Rundale is a new Irish media platform sharing critical left analysis and collaborative writing on contemporary socio-economic, political and environmental issues, with an all-island focus.
We are a group of academics, activists, organisers and artists who share a frustration with academic and news media publication formats.
There is always a need for more justice-centred, internationalist perspectives. We see the value of connecting disparate concerns and sites of struggle – developing a shared analysis and building solidarities.
Rundale will platform movements and campaigns that help us better understand and challenge systems of exploitation and domination; working towards a common ground but also raising points of debate for those who want a just and sustainable world.
We believe that greater attention to resistance and meaningful alternatives offers a vital antidote to the doom-laden, disempowering, and apathy-breeding nature of current mainstream reporting.
Through accessible writing and creative formats, we want to be part of the rich alternative media culture that has surfaced over the past few years in Ireland and internationally.
Rundale
Rundale is thought to be the Anglicised version of the two Irish words Roinn (to divide or share) and Dáil (a meeting, gathering, or assembly). The term combines two somewhat paradoxical ideas – to be simultaneously split while also being together, as a ‘divided assembly’.
Rundale is often used to describe a communal land system that was self-regulated by tenants and included the periodic redistribution of plots. Being part of a Rundale required working alongside others, providing for yourself whilst also contributing to something more than yourself.
While Rundale is the term used to describe this system of landholding on the island of Ireland, the system itself is not unique to Ireland. Principles of common ownership, fair distribution and care for the land are evident in many contexts around the world.
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Inspired by Low Tech Magazine, we use dithering for most images on our website. Dithering reduces the number of colours used in an image, which reduces the image file size – this improves website speed and is less resource-intensive.