Blue Thunder By Donnie Phair
Conference Schedule
Wednesday 2nd October 2024
20:00 – Pre Event @ Pats Bar, Townhall Street, Enniskillen.
Pre-Conference Céili. Gary Curley & Stephen McKee music.
No booking required. FREE EVENT.
Thursday 3rd October 2024 – DAY 1 –
09:00 – Active Collaboration for Stillwaters, Lough Erne Resort (FREE EVENT)
In-person attendance. Booking required. Book Now
Selected online sessions 
available. Booking Required. Book Online Ticket
Transport available from central Enniskillen to venue.
09:00 – Registration and pre-conference networking
10:00 – Welcome from Dan Hoare (Chair of UK & Ireland Lakes Network) and Richard Watson, Independent Chairman (Lough Erne Landscape Partnership). Available online.
10:10 – Formal Opening (introduced by Joanne Sherwood – Director, RSPB Northern Ireland). Available online.
10:20 – The Local Significance of Lough Erne. Available online.
11:00 – Comfort break
11:15 – Exploring good practice showcasing UK & Ireland case studies – 10 minute presentations focused on our growing understanding of stillwaters systems dynamics and responses, followed by a Q&A session with the presenters. Available online.
- Resilient nature
- Exemplar landscape scale initiatives
- Dealing with water quality pressures
- Engaging with communities
12:15 – Lunch and networking
13:15 – Young people’s perspectives on still waters and engaging with young people. Available online.
14:00 – Structured networking sessions to support the development of new connections, create a community of practice, spark collaboration & create space for future visioning for still waters
15:00 – Opportunities for collaboration around still waters
16:00 – Comfort break
16:15 – Summary of Day 1, and ambition for Day 2, Dan Hoare, UKILN
16:30 – In conversation with TBC
– Informal networking & session close
20:00 – Evening Social @ Tully Mill Restaurant, Florencecourt.
Booking required. £30p/p. Book Now
Transport available from Lough Erne Resort & central Enniskillen.
A Meeting of Minds social event at Tully Mill Restaurant, includes reception drink, BBQ style two course meal, traditional music, a heritage talk and a Mummers performance.
Friday 4th October 2024 – DAY 2 –
06:45 – Morning Activity at Lough Erne Resort
Early morning lough activity at the Lough Erne Resort
In-person attendance. Booking TBC.
08:45 – Focused sessions, field Excursions and networking (FREE EVENTS)
Transport available from Lough Erne Resort & central Enniskillen to Day 2 venues
Option 1: Resilient Nature and Exemplar Landscape Management, Manor House Country Hotel
In-person attendance only. Booking required. Book Now
09:00 – Registration & welcome
09.30 – RSPB NI hosting a conversation on species conservation & land management
11:30 – Early lunch at Manor House Country Hotel
12:30 – Afternoon site visits around the Lough Erne area by bus and boat
17:00 – Return to Manor House Country Hotel & opportunity for informal networking
(event close)
Option 2: Engaging Communities with Stillwaters and Dealing with Water Quality Pressures, Fermanagh House, Enniskillen
In-person attendance only. Booking required. Book Now
08:45 – Registration & welcome
09:15 – Bringing the Waterways Ireland archives to life
09:30 – Understanding nutrient overload and algal blooms – presentations & panel discussion
10:15 – How can citizen science help us better understand Lough Erne (or your stillwater) and its protection?
11:15 – Visioning session – creative workshop on collaboration and engaging communities around stillwaters
12:15 – Lunch and networking
13:30 – Walk to Round O Jetty – departure point for boat trip (or alternate bad weather option)
14:00 – Boat trip on Lough Erne to Devenish Island
16:00 – Return to Round O Jetty & opportunity for informal networking at Blakes of the Hollow
(event close)
Friday 17th October 2024
13:00 – Online Session (FREE EVENT)
13:00 – 14:00 – A Meeting of Minds: building on event outcomes Book Now
Conference Information
A Meeting of Minds – a two-day event hosted by the Lough Erne Landscape Partnership and the UK & Ireland Lakes Network
This collaborative event in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland on 3-4 October 2024 will bring together the local community, stakeholders with an interest in stillwaters, and freshwater practitioners around the themes of:
· Engaging Communities with Still Waters
· Dealing with Water Quality Pressures
· Resilient Nature and Adapting to Climate Change
· Exemplar Landscape Scale Management
Through generous support from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and support from Lough Erne Landscape Partnership and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, all in-person and online attendance to the daytime event options is free. Booking is essential and numbers are limited, so please see booking information below.
A Meeting of Minds – event programme
This event will bring together and empower people and communities who benefit from the large loughs in Northern Ireland, along with specialists in stillwaters from across the UK and Ireland. The goal is to stimulate discussion and increase the community’s awareness, ability, and future resilience in maintaining healthy freshwater environments. It’s also a chance for people across the UK and Ireland to learn from what has been done around Lough Erne and Lough Neagh.
Why attend?
· Engage with key stakeholders and experts in the field.
· Contribute to the conservation and enhancement of our still waters and beautiful landscapes.
· Network with like-minded professionals dedicated to environmental sustainability.
Lakes are under pressure and will be increasingly so as the climate changes. Lakes are also receiving increasing public and media attention to galvanise action. This event is an opportunity to bring people together in a collaborative forum to connect and share best practices to build capability and form relationships which can provide on-going peer support.
Booking and venues
A Meeting of Minds has options for in-person and some online attendance. All booking options are available here.
Day 1 will be held at the Lough Erne Resort Lough Erne Resort. Majestically tucked away on a 600-acre peninsula overlooking Lough Erne, we are delighted to make this special start to A Meeting of Minds. Presentations on Day 1 will be available for online participation and raising questions. All online attendance needs to be booked here. On the evening of Day 1, Thursday 3 October, we are inviting attendees to join us at Tully Mill Restaurant Tully Mill near Florence Court, for an evening of food, drink and a welcome to Fermanagh from local performers.
Day 2 has two options to choose from with active participation and insights from those involved in stillwaters.
Option 1 – Resilient Nature and Exemplar Landscape Management session will be hosted at the Manor House Country Hotel Manor House Country Hotel followed by site visits and boat trip.
Option 2 – Engaging Communities with Stillwaters and Dealing with Water Quality Pressures session will be held in Fermanagh House, Enniskillen, followed by a boat trip to Devenish Island.
Bursary for attendance
To make attendance as inclusive as possible, we are delighted to be able to provide a small bursary to support attendance and participation (for example to contribute to travel and accommodation). Applications are particularly welcomed from those who may otherwise find it a challenge to attend in person. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Decisions will be made weekly and will be limited by the budget available. A simple online application form is here. If you are unable to complete the online form, then please call 077100 24546 or email elmarie.swanepoel@rspb.org.uk.
Accommodation
Accommodation is available in the local area for the duration of A Meeting of Minds. For special rates please visit Festival Offers Sept / Oct 2024 (fermanaghlakelands.com).
Lough Erne Heritage Festival
Lough Erne Heritage Festival is a celebration of the rich cultural, natural, and built heritage of Fermanagh, which runs from 28 September to 5 October. A Meeting of Minds, with its focus on stillwaters, is being held alongside this week of exciting events, workshops, and performances that highlight the vibrant history and beautiful landscapes of the Lough Erne region.
For more details see Lough Erne Heritage Festival – – Fermanagh Lakelands.