A big crowd of Campaign members had a great day on the annual Community Gardens Cycle last Saturday, as part of Bike Week and Biodiversity week. Weather-wise, it rained, but we dodged the showers and completed the cycle in a fairly dry state!

It’s more than 10 years since we started the first ever Community Garden cycle and it’s great to be able to continue the tradition.

The 2026 Community Garden cycle was co-organised by the Dublin Cycling campaign and Dublin Community Growers (DCG) and was a great success. It took place as part of Biodiversity Week and Bike Week and was funded by the Irish Environmental Network and Dublin City Council.

This year there were 2 routes: Northside and Southside. The Southside route crew was welcomed by Conor from StillGarden Botanist Community Gardens and departed shortly after 10.00am from Stillgarden Botanist Community Garden in Inchicore. We cycled to Flanagans Field in Rialto, then to Taplins fields in the Liberties, arriving at exactly 1pm at Mud Island Community Garden in North Strand. There, we were welcomed by chairperson Nathalie.

The Northside route crew departed Greenview in Finglas after 10am, cycling to Reilly’s Garden and later cycling along the Royal Canal to Broadstone Community garden in Dublin 7, arriving shortly before 1pm at Mud Island.

Nathalie spoke briefly and Aaron Foley (Biodiversity Officer of DCG and volunteer at Mucky Lane Community Garden) gave an inspiring talk about urban biodiversity, history and the role of urban gardens in protecting biodiversity by planting native wildflowers. Aaron referred to the nettle, our most important plants for butterflies and a food source and natural antihistamine. Aaron spoke about the importance of connecting people and nature and the importance of biodiversity in the community gardens.

18 people cycled the Southside Route and 26 people cycled the Northside route. We love this event: It helps connect gardens across the city both SouthSide and Northside, it builds communities, and grows resilience. The exchange of ideas and skills is inspiring. Planning for more visits among the Community Gardens are on the way.

Thanks to all the volunteer Marshals: Paul, Hugh, Ciaran, Therese, Aisling, Martin, Will and myself Miren-Maialen; to all hosts in the Community Gardens we visited: Nathalie from Mud Island Community garden, Conor, Stillgarden Botanist in Inchicore, to Alessia, Roberto and Palma at Flanagans fields, to Irene and Claire at Taplins fields, Billy at Greenview and to Aoife and Richa at Reilly’s Gardens and all the team at Broadstone Community Garden. We’re hugely grateful for the wonderful talk by Aaron Foley on biodiversity. Special thanks to Ciaran, Paul and Will for the incredible support mapping the routes and to Ash Lynch for their amazing photographs.

Can’t wait for the 2027 Community Gardens Cycle - Watch this space!

Article by Miren Maialen-McDonald