Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark plays host to Unmasking Nature Event

Come, stim with nature: touch grass, hum to the rhythm of dappled light, eat dirt. Trust your senses!

Awash with texture and tiny details, Unmasking Nature’s guided geopark experience is shaped by sensory cues, rather than traditional mapping techniques. All are invited to Unmasking Nature’s once-off, free event exploring joyful ways of engaging with the natural world. This sensory walking event was co-created by a community of cross-border neurodivergent collaborators, led by artist AlanJames Burns in collaboration with Dublin City University, Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics, supported by Cavan County Council, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council and Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.

The walk route takes inspiration from their special interests and is created with disabled participants in mind. Opportunities to experience their creative responses to the site include “deep dive” information points, in addition to the insights of professionals and experts in the areas of fungi, food foraging and biophilia.

At its core, Unmasking Nature asks, “What does it mean to be neurodivergent in nature?”. This event celebrates people’s connection to nature through stimming and emotional cartography. By embracing feel-good, intuitive explorations to the geopark’s deeply interconnected sensory landscape, the project invites event participants to engage with themes such as biodiversity and more-than-human communication (including with plants, animals and inanimate elements) through an inclusive, neurodivergent lens. ‘Unmasking Nature’ is organised by Divergently Together, an ongoing shared-island community engagement project.

This free sensory walk will take place at Cavan Burren Park, Blacklion, Co. Cavan on Wednesday the 10th of September at 6:00 PM (arrival from 5:30 PM is recommended). The event is estimated to last 50 minutes and participants can partake at their own pace. Accessibility supports include wheelchair access, BSL and ISL interpretation, audio description, and a dedicated sensory area.

Booking is required - visit alanjamesburns.com/unmasking to reserve your place and find further information.