Our Story

Until the 2021 lockdown, Scott Bryan had never grown as much as a carrot. During those idle months however — when everyone seemed to be taking up sea swimming — he started growing food in his garden. And in doing so, something unexpected happened — it unlocked a latent superpower: the ability to see massive community potential in unlikely places.

Walking through his home neighborhood of Cabra, one of Dublin’s more densely populated and concrete-grey neighbourhoods, he began to realise something unexpected: everywhere he looked, he saw unused space. In front gardens. On side plots. Outside businesses. Along forgotten corners. And suddenly it became obvious — the city wasn’t short of land. It was short of ways to share it for public benefit.

With communities everywhere struggling with issues of loneliness, social isolation, polarisation and a loss of connection to place, what if these diverse problems could be addressed holistically, through reciprocity, skill and resource sharing — by inviting people to reimagine how we use private and public spaces and perceive “strangers” living in the same community?

In 2023, together with Caitriona Kenny — an environmental educator with expertise in community development — they co-founded Community Roots and turned that idea into action!

Sometimes described as an Airbnb for underused space — but built for people, not profit — Community Roots created Soil Mates, Ireland’s first garden-share programme. It matches garden owners with nearby budding growers to grow food and community.

Three short years later, Community Roots is a multi-award winning and nationally-based organisation. Participants include older people, adults with special needs, young families, migrants, homeless people and others, collaborating through a shared endeavor, growing, preparing and sharing food.

Demand for their work is ever-growing, from communities and organisations all across Ireland.

Let’s reignite the Meitheal — Ireland’s tradition of neighbours helping neighbours.