Who are you, where are you from and what do you do?
Donal Chambers from Dublin but now living in Kinsale. I am Chair of Transition Town Kinsale & Regenerate, two organisations working on sustainability including rewilding, local food production, energy projects, eco transport, zero waste, skill sharing, repair culture & eco-creative projects etc..
What was the most unexpected gift you’ve ever received for Christmas?
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A paint brush! But it’s the thought that counts they say!
What is your favourite childhood memory of Christmas?
Has to be Christmas morning waking up to a cool mountain bike at the end of the bed.
Name two celebrity guests, alive or dead, that you would invite to your Christmas party, and why?
Vandana Shiva – probably my favourite environmentalist – she is Indian and powerful speaker and thinker.
Jim Morrison from the Doors – another super interesting person and amazing musician – be cool to hear about his time playing in the 60’s.
We need more of the rebellious 60’s spirit today I think.
Something that’s not a Christmas tradition, but it should be - what is it?
Get everyone planting one native tree – Imagine over five million trees planted each Christmas day. It would help get us off the bottom of the European table for native tree cover.
What is your favourite thing about a West Cork Christmas?
I actually love that it is quieter and more peaceful than in summer when there can be a lot of tourists around – you can have a beach to yourself sometimes.
If Santa could give talents as gifts, what one would you like and why?
To be able to play lots of instruments – that would be an amazing gift
What was the best thing about 2025?
That renewables overtook coal as world’s biggest source of electricity and by 2033 solar will be the world’s largest source of energy.
Generate your own electricity – it’s win win!
Health, wealth and wellbeing aside, what are your hopes for 2026?
That the 2020’s really becomes the decade of ecological restoration as the UN declared it.
We need nature and to interact with it, bring on more forest schools for kids.
