Domhan Green Society (DGS) is a volunteer-led, non-profit community organisation based in Cork, working across Ireland, that brings newcomers and Irish neighbours together through community activities, English and skills, climate action, and women's rights and wellbeing. Taking part is free.
Source: DGS Constitution (Article 4) and Committee records.
Fáilte, welcome. If you searched for Domhan Green Society, you are probably one of three people. You may be new to Cork and looking for somewhere to practise English and meet people. You may be working in Ireland and wondering whether an hour a month of your experience could be useful to someone. Or you may represent an organisation and want to know whether DGS is a group you can work with.
This page answers the same questions for all three: what Domhan Green Society is, what it does today, how it is run, and how to take part. If you are newly arrived, our first 90 days in Cork checklist is the practical place to start.
Domhan is the Irish word for "world". The name is a fair summary of the idea: people from many parts of the world and people from Cork, working on shared things, le chéile (together).
Domhan Green Society at a glance
- Full name: Domhan Green Society (short: DGS).
- What it is: A volunteer-led, non-profit community organisation (unincorporated).
- Base: Blackpool, Cork (T23), working across Ireland. A contact address, not a drop-in centre.
- Four aims: Social integration · Education and skills · Environmental sustainability and climate action · Gender equality, women's agency and wellbeing.
- Current programme: Practical Life English – Fluent in Cork (six free sessions, with support from the UCC Language Centre).
- Story and record tools: Path to Success (live) · Contribution Portfolio (Phase 2, in development).
- Cost to take part: Free.
- Contact: info@domhangreen.com · +353 (0) 89 986 8595.
Our four aims
The DGS constitution sets out four aims in Article 4. Every programme, partnership and guide on this site sits under one of them, and we try to give all four equal weight. The thinking behind each one is on the page about our four aims.
1. Social integration and community connection
We work on two-way integration: newcomers and Irish neighbours meeting as equals over shared activities, not one side helping the other. In practice that means community events, a members' network, and plain-English guides to Irish life admin such as PPS numbers, GPs and renting.
2. Education, skills and opportunity
Practical English, CV and interview clinics, and volunteer mentoring by people already working in Irish organisations. On qualifications, DGS signposts official QQI and NARIC Ireland information. It does not assess or recognise qualifications itself.
3. Environmental sustainability and climate action
River Lee clean-ups, greening and reuse. Climate action is shared ground: a riverbank on a Saturday morning is one of the easiest places for neighbours who have not met yet to start talking.
4. Gender equality, women's agency and wellbeing
Plain-English rights information, signposting to support services, and the Women's Support Circle, for which DGS is recruiting Garda-vetted women volunteers.
What DGS does today
We prefer to describe what is happening now rather than what we hope to do. As of November 2026, that is:
- Practical Life English – Fluent in Cork. Six free sessions of English for everyday Irish situations, run with support from the UCC Language Centre under a memorandum of understanding signed on 26 August 2026. Session 2, for example, covered GP, pharmacy and health.
- CV and Interview Clinic and volunteer mentoring. People working in Ireland review CVs, run practice interviews and share how Irish workplaces read international experience.
- Community Action. River Lee clean-ups and greening days, open to anyone on the Community Action list.
- Women's Support Circle. A space run by and for women, with vetted volunteers.
- Path to Success stories. Members tell their own route into Irish work and community life. Nothing is published until the person approves the final text in writing, and a pseudonym or full anonymity is always offered.
Confidence Compass, Path to Success and Contribution Portfolio
These three names appear across the site and are easy to mix up. Here is how they fit together.
- Confidence Compass: The overview page that explains DGS's two products and how they connect. Status today: Live (overview).
- Path to Success: Consented stories of members' routes into Irish work and community life, written with the member and approved by them before publishing. Status today: Live.
- Contribution Portfolio: A record of volunteer hours and contributions that a member can share, with a Contribution ID an organisation could check. Status today: Phase 2: in development, not yet live.
Until Phase 2 launches, any verification example on the site is a demonstration and is labelled "Demo – not a real record". The Confidence Compass overview is kept up to date as that changes.
What DGS is not
Being clear about this saves everyone time.
- Not a recruitment agency. DGS does not place people in jobs, sell candidate lists or describe anyone as "pre-vetted".
- Not a qualification-recognition body. For how a foreign degree compares to the Irish framework, the official source is QQI's NARIC Ireland service.
- Not a source of legal, immigration, tax or clinical advice. For those, go to Citizens Information, Immigration Service Delivery, Revenue or the HSE.
- Not a registered charity, yet. DGS is an unincorporated, non-profit community organisation. It does not appear on the Charities Regulator's register, and we will say so plainly until that changes.
How DGS is run
DGS is volunteer-led and works under a written constitution, with decisions made by its Committee. Money is handled with two-signature financial controls. Personal data is never sold or passed to commercial parties, and every form says what happens to the information you give. The detail is on how DGS is run.
How to take part
There is no single right way in. Pick the row that sounds like you. Dhá Thaobh, both sides, is the point: Irish neighbours and newcomers take part on the same terms.
- New to Cork or Ireland: Join the community network, and reserve a place on Practical Life English – Fluent in Cork.
- Working in Ireland and happy to share what you know: Apply to mentor (about one hour a month) or join the CV and Interview Clinic.
- Keen to get outdoors: Join the Community Action list for River Lee clean-ups.
- A woman who would like to support other women: Register interest in the Women's Support Circle (Garda vetting applies).
- An organisation, employer or community group: Host an activity, run a team day or start a partnership under a memorandum of understanding.
- Able to offer space, laptops or pro bono hours: Offer in-kind support.
- Someone with a story, or who knows someone: Share your journey with a pre-publication review, or nominate a colleague.
Every one of these routes starts from the same page. No one here is a beneficiary: members arrive with skills, and Irish volunteers and partner teams are the other half of the relationship, not donors.
Key points
- Domhan Green Society (DGS) is a volunteer-led, non-profit community organisation based in Cork, working across Ireland.
- Its constitution sets four aims: social integration; education and skills; environmental sustainability and climate action; and gender equality, women's agency and wellbeing.
- Its current programme is Practical Life English – Fluent in Cork, six free sessions run with support from the UCC Language Centre.
- DGS is not a recruitment agency, does not assess qualifications and does not give legal or immigration advice.
- Path to Success stories are published only after the member approves the final text; the Contribution Portfolio is Phase 2 and not yet live.
Frequently asked questions
What is Domhan Green Society?
Domhan Green Society (DGS) is a volunteer-led, non-profit community organisation based in Cork, working across Ireland, that brings newcomers and Irish neighbours together through community activities, English and skills, climate action, and women's rights and wellbeing.
Is Domhan Green Society a registered charity?
No. DGS is an unincorporated, non-profit community organisation run by volunteers under a written constitution. It is not on the Charities Regulator's register, and it will say so plainly until that changes.
Does DGS find jobs or recognise qualifications?
No. DGS is not a recruitment agency and does not assess or recognise qualifications. It signposts official QQI and NARIC Ireland information, and offers volunteer mentoring and CV and interview clinics.
Does it cost anything to take part, and do I need to live in Cork?
Taking part is free. DGS is based in Cork and most in-person activities happen there, but its guides, network and partnerships are open to people across Ireland.
What does the name Domhan mean?
Domhan is the Irish word for "world". The name reflects people from many parts of the world and people from Cork working on shared things together.
How do I contact Domhan Green Society?
Email info@domhangreen.com or call +353 (0) 89 986 8595. To take part, the Get Involved page lists every current role and route in.
Next step
If one row in the table above sounded like you, that is the right place to start. You can find your way in on the Get Involved page, where every current role and route is listed, with no account or sign-up needed to read it.
About this page. Published by Domhan Green Society, a volunteer-led community organisation in Cork. This page is general information, not legal, immigration, tax or clinical advice.