Blue Dot to the Sea combines community engagement, scientific knowledge and public art to raise awareness of the importance of water quality in the Louisburgh area. Developed in collaboration with artist Annaliese Brown, local communities in the Bunowen and Carrowniskey river catchments and Roonah Lagoon, and supported by the River Basin Management Service (formerly LAWPRO), the project highlights the value of protecting some of Mayo’s most important waterways for future generations.

At its heart, Blue Dot to the Sea is about creating connections between people and place. Through community meetings and discussions, residents, environmental specialists and local stakeholders came together to explore the significance of Blue Dot waters and to consider how climate change, extreme weather events and other environmental pressures may affect water quality in the future.

A key feature of the project is a series of blue-dot mosaic artworks created with students from Killeen National School and Louisburgh National School. Using recycled jar lids, the children designed and created individual mosaic pieces which have been brought together in a large community display in a local bookshop. The artwork reflects both the collective effort behind protecting waterways and the important role young people play in shaping a sustainable future.

The project also extends into the wider landscape through a series of slate circles featuring blue mosaic designs. Installed at locations throughout the locality, these artworks include QR

codes linking visitors to information about the Blue Dot to the Sea campaign. Together, they create a trail that encourages people to learn more about the area’s rivers, wetlands and wildlife, while celebrating the unique natural assets of the Louisburgh region.

The final mosaic installation celebrates the Blue Dot waterbodies at the headwaters of the Bunowen and Carrowniskey rivers. The artwork illustrates nature-based approaches to improving water quality, managing flooding and supporting wildlife throughout the catchment. Accompanied by interpretive information, it highlights the importance of collaboration between communities, environmental agencies and local organisations in protecting water quality from source to sea.

Blue Dot waterbodies are recognised under the European Water Framework Directive as waters of exceptional ecological quality. Through the Blue Dot Catchments Programme, the River Basin Management Service works with local communities to protect and improve these waters so that the benefits they provide for biodiversity, heritage, climate resilience, health and wellbeing can be enjoyed by current and future generations.

Blue Dot to the Sea shows what can happen when art, science and community come together around a shared goal. The project not only celebrates the beauty and importance of local waterways, but also aims to enable stewardship, learning and action. Through creativity and collaboration, the project seek to support the community to develop a vision for a future where the Bunowen and Carrowniskey rivers can achieve Blue Dot status all the way from source to sea.