Women in Nature Collaborators Gather at Bog Bothy

On the 25th of May 2026, Photo Museum Ireland, Tóchar and photographer Evanna Devine came together at the Bog Bothy in Milltownpass to begin shaping the Women in Nature project. Hosted by 12th Field and the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF), the gathering marked the first opportunity for the collaborators to meet in person and explore the ideas that will underpin the exhibition.

Evanna and Emily sitting at a table in the Bog Bothy — *Evanna Devine (Left), the selected photographer for Women in Nature and Emily Nolan (Right), Community Engagement Officer, Tóchar*

Group of four people standing on bog in sunshine chatting and smiling — *L – R: Evanna Devine (photographer), Shirley Clerkin (Project Manager Tóchar), Trish Lambe (Artistic Director and CEO PMI), David Jameson (12th Field Co-Founder)*

The Bog Bothy was a fitting place to begin. Conceived as more than a structure, it was created as a space for conversation and creativity and to pause and reflect on our relationship with nature and with one another.

Nature restoration is often communicated through statistics, habitats and species. While these are vital, they can overlook the people behind the work; the volunteer hours, the difficult decisions, the local knowledge passed from one generation to the next, and the patience and resilience required to keep going.

Making these stories behind the statistics visible is the goal of this collaboration with Photo Museum Ireland, Ireland’s national centre for contemporary photography.

After a competitive open call, Evanna Devine, whose socially engaged photography practice explores community, place and identity in contemporary Ireland was selected for this project. Evanna’s work is rooted in deep listening, allowing stories to emerge through trust and collaboration rather than simply observation. It is this approach to her work that makes Evanna particularly well placed to document the chosen 12 nominees whose contributions to nature restoration are often carried out quietly and away from the public eye.

Evanna Devine holding her camera standing in front of greenery — Evanna Devine

The nominations process revealed an extraordinary network of women working across restoration, conservation, farming, education, advocacy and community engagement. While their work takes many different forms, many share similar motivations, challenges and hopes for the future. The common ground we stand on is especially significant at a time when Ireland is entering a new chapter in nature restoration. As ambitious restoration targets are set, there is a growing need not only for ecological expertise but also for stories that inspire participation and hope, and that make the interconnectedness of people, places and communities across Ireland tangible.

Bog Bothy with people standing aorund — Trish Lambe (left) and Shirley Clerkin (Right)

For Tóchar, the project is about amplifying the message that effective nature restoration is dependent on relationships between people and place, between neighbours, between organisations and between generations. And highlighting the critical, and sometimes overlooked roles, that women play in this process.

By making these relationships visible, Women in Nature hopes to encourage new conversations, strengthen the growing movement for nature restoration across Ireland, and remind us that restoration is not something anyone should, or must do alone.