A Galway educator who turned storm damage into a powerful climate-education project has been recognised at An Taisce’s annual Climate Ambassador Awards. Kay Synott, based at GRETB Moycullen, was among 10 people honoured during the ceremony held on November 22, in Dublin’s historic Tailors’ Hall, the same venue where President Catherine Connolly recently delivered a call for climate justice.
This year’s cohort of awardees reflected a broad sweep of Irish society, including organic farmers, horticulturists, Lions Club members, educators, students, sustainable-travel advocates, Tidy Towns volunteers and active retirees. All were celebrated for their contributions to climate action and public engagement.
Synott was recognised for an exceptional year of activity that began in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. Using deadwood brought down by the storm, she created “Gairdín Éowyn”, a demonstration garden designed to support biodiversity and act as a space for community learning and recovery. The project sparked a series of gardening and biodiversity initiatives spanning her home, workplace and community.
As a lecturer, Synott developed videos on biodiversity habitats such as ponds and meadows, produced articles including “Gardening for Bats” and “Gardening for Butterflies”, and drafted biodiversity plans for local groups. She also sold home-grown biodiversity-friendly plants, donating proceeds to a Galway dog charity.
Galway schools benefited from numerous workshops on gardening and biodiversity, while Synott also contributed to the Galway Climate Festival and travelled to three Galway islands to deliver sessions on coastal biodiversity and invasive-species action. Her expertise extended to butterfly conservation through a new identification course and citizen-science monitoring in both her garden and a nearby bog.
“I’m delighted to win this award to further biodiversity education and to bring it to as many people as possible,” she said.
Driving change
Cathy Baxter, director of education and community action with An Taisce, said the awards highlight a growing network of local leaders. “This programme fosters a dynamic network of changemakers, driving awareness, sustainability and behavioural change at a local and often national level,” she said.
In total, 133 Climate Ambassadors were trained this year. Together, they delivered 471 climate actions, directly engaging more than 216,000 people. They also produced 521 climate-related communications with a combined reach estimated at 1.9 million.
Since its launch in 2017, the Climate Ambassador Programme—supported by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment—has grown steadily as volunteers upskill in climate science and communication. Ambassadors this year worked on biodiversity protection, coastal and freshwater ecology, circular-economy initiatives, environmental education, rewilding, peatland preservation, sustainable travel, energy awareness and environmental advocacy. Their contributions also helped strengthen community ties and bridge generational gaps.
Applications are now open for the 2026 Climate Ambassador Programme. No prior expertise is required, as participants receive training in climate literacy, solutions and leadership and are encouraged to complete at least two climate actions and two climate communications during the year.
More information is available at climateambassador.ie
