Hundreds are honoured at environment awards:
MORE THAN 300 children, community groups, volunteers, residents groups, council members and individuals attended this year’s Wexford County Council Environment Awards which were held in the Ferrycarrig Hotel.
The night proved to be a tremendous celebration of the environment and local voluntary effort.
In total, 17 schools, 45 community groups and four individuals were honoured on the night with presentations and awards.
Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Keith Doyle warmly welcomed and congratulated all the participants, acknowledged the magnificent voluntary carried out throughout the county. He welcomed the opportunity to pay public tribute to the many excellent people who had worked so hard, year in and out.
He said: ‘It is heartening to see groups of local volunteers showing such spirit and endeavour and, in the process, inspiring others in their community to follow their example. The results of your hard work is evident across County Wexford in towns and villages that are more attractive, better cared for, better places to live and more appealing places to visit.’
He recognised the commitment and dedication of all committees and individuals who make such a real difference at a local level.
Tribute was paid to the Tidy Town groups around the country and their achievements in this year’s competition.
In addition to those awards, Ballyduff Development Group, Camolin Community Development Association, Kilanerin Tidy Towns and Rathpierce Community Group were also presented with awards for their participation in the North Wexford 2K. The 22nd Wexford Oulart Scout Group were presented with a plaque for winning the Community Group Snap Into Action competition.
As in other years, six winners were awarded for winning the special environmental quiz on the night. The were: Olivia McCauley, AJ O’Neill, Tiernan Busher, Bridget Braham, Kevin Walker and Eithne Turner.
The overall winners of the Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition were Kilanerin Tidy Towns group.
Schools were well represented as well. St Mary’s National School, Tagoat, was awarded for receiving its first green flag and also presented with a nest box sponsored by The Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club. This year, seven schools in Wexford were awarded certificates for their participation in An Taisce’s Coastcare Project: Ballycanew National School; Ballyellis National School; Courtnacuddy National School; Scoil Naomh Mhaodhóig, Poulfur; Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare; St Ibar’s National School, Castlebridge; and St. Patrick’s National School, Craanford.
The 2017 Christmas Decoration winner was Laura Kehoe from Ballyellis National School whose entry ‘I can sing choir’ was made using a box and aluminium cans.
David Andoo, CBS Primary School, was awarded as the overall primary school winner in the Food Waste Prevention colouring competition. Marshalstown National School was awarded a plaque as the overall primary school winner in the Food Waste Prevention Primary school Competition.
Meanscoil Gharman was the overall winner in the Secondary School Food Waste Prevention Competition
Erin Doyle, from Ballyduff National School, was the Overall Primary School Winner in the Environment Artwork Competition while Aleksandra Piwka from Gorey Community School took the secondary school award for the competition.
St Colman’s National School, Ballindaggin, was awarded a plaque for being Wexford’s Cleanest School.
Rathnure National School received the battery Champion Award.
Two people, Jim Donohue and Lili Masterson, were honoured with awards for Outstanding Individual Contributions to Wexford’s Environment.
THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Green Schools: St Mary’s
National School, Tagoat.
Coastcare Project: Ballycanew National School; Ballyellis National School; Courtnacuddy National School; Scoil Mhaodhóig, Poulfur, Fethard on Sea; Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare; St Ibar’s National School, Castlebridge; St Patrick’s National School, Craanford.
Wexford’s Cleanest School:
St Colman’s NS, Ballindaggin.
Christmas Decoration Competition (in conjunction with South East Radio): Laura Kehoe, Ballyellis National School. Annual Environment Artwork Competition: Primary School winner: Erin Doyle, Ballyduff National School.
Secondary School winner: Aleksandra Piwka, Gorey Community School.
Food Waste Prevention Competition: Primary school winner: Marshalstown National School.
Colour competition winner: David Andoo, CBS Primary School.
Secondary school winner: Méanscoil Gharman.
Snap into Action Competition: 22nd Wexford Oulart Scout Group.
School Battery Champion: Rathnure National School.
Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition Overall winner: Kilanerin Tidy Towns. Best Environmentally Aware and Presented Town/Village: First – Ballycanew Tidy Towns; Joint second – Duncormick Area Action Group, Blackwater Tidy Towns; Joint third – Rosslare Tidy Towns, Ballygarrett Tidy Towns; Highly Commended – Coolgreany Tidy Towns, Tomhaggard Pastoral Group.
Best New Entry: First – St Garvan’s Well Committee; Second – Harrow Development Committee; Third – Walkers Group Ballyfad/ Gurnee Nature Trail; Highly Commended – North Wexford Traditional Singing Circle.
Best Community Environment Initiative: First – Kiltealy Tidy Towns; Second – Clonroche Development Association; Third – Kilanne Development Group; Highly Commended – Askamore Community Council.
Best Community Waste Prevention/Re-Use Project: First – Ferns Tidy Towns; Second – Bridgetown Community Development Group; Third – Ballyduff Development Group; Highly Commended – Cloughbawn GAA Club.
Best Community Project to Improve Accessibility to Infrastructure: Friends of Rosslare/Rosslare Community Development Association.
Best Community Project to Improve Accessibility in Gardens/Parks: Monageer Parish Grotto Group.
Best Community Biodiversity Project: First – Ballycanew Tidy Towns; Second – Ferns Tidy Towns; Third – Blackwater Junior Tidy Towns.
Best Heritage Preservation and Conservation Project: First – Kilmuckridge Tidy Towns; Second – Ballygarrett Tidy Towns; Joint Third – Tomhaggard Pastoral Group, Ballycanew Tidy Towns; Highly Commended – Clonegal Tidy Village Committee, Camross ICA Guild.
Best Community Coastal Management Initiative: First – Rosslare Harbour/Kilrane Environment Group; Joint Second – Ballygarrett Tidy Towns, Kilmuckridge Tidy Towns;
Third – Cullenstown Community Group.
Best Environmentally Aware and Presented Housing Estate: First – Kilanerin Tidy
Towns – The Elms; Second – Ounavarra Park Residents Associations, Ballycanew; Third – Westwinds Residents Association, Kilrane; Highly Commended – Bernadette Place Residents Association, Wexford, Croghan
View Residents Association, Coolgreany.
North Wexford 2K Clean: Joint First – Camolin Community Development Group, Rathpierce Community Group; Second – Kilanerin Tidy Towns; Third – Ballyduff Developments Group. Can It Award: Ballyduff Development Group. Tidy Towns Sustainable Development Award National Award Winner: Monageer Tidy Towns.
Tidy Towns Sustainable Development Award National Runner-up: Rosslare Tidy Towns.
Royal Institute of The Architects Of
Ireland Award: Enniscorthy Tidy Towns.
Tidy Towns Community Heroes 2018 Overall winner: Mary Gettings.
Tidy Towns Community Heroes
2018: Lili Masterson
Outstanding Individual Contribution to Wexford’s Environment: Lili Masterson, Jim Donohoe.