Welcome to The Rediscovery Centre, Ireland’s National Centre for the Circular Economy.
Located in the heart of Ballymun, we bring together the skills and expertise of artists, scientists, designers and craftspeople united in a common purpose of sustainability.
We are on a mission to create a fair and inclusive society that thrives within the boundaries of our natural resources, leading Ireland's transition to a circular economy and a sustainable future.
All aspects of our organisation uphold these principles, and create change guided by our 5 goals: to educate, to demonstrate, to collaborate, to advocate, and to thrive.
#circulardublin #circulareconomy #dublin #rediscoverycentre #circulareconomyirl #waste #recycle #reuse #sustainability
We are the National Centre for the Circular Economy, but what is the Circular Economy?
To explain that, we have to look at the way we currently live. In a linear world, we take raw materials from nature like concrete, wood and metal to make products - anything from buildings to bookshelves or batteries. These are used for a short time and then demolished or thrown away. A society that is based on taking, making, and disposing relies on the continual mining or harvesting of raw materials, which is a major driver of climate change and biodiversity loss. Our current economic system is not circular, it is linear.
The circular economy is inspired by nature, where we use products wisely and try to get the most value out of them. Instead of constantly using and discarding products, we aim to keep them in use for as long as possible, minimising or preventing the creation of waste and pollution entirely. We can do this by designing products that last a long time, repairing things instead of throwing them away, and finding new ways to use things again, like sharing or renting products. In doing so, we can create a positive impact on our economy, society, and the environment.
Come by The Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun to see the circular economy in action! Our bespoke eco-demonstration facility showcases best-practice innovative solutions to help us live more sustainably ♻️
#circulareconomy #circulareconomyirl #circulardublin #reuse #recycle #ballymun #dublin #therediscoverycentre
Located in the heart of Ballymun, The Rediscovery Centre is based in one of the last remaining features of the original town.
Built in the 1960s, in response to Dublin’s then housing crisis, Ballymun was created to house up to 20,000 people in state-of-the-art high-rise flats. A close-knit community developed, however, located on the edge of the city without adequate services such as transport, health, shops, social and recreational facilities, the new town experienced social, economic, and environmental challenges. These challenges eventually led to the Ballymun Regeneration project, which was a flagship urban regeneration project of Dublin City Council.
During the regeneration of the town, ongoing public consultation and community engagement established that there was a need to create opportunities for people to manage their waste better, and to divert their waste into something of value. The need to provide employment and training opportunities was also highlighted, and so, The Rediscovery Centre was born. Social Enterprises in furniture, fashion, cycling and paint were established, providing training and courses related to reuse, repair, resource efficiency and low carbon living, and utilising unwanted materials for new product development and design.
The Rediscovery Centre is now located in the Boiler House in Ballymun, which was the largest civic heating scheme in Ireland and the United Kingdom, supplying free heat, water, and underfloor heating to 3,000 high rise flats in the town. The aim was to repurpose the building as a prototype ‘3D textbook’, showcasing the environmental and economic benefits that come from seeing waste as an opportunity.
Identified by our iconic chimney, you can spot us opposite Lidl on the main Ballymun Road. Come visit us, see inside the unique demonstration eco facility, and hear about our story in Ballymun!
📸 Michael Keating
#ballymun #regeneration #boilerhouse #rediscoverycentre #circulareconomy #dublin #sustainability
Emmet from @kopperkreation is back at the Rediscovery Centre on the 6th June for another Make Your Own Bottle Lamp workshop!
Bring along an empty glass bottle and turn it into a working lamp using your choice of cable, bulb holder, and bulb. Emmet will guide you through the whole process, from drilling the glass to wiring it up.
No experience needed, all tools and materials provided. Just bring a clean bottle.
Tickets are limited. Grab yours via: rediscoverycentre.ie/workshops
#RediscoveryCentre #CircularEconomy #Workshops #DublinEvents #Upcycling #Sustainability #SustainableLiving #BottleLamp
*20% discount*
We have cruisers, commuters, hybrids, racers, kid’s bikes and so much more! Pop into our Eco Store to test ride your next bike and avail of our 20% discount.
Offer will end on this Sunday 17th May!
We’re open from 9am - 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
Shop in store or at https://ow.ly/OBnH50Z03Oq
#bikes #bikeweek #rediscoverbikes #circulareconomy #rediscoverycentre #reconditionedbikes #refurbishedbikes
How long does it take for everyday items to decompose?
Check out our Education team’s decomp wall to find out! Make your guesses, swipe right, and let us know below how many you got correct.
Easily repurposed displays like these are a great way to show the importance of reducing and reusing.
📚 Our Education team runs hands-on STEM and sustainability workshops on topics from fashion and maths to climate action and biodiversity. With facilitators all across Ireland, no matter where you are, we can come to you!
Learn more about our workshops here ➡️ rediscoverycentre.ie/learn
#SustainableEducation #Swipe #Workshop #ZeroWasteDay #ZeroWaste
Thank you Sylvia Thompson for celebrating Relove Fashion in this weekend's The Irish Times magazine!
From curtains to table cloths, beading to applique, the Relove Fashion competition is a showcase of imaginative reuse. It's part of the wider and growing movement aimed at tackling our overconsumption of textiles, supported by EU and national policy, better design, and keeping clothes circulating for longer through repair and upcycling. (Special shout out to workshops at the Rediscovery Centre Roscommon Women's Network & Change Clothes)
Registrations of interest are now open for Relove 2026/7 at relovefashion.ie.
#ReloveFashion #RediscoveryCentre
At the Dublin Climate Week launch in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown with An Cathaoirleach Cllr Jim Gildea, Chief Executive Frank Curran, and Senior Executive Officer Martina Keogh with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
It was encouraging to hear Minister O'Brien so supportive of actions at community level that add up to big impact.
We're pleased to be part of the action this week at two Furniture & Fashion Repair Cafes in Dun Laoghaire, and a Climate Heroes Workshop in South Dublin County Council.
See you there!
#ClimateActionWeek
📢 New book stocked! 📢
We are delighted to now stock “Gotta Keep It Movin’: From Parkrunner to Endurance Champion: Healing Through Sport”, a memoir by Ballymun local ultra endurance athlete @ger_prendergast
Born in Ballymun, Prendergast has an impressive track record! Most recently in December 2025, he completed 60 marathons in 60 days and €60,000+ raised for cancer research.
Get yours now!
Shop in store or online at rediscoverycentre.ie.
#Ecostore #RediscoveryCentre #Newstockist #Book #Memoir #GiftIdeas
⚒️🚲 Bike Week with the Rediscovery Centre ⚒️🚲
Bike Week is here, and our Bike Team will be out and about in Dublin and Meath with demonstrations and bike repairs. Pop out to one of the events to say hi and learn how to repair your bike!
Saturday, 9 May:
Ballymun Plaza, 9.30am-1pm.
⚒️🚲 Bike repairs
Millennium Park, Blanchardstown, 12pm-6pm.
⚒️🚲Bike repairs A family fun day, so pop down to learn how to cycle track, or take part in orienteering and games for kids.
Sunday, 10 May:
Simonstown GAA, Navan, 11am-3pm.
💬🚲bike repair demonstrations & giving bike-related advice. (Any repairs will be ad-hoc)
Wednesday 13 May:
Finglas Greening Day, 4pm-7pm.
💬🚲 Demonstrating bike repairs so you can learn how to fix your bike yourself (no repairs)
Saturday 16 May:
Community School, Ashbourne, 10am-3pm.
⚒️🚲 Bike repairs
Sunday 17 May:
Malahide castle, 11am-6pm.
⚒️🚲 Bike repairs - come early to avoid disappointment! A family fun day with a BMX skills track, orienteering, trishaw trips, and movies on the lawn.
See you then!
#bikeweek #bikeweek2026 #cycling
@dublincitycouncil@meathcoco
We need your help!
You helped us name our local fox Barry Mun, and now the challenge is for the birds!
To celebrate David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, we’re appreciating and celebrating our local wildlife by making sure they get a name. This beautiful heron is a special guest of our Biodiversity Pond, along with cats, foxes, grey crows, gulls, pigeons and much more.
Comment your name suggestions and our team will put it to a vote!
#RediscoveryCentre #CircularEconomy #DavidAttenborough
If April showers bring May flowers, then April sunshine brings May Circular Economy News?
➡️ Check out the link in our stories or our website to find the newsletter.
This month we in Ireland saw the finale of the @relovefashion.ie competition, recognising the amazing work of talented teenage designers from across Ireland. We have also seen a creative initiative coming out of Carlow, where local firefighters are reusing parts from old firefighting equipment to make spaces for biodiversity.
Further afield, we saw the release of the new Circularity Gap Report, which found that humanity is wasting about one third of all global economic value by not being circular. Meanwhile, Scotland has published its new Circular Economy Strategy, and WRAP launched a refill locator map for the UK.
So, dive into April’s circular news, jobs, funding, events and more!
https://mailchi.mp/rediscoverycentre.ie/circular-economy-news-spring-so-far-6427431
#RediscoveryCentre #CircularEconomyNews #Circular #LetsGetCircular
