economics is asking what is our economy in service to it demands that we create a future worth living into for all beings, pulling our society the way we live back inside planetary boundaries, where no one falls short of lifes essentials. Thats not the society we are currently living in where our earth overshoot day in 2026 is in April.

‘If your dream only includes you, it’s too small.’

Ava DuVernay

Irish Advocacy and Activists groups

What groups are on UCD Campus? What areas are you interest?

UCD Sustainability and student intiatives:

Home | STAND STAND mobilises third-level students to stand up for global justice, equality and sustainability. As strategic partner to Irish Aid we work to embed Global Citizenship Education across the higher education sector in Ireland.

FINAL STAND Response to Discussion on student success.pdf

Climate Justice Universities Union – CJUU who in UCD is connected to this movement across ireland and now growing. They are a transboundary and transdisciplinary collective leveraging the potential of higher education for transformative change. Our goal is to transform higher education to accelerate a just transition and advance climate justice.
We are a union with members representing higher education institutions, diverse and creative communities, civil society organisations, and others. The union was formed on the island of Ireland and welcomes members from all parts of the world.

Oxfam Ireland a global movement of people who fight inequality to end poverty and injustice. In Ireland they campaign for change calling for an end to the unequal systems and structures that perpetuate poverty and injustice.
They have a good young peoples programme. Oxfam Ireland hold our government to acount on poverty and all its complex interrelated issues like climate change and systemic classism and racisim.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland and in particular their Feminist Communities for Climate Justice is a campaign for climate justice that reflects feminist and community work values. The project is developing a feminist and community work analysis of climate justice. 

Community Action Tenants Union – CATU Ireland, is simple: A union for people outside of their workplaces. We have taken the basic ideas of membership, collective direct action, and grassroots democracy to battle the housing and community issues of our time; sky-rocketing rents and house prices, precarious housing, alienation between neighbours, slashed local services, and an erosion of our public spaces.

MyUplift people powered change. MyUplift is an online tool that allows you to start, run and deliver a campaign on the issue you care about. You can use MyUplift to email supporters of your campaign, organize an event and set up email to target, when appropriate.

Friends of the Earth | Home Page Friends of the Earth Ireland is a community at the heart of the growing movement here for a just world with zero pollution. We are part of the world’s largest grassroots environmental network.

DiversityAware a free Training Course. Learn about diversity in Ireland. From the Donegal Travellers Project.

Migrants Rights Ireland MRCI is a national organisation working with migrants and their families in Ireland to promote justice, empowerment and equality.

Biodiversity Data Capture | Biodiversity Mobile Application Documentation

Save Good Food From Going To Waste | Too Good To Go

Globally

BDS Movement | BDS MOVEMENT FREEDOM, EQUALITY, JUSTICE Economic/consumer, cultural, academic, anti-pinkwashing, etc.

Avaaz – The World in Action Have an issue you’d like to get support on? Start your own petition with Avaaz Community Petitions!
Avaaz is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere.

APPS: Earth Hero, HURD, No Thanks, Hylo

If you are looking for a specific cause and are not sure where to start you can use a search engine or ask.

Best of luck , I look forward to our paths crossing again.
Is Mise
Roisin Markham