GOREY DISTRICT TIDY TOWN’S RESULTS 2016: ADJUDICATORS’ REPORTS IN FULL
a nature walk with a local wildlife expert. The community in conjunction with the national school and an expert on wildlife could carry out a survey in a particular area. The findings of the survey could be documented and displayed on an information board that the whole community can appreciate.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
The community and school should work together in identifying ways how the community could reduce waste. Groups are also encouraged to use more efficient management of resources such as water, energy and transport. Walking to school is one way of saving on transport. Harvesting rainwater is another way of saving. The use of low energy bulbs is another means of saving. These savings should involve the whole community and not just the Tidy Towns group. Food waste is one area to look at in reducing waste. The local authority facilitates workshops on food waste and should be attended by members of the community. Composting is another area for the community to get involved in and where savings can be made.
Tidiness and Litter Control
It is good to note that the community are involved in the spring clean, getting geared up for the summer months when constant litter picks are conducted. It is also positive to note that the school is involved in maintaining school grounds and pitches. The area around the bring bank needs cleaning and the foliage needs to be cut back. A colourful planter of flowers in this area would brighten up the surroundings.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
The houses near Dranagh Pump look to be the original houses of the area and were bright and colourful. Houses along the entrance roads to the village had nice colourful gardens. Houses in the village were well presented. The residents have done a good job on the presentation of their homes.
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
This village has many approach roads leading to the village proper. There are many splendid areas of hedging, trees and walls noted along the long stretch of approach roads. The Arts Cross corner is an excellent approach to the village. All foliage around signage needs to be cut back. All gates on approach roads need to be painted a uniform colour. The bridges on approach roads were noted. One of the bridges was been repaired.
Concluding remarks
Courtnacuddy village has many areas of interest over a wide distance. It is positive to see the community retaining their heritage and preserving it. Do try and erect a map in the village near the Church and School highlighting places of interest and their distance from that point. Also a marker placed at places of interest would draw the village closer together. Well done on your work for this year and continued success.
COURTOWN HARBOUR 233 MARKS (227 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Courtown is welcome to the National Tidy Towns Competition 2016. Thank you for your numbered map indicating your current projects. This map was of great assistance to this adjudicator during the visit. Your commitee of eight is obviously active and well-organised and it is indeed encouraging that you are fostering a number of initiatives in conjunction with your local school, youth and community at large. You should consider providing additional information on the individual projects in each category, particularly photographic records of your work. The photographs provided were very useful and a good outline of your efforts to date. Well done on your achievement of organising work days and encouraging uraging residents to engage with you through promotion in local media such as newspapers, social media and meetings.
Built Environment and Streetscape
The centre retains much of its original character and the presentation of buildings here is of great importance to a location receiving such a high number of visitors. Your proposal concerning the promotion of a building presentation competition involving shop fronts, hanging baskets and window boxes is very encouraging. You should also consider the inclusion of some individual street residences, as some attractive period town houses were also observed in the village core. The Courtown Hotel and Harbour House guest house, were both being painted, and looked fresh and well. Nearby, the town contains a fine range of well-designed buildings, both traditional and contemporary. The committee should consider listing these with a view to their long term preservation and conservation. In this regard, you should also consult with the Development section of Wexford County Council. The understanding of your built environment should consider architectural elements such as scale, massing and materials and would ensure that new development would be sympathetic to the existing. The R.N.L.I. building at the pier is freshly presented. The brightly painted public toilets with its decorative roof and the ‘Seamount Barometer’ had excellent presentations.
Landscaping and Open Spaces
You are progressing well in this category and a good number of attractive, colourfully planted interventions were observed throughout the village. Your map contained a substantial number of locations of your recent efforts and all were visited. Lovers Walk and Bachelors Walk are both very atmospheric and obviously very popular as a good number of visitors were observed here on the day of adjudication. The link between the Blue Flag beach and woodlands, back to the well maintained leisure centre and adventure playground, is well considered and creates an impressive integration of indoor and outdoor activity pursuits. The embankment containing the box hedge ‘Courtown’ name, opposite the lifeguards hut, was difficult to read and in need of weed control. At Pebbles Restaurant, the hard landscaped area to the front with its appropriate paving, tables and seating, provides an impressive, cosmopolitian flavour.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
The new information signs at the various locations, including the entrance to the woodlands, are well located. They highlight the interesting and varied wildlife in your area. The range and variety of wildlife habitats are a feature of your town. The wildlife surveys, undertaken in recent years in conjunction with your school, were a well worthwhile venture. The findings should prove interesting. Perhaps you would consider forwarding these surveys with next year’s submission. The signs at the ice cream kiosk have a high profile and should help to promote this agenda.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
It seems that you have already developed contact with your Green Flag school under this category and are working on a number of initiatives. It is emerging in many centres that residents are now finding that they are learning on many issues such as the composting, recycling and topical water harvesting. The Bring Centre at the central carpark has a high profile and a good standard of presentation.
Tidiness and Litter Control
In keeping with many other towns and villages, Courtown had a number of commercial closures during the recession of recent years. The committee are to be commended in having two of the closed hotels, Bayview and Ounavarra, freshened up. It is to be hoped that these will be refurbished and re-opened in the near future. Well done on your participation in the 2km clean up between Riverchapel and Gorey, in conjunction with Wexford County Council. Your regular litter picks are obviously successfully as very little litter was observed. Indiscriminate signage remains an issue and visually detracts from the vista at various locations. The temporary fencing, referred to in last year’s report, visually detracts in this important location. The cascading waterfall at Pirates’ Cove is eye catching
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
The footpath walk to the ‘Star of the Sea’ School and Riverchapel was a highlight of the visit as were the adjoining wooded areas. Residential schemes have a good standard and many individual, colourful garden presentations were admired. Your co-operation with your residents’ associations is obviously paying dividends and is nicely illustrated by some of the well-presented green spaces. Older housing, alongside and behind Dunbar’s General Store and Post Office, retains a charm and scale slowly disappearing from our built environment. This area portrays a traditional character, where commercial and residential development were mixed, rather that separated. The protection of this atmospheric charm and scale would be a well worthwhile objective.
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
The Gorey entrance road contains some fine mature trees and hedgerows enclosed by stone walls of considerable character. It is, however, somewhat visually reduced by a multiplicity of unattractive and indiscriminate signage. The central car park by the leisure complex had a very good standard and street furniture and litter bins were well-maintained. The beach and wood land car-park were clean and contain a good number of vehicles on the day of adjudication
Concluding remarks
Courtown has the potential to rapidly advance in this competition and it would be well worthwhile preparing and producing a plan, outlining some simple and achievable objectives for your committee to focus on in the short term, perhaps three years. It was a pleasure to visit Courtown and see the positive improvements undertaken by your committee
GOREY 291 MARKS (288 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Gorey is very welcome to this year’s National Tidy Town Competition. You have made significant progress in the competition in recent years. Your application contains a good number of interesting details and reports including your three year plan, the Public Orchard report and Habitat survey which reflect your deep engagement with the agenda of improvements. Your committee of eleven, supported by a further eleven volunteers who get involved to support you, reflects well on Gorey. It is also clear that you are gaining well from your engagement with Wexford County Council, in addition to a wide number of other interested agencies including Gorey Public Partnership and Men’s Shed to mention two. We commend your work with your local schools, and hopefully the children will later become committee members themselves thereby continuing the Tidy Towns voluntary ethic. We further commend you on appointing a liaison officer to engage with your schools and youth and to identify projects for them to carry out, such as the ‘Compass Garden’ and the Heritage Orchard. You communicate your message via various channels, including Facebook, Website Newsletter and local media. You are now achieving a high standard in the competition and the results of your hard work are to be seen throughout the town. Congratulations to all concerned and keep up the excellent work!
Built Environment and Streetscape
The main street retains a substantial number of very finely detailed commercial properties, well presented and containing some very attractive colour schemes and appropriate signage. The seating and hard landscaping surfaces along the street are fine interventions and offer a space to rest and enjoy the busy surroundings. The volume of traffic passing through the town somewhat reduces the quality of the atmosphere. It is to be hoped that the completion of the by-pass will help to restore the pedestrian experience to its former less congested ambience. Your land mark preservation buildings, including St. Michaels and Christchurch, are beautifully presented and obviously cherished by your community. Inappropriate signage again detracts from Christchurch old school. Opposite, the charming Virginia creeper clad period house was admired. The integration of new and old architectural styles at ‘The Avenue’ is sympathetic and augurs well for the future
Landscaping and Open Spaces
Hard landscaping paving along The Avenue is a feature, and the selection of materials sympathetic in colour and texture to the older building details, integrate well with materials used in the past. A variety of attractive railings at the front boundary thresholds of earlier townhouses were visually enhanced here. Opposite, the civic square layout incorporating the presentation of a mature specimen tree was admired. Further along, the grassed linear margins enclosed by new, well proportions limestone kerbs, remain to be completed. New street furniture, including seating, bins and the information sign at the Main Street/ Avenue, junction contribute to visually harmonious vista that augurs well for future works. Elsewhere your landscaping interventions are numerous, ranging from An Gairdin Draoichta, An Choill Draiochta, Transitional Year Students flower bed, Main Street planters. Father Redmond seating and the excellent Town Park; and all were visited. Well done to all concerned with these projects.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
Gorey enjoys a beautiful setting with a variety of habitats from the river environs to the woodlands and inner town. The Heritage Orchard apple tree conservation scheme is imaginative, educational and a fine example of community cooperation between your youth programme and established bodies such the Garda Station and Fire Station. In addition to conservation issues, a highlight is your involvement with your youth through the promotion of your annual Environmental Awards scheme and the sustainable planting project at the Father Redmond memorial. Congratulations to the members of your committee who helped out with the Courtown Beach Clean and Seals Release, clearly illustrating a great spirit of generosity and helpful assistance to your neighbours.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
We are delighted to hear that you have engaged with the Sustainable Waste and Resource Management agenda and that you have commenced to incorporate various criteria into your campaign objectives. Perhaps you would also let us know if you engage with your schools and the Wexford Environmental Awareness officer to further promote this agenda. Bring Centres were generally well presented but some discarded bags and bottles were seen along the baseline of the receptacles at the Tesco car par. The Ramsdown Business Park recycling facility is impressive and well presented. Well done on composting at the Orchard, the Green Flag Award support at the Town Park and Showgrounds and to Halford’s Hair Studio on the water sustainability scheme
Tidiness and Litter Control
Your list of projects in this category does you proud, particularly the St. Columba’s Clean Up. the local schools awareness programme, The Transition Year students clean up at Mary Ward Lane/St. Micheals Road, Creagh School initiative and your involvement in the Annual Spring Clean. The Town Centre was relatively litter free but, surprising, discarded cigarette butts and a light litter scattering was observed in a number of locations, one case in point being outside the attractive Fowlers Pub. The town has some derelictions and these areas have been identified in earlier reports. Signage clutter remains a problem in some areas and it would be a worthwhile undertaking to carry out an inventory of all signs in the town and its environs with a view to rationalization. A case in point is the attractively presented roundabout at the end of The Avenue surrounded by indiscriminate signage that visually detracts.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
Gorey has a large number of housing estates and most were visited. The standard of presentation was generally good and many individual garden presentations were admired. In many towns, new committees promote an annual or bi-annual inter estate competitions to promote greater involvement with the Tidy Towns campaign and to promote communication with individual groups. Has the Gorey Committee considered this possibility? The Inner town contains some very fine streetscapes that will be further enhanced when the By -Pass route and traffic plans are completed
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
The new road layout is impressive and roundabouts well presented The Paul Funge Boulevard should look very well when mature. The existing approach roads have a good standard with the Enniscorthy approach road being a highlight. Grass margins were neatly trimmed and contained some attractive, colourfully displayed planted intersections. The excellently presented roundabout at the Paul Funge Road junction provided a welcoming appearance at this important arrival point. As previously observed signage needs to be rationalized.
Concluding remarks
This was this adjudicator’s first visit to Gorey and I was most impressed by all I had to see. Well done! It was great to observe that you had substantial participation in your activities from volunteers and a sizeable number of school children. We wish you well with your continued endeavours in the coming years.
HOLLYFORT 244 MARKS (230 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Looking at the first page of your application it is positive to note that the community not only works hard, but also holds many functions where they can socialise as a community as part of fundraising. This is very positive as the social side is equally as important in attracting new members. Thank you for your application, useful pictures and map. Your participation in the Tidy Towns competition is important to the Tidy Towns and you are welcomed to the SuperValu Tidy Towns 2016 competition. You have an active committee of 11 members and another group you can call on for help with various projects. You have regular meetings and engage well with local businesses and agencies. Communication is through the local newspapers and social media. It is good to note that you have found the competition helpful in creating a sense of pride in the community and also getting everyone working together for the good of the village. The adjudicator was curious on the drainage system that is piped right down through the village and felt that a safety measure needs to be put in place at the open concrete channel. Hollyfort are focussed on where and how the village is going over the next 3 to 4 years in terms of development of the village while maintaining its heritage.
Built Environment and Streetscape
St Johns Church is part of the village heritage, this superb building is well maintained and well utilised by the community. The old National School dating back to 1821 was also noted. The crossroads Garden utilising the timber from the storm damaged tree into a seating area is admired. The village pump another piece of the village heritage together with landscaping and pieces of farm machinery has become a splendid feature of the village. Cooneys Pub another focal point of the village did not disappoint with its excellent presentation. Colourful landscaping, seats, notice board and even a milk churn all added colour to the streetscape. The horseshoe shaped door of the Forge and the old stonework of the building was admired. This building will make a superb feature of the village heritage when fully developed. The Bann river nature trail and interpretive signs together with the 1916 commemorative area makes this a great amenity area for the community. The bridges of the village make excellent features on entrance to the village as do the stone and two granite signs noted. Your treatment of the closed shop is also noted and admired. Hopefully the old garage building will be resolved shortly. The adjudicator must compliment Luke on his fine poultry collection and wish him well with his little enterprise. The notice of poultry for sale looked like Luke’s work and this was admired
Landscaping and Open Spaces
Landscaping throughout the village is of a high standard and your use of herbaceous perennials is applauded. The area at the village pump was particularly admired. Planting of native trees and hedging and plants that bring all year round colour and interest to the village is recommended. The village must be a scenery in spring when all the bulbs bloom. The use of the natural stone of the village in walls and flower beds is applauded. The colourful planters around the village bring that extra splash of colour to the streetscape. The area at the apple tree would make a natural wildflower area.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
There are three key areas in this category. One is education, having a knowledge of local species and habitats, this is one that your community is certainly comfortable with. Two is conservation, maintaining of important wildlife areas and three is seeking good wildlife advice and communication of the importance of the local wildlife. Hosting events that celebrate and raise awareness of local species and habitats as you have done along the river Bann with experts in this field addresses two and three. Your planting of plants that encourage wildlife is also noted. The planting in the village centre encouraging bees is admired. The interpretive boards at the River Bann trail were noted. Similar boards can be added in different locations when further studies are carried out in the village surrounds. One such study could be at the nesting boxes in the village on the habits of the Blue Tits that you have sighted using these boxes.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
Looking at last year’s report there does not seem to be many new projects in this category. The community need to look at how they can reduce the amount of waste produced in the community in the first place. Have you looked at attending workshops that are facilitated by the council in this area? One workshop that is particularly good is stop food waste. This is an area where communities can reduce waste by buying less thus reducing packaging. Your use of food waste being used in the poultry farm is applauded. Creating seats from the tree blown down is also admired. There is no school in the village but you can liaise with the children from the village and the school they are attending for their assistance in making progress in this category. More efficient use of resources such as the use of rainwater, energy and transport is encouraged. You are on a low mark in this category and you could gain more marks here by looking at projects for next year’s competition. Any workshops attended are usually certified and copies of these certificates should be included with your application otherwise the adjudicator has no way of knowing your progress.
Tidiness and Litter Control
Well done on your achievements of winning two awards in keeping the county clean. You are complimented on this as litter control is an ongoing task and requires a committed community working together to achieve this. National spring clean is also good for the community and gets them geared up for the summer work. The village was generally tidy. The bring bank was neat and tidy. The area across from the pump needs sweeping of bark mulch from beds. There was a bag of rubbish at River Bann nature trail. Visitors to the area should take their litter with them. The 50KM sign needs straightening.
Residential Streets & Housing
Areas
This is an area that the community should be proud of on the presentation of their homes. Houses along the streetscape had well maintained gardens that brought colour to the street. The housing estate is also complimented on its excellent presentation. On the approach roads all houses were similarly maintained. The Ghost Estate does not take from the overall appearance of the village as it is not visible
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
The bridges are a splendid feature on the approach roads to the village. Maintenance of these is ongoing and this is admired. Down from St John’s Church the stone walls could be cleaned down and renovated where necessary on this entrance road. The stone at the entrance to the village is also admired as is the granite signs on Gorey road and Blackwater Bridge. Stone walls and mature trees are part of the village surrounds. Use of natural stone from the area is admired. The road surfaces and footpaths are good. The painted red gates and metal bridge were also noticed.
Concluding remarks
Hollyfort village was a pleasure to visit and adjudicate. The village has great potential to progress further and you are wished well with your future plans for the village.
KILANERIN 286 MARKS (281 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Kilanerin is welcome to the National tidy Towns Competition 2016. Your entry form is well structured, accompanied by a photographic illustration of ongoing works and all were of great assistance to this adjudicator. Your three year plan is simple and clear, containing achievable objectives in each category of the competition. Your committee of 15-20 is a good membership in a village of your size and your meetings are well organised. It is encouraging to note that you have received assistance from Wexford County Council, Leader, K.B.C.D.A., I.C. A, and local business. Your liaison with your impressively presented school should prove to have a substantial educational benefit in the years ahead. Your access to the community is multi-faceted and obviously proving very successful. This adjudicator was very grateful for the clear and easy-to-interpret map provided, indicating the locations and range of your projects.
Built Environment and Streetscape
The traditional built environment is one of the strong points of your location. The Church and nearby houses retain a visually cohesive, local character and are nicely presented at the ‘Cross’. The school, brightly coloured and containing an array of planted window boxes on well-maintained grounds, is a highlight in the village centre. The Gala Shop and Murphy’s Pub have a busy flavour, containing some attractive external displays of merchandise and provide a busy atmosphere in the village centre. Opposite, the Shamrock Hall was brightly painted and looked very well.
Landscaping and Open Spaces
Hard and soft landscaping integrates well with the built environment of the village. New stone walls and railings together with tree planting at the Shamrock Hall and School grounds were, truly, visually impressive. New street furniture, including information signage, has a good quality and we await the information to be completed on the centrally located boards. Stone wall constructions and footpaths, extending out from the core, are now a feature of your location and the incidental, sustainable planting accompanying these constructions will have great long term benefits. Well done to all concerned with these efforts. The school garden, and open space opposite, are excellent projects, centrally located and are a significant visual enhancement, in addition to their educational value.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
It is encouraging to read that you have engaged with your school and your youth on developments in this category. Your plans for nesting and insect boxes have already commenced and, together with the Pollinator Garden, these projects should have a substantial environmental and educational value, while the linear corridor proposal will be a nice connection between the various habitats
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
Your submission outlines a number of initiatives under this category including composting, water harvesting and litter segregation. Well done on the workshop organised in conjunction with Wexford County Council Environment Department. The school garden is a fine shop-window for your various initiatives and it is noted that it was here that your workshop was carried out by Craig Benton. The Bring Centre adjacent to Murphy’s Pub was clean and well-presented.
Tidiness and Litter Control
Improvement works at the G.A.A grounds were excellent and the Pavilion building was freshly painted. The Beech hedge is maturing nicely and the arched, entrance name sign looked very well, as did the planted shrubbery here. Beyond, the directional signage at Church Cross looked faded and tired and needs to be freshened up. Your co-operation with Wexford County Council on the entrance area to Curragh Woods is to be commended and this joint venture project is obviously working well. Well done on your involvement with North Wexford 2Km clean.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
Residential development in the village generally has a good standard and a varied range of housing schemes, such as An Bruach and The Elms, set a high standard. This has been acknowledged by their success in the Wexford County Awards in 2014 and 2015. Curragh Woods has a nice sense of place surrounding a central ‘green’ with the individual houses enclosed by attractively planted hedgerows. The infill housing, opposite the school, has an appropriate design, in harmony with its central village location, and the design is further complimented by a successful, muted, colour scheme. At Borleigh, a huge array of colourful flower boxes and hanging baskets were admired.
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
Traffic calming at the school, incorporating the pedestrian crossing, is successful and a vital development in the village core. The Gorey approach road has a nice variety of landscaped margins, well maintained. The Coolgreany entrance road has been enhanced by the addition of the footpath and impressive improvements at the G.A.A. grounds. Commencement of painting at the car park walls was noted. Village announcement signs are fresh and have a welcoming appearance. Silver Birch trees are maturing nicely at the amenity site and, close by, a newly constructed loose stone wall was admired. Village road surfaces are generally good with clear markings.
Concluding remarks
Kilanerin is a successful residential village where traditional and new developments have been successfully integrated. New developments are now achieving enhanced visual maturity through a sympathetic and sustainable landscaping programme. This community has the potential to be among the highest achievers in the competition.
KILLANE 244 MARKS (238 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Killanne is welcome to the National Tidy Towns Competition 2016. Your group have made substantial progress in understanding your location in a short period of time. Your various surveys encompassing Biodiver- sity, Wildlife and Natural Amenities and Churchyard Plant survey willprovide a clear focus for your on-going endeavours. Your committee, consisting of fifteen members, is well organised and has clearly engaged with other interested organisations such as Wexford County Council., Wexford Local Developments, Killanne Hall Committee, local business and village residents. It is encourageing to note that you engage with your youth and that they have become involved in a number of your on-going projects. Well done on your achievements in the ‘Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition’. Perhaps you should now considere the preparation of a simple three year plan listing out achievable objectives in the short term.
Built Environment and Streetscape
Killanne is welcome to the National Tidy Towns Competition 2016. Your group have made substantial progress in understanding your location in a short period of time. Your various surveys encompassing Biodiversity, Wildlife and Natural Amenities and Churchyard Plant survey will provide a clear focus for your on-going endeavours. Your committee, consisting of fifteen members, is well organised and has clearly engaged with other interested organisations such as Wexford County Council., Wexford Local Developments, Killanne Hall Committee, local business and village residents. It is encouraging to note that you engage with your youth and that they have become involved in a number of your on-going projects. Well done on your achievements in the ‘Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition’. Perhaps you should now considere the preparation of a simple three year plan listing out achievable objectives in the short term.
In line with many rural villages, commercial developments are slowly closing down and adding to the quiet atmosphere of these locations. Rackards Pub (now closed)contains an attractive scale and some nice vernacular architectural features. We note that you intend to whitewash the front boundary wall here. St. Anne’s Church retains a fine character and some of the architectural features were nicely presented and brightly painted, on well-maintained grounds. The external stone boundary wall has an interesting ‘cocks comb’ coping stone capping and the accompanying hedgerow encloses a well-maintained burial ground. The Lock-up Store area is a well-located storage area for your C.E. scheme. This site has the potential to be further developed, possibly with a storyboard on your significant history. A development such as this would compliment the existing 1798 Memorial at the pub car park entrance and engage with the national promotion of the ‘Ancient East’ tourism initiative. The hall is a fine refurbishment and the re-use of this former school as a community building is a significant achievement. The preservation of the lattice windows contribute to the conservation of the village character.
Landscaping and Open Spaces
The grotto areas was again neatly presented and contains a tranquil seating area complimentary to the well-tended 1798 memorial at the opposite side of the cross. Your development of sustainable, low-maintenance, perennial planting in various locations is an excellent initiative as is the planting of the Beech hedge at Radharc na Bhfanaithe. This planting will provide enclosure here in future years. The linear vegetable and fruit garden looks very well and is a fine use of this space. At the historic graveyard, works were on-going and the new planting along the base of the boundary wall was admired. There is a nice contrast between the loose-stone, natural boundary wall, at the historic burial ground and the built stone wall enclosing St. Anne’s church opposite. The planting of a hedge along the base of the post and wire fence at the historic graveyard would add enclosure and atmosphere to this area.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
The previously mentioned surveys under this heading will be a great assistance to continue your advancement in this category. Well done on your new surveys and on acquiring professional advice towards your long term proposals. It is to be hoped that you will be successful in your quest for funding. We wish you well on the completion of the Pollinator Awareness Survey.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
Your achievement of first prize in the Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition for ‘Best Community Waste/ Re Use Project’ was well merited. The number of initiatives, such as the fairy garden, community fruit garden and your insect lodge, is an impressive achievement in such a short space of time. Again it is encouraging to read of youth involvement in the various initiatives. The use of Facebook to promote your agenda is also encouraging.
Tidiness and Litter Control
Co-operation with your G.A.A. Club on the Spring Clean was imaginative and once again helps to promote your message for a cleaner environment. The input of your Tús workers was notable throughout the village and is making a fine contribution to the village environment. Hopefully, in time, the car-park opposite Rackard’s Pub will be re-developed as this area has an important central location. The forecourt of the Community Hall had a fresh appearance with a gravel surface and some attractive planting.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
The older houses in the village retain their traditional character and a sympathetic window replacement was noted at the Cross. A number of individual residences, and their well-presented gardens were admired. At Radharc na Bhfannaithe, grass-cutting was in progress on the day of adjudication. The tree-planting, including Rowan and Birch trees, are maturing nicely and the green Beech hedge will in time enclose an attractive green area.
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
The pub car park has already been mentioned and hopefully, in time, this centrally located site will be revitalised. Approach roads contain a fine variety of stone walls, hedgerows and mature trees, all great assets to your location. New developments, espe- cially one-off housing, should consider this aspect of your environment when developing new boundaries and entrances. Well done on improvement as St. Anne’s car park area.
The commitment of the volunteers and the workers is to be seen in your various efforts throughout the village. This, combined which your structured approach, will ensure a sustainable future for your village.
KILMUCKRIDGE 289 MARKS (277 IN 2015) Community Involvement & Planning
Kilmuckbridge is welcome to the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition for 2016. Thank you for your comprehensive application and helpful map. The presentation of this village is an indication of an active committee working diligently to develop and enhance their area. Your committee of 12 members hold regular meetings and liaise with the wider community. The local businesses and the county council and the school give you great support. Your communication by social media and local newsletter relates to the wider community keeping them informed of your progress on work in the village. The local school helps with clean-ups and this is very important. Your group have been approximately 20 years involved in the Tidy Towns competition. Your participation in the competition is important to the Tidy Towns unit. It is good to note that the competition has helped the community with many projects in the development and enhancement of Kilmuckbridge. Your photographic exhibition and competition looks exciting and your calendar for 2017 using some of the photos taken will be welcomed. The mapping of historical places of interest of the village and surrounds ensures that the history of the village will be remembered for future generations.
Built Environment and Streetscape
The built environment of the village had brightly painted facades and colourful floral displays. Hammels Businesses was brightly painted, adding colour to the streetscape. Upton court with surroundings of stonewall and trees impressed as one entered the village. Kates Cafe would certainly entice you in by their presentation. The KMH Hall and the Resource Centre are two very important amenity buildings for the community. The Church and cemetery shows a caring community on their superb presentation. The thatched house brought its own charm to the village. Boggans Pub, Londis supermarket and Maisies certainly impressed. Centra and Pub adjacent were bright and colourful with hanging baskets, was bustling with activity. St Joseph’s School and its well-presented grounds looked superb. The village pump was noted.
The 1916 Memorial project was also admired but felt the proclamation would be more impressive if raised above the ground. The superb monument at Tinnaberna beech honouring the fishermen who lost their lives at sea shows a caring community, remembering their past members as well as present. The adjudicator felt that more planting around the Telephone Mast would help to screen this site. The closed building adjacent to Peg’s garden if renovated in its present style would make a lovely feature at this site.
Landscaping and Open Spaces
Many areas of landscaping were noted around the village. The landscaping of the boats and surrounds on the entrance roads were admired. Splendid planting in front of the entrance wall at the Grotto was noted. Nice planted containers and box hedging was also noted here. The planting of Peg’s garden with pump and wild roses was delightful. The house across from Centra had particularly attractive planting.
The rose garden was also visited but this area needs attention. The Pub beside Centra had a superb planted bed at the corner and beautiful hanging baskets brightening up the whole area. The planting of shrubs at Orchid Harbour was admired and will bring all year around seasonal interest and colour to this corner.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities
Greenwood Avenue an area of Biodiversity is a haven for wildlife. The stream is also important and could be developed more with information of the plants and wildlife in this area. Groups are encouraged to host events that celebrate and raise awareness of local species and habitats. This could be a walk in this area with a talk from an expert on the wildlife that live there. Further projects could be carrying out a survey and documenting the findings for the community to appreciate. This could be done in conjunction with the local school. The insect hotel was noted with its new name badge.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management
In last year’s report the adjudicator mentioned the school has five green flags. This is commended but this year’s adjudicator could find no mention of your work with the school. This category in particular it is important to work in conjunction with the local school, as the community and school learn from each other. Well done on your Christmas light project, this would indeed make a big saving on energy along while bringing great excitement to the children. You mentioned composting in your application and this should be encouraged by the wider community. For next year’s competition you should look at determining the amount of savings that are made in the community in this category, is the amount of waste being produced reduced and by how much?
Tidiness and Litter Control
Green dog walkers is a friendly way of encouraging people to take the pledge by wearing the green arm band and cleaning up after their dog. Well done to the community in encouraging this exercise making people aware of their responsibilities in relation to dog fouling. The Bring bank is clean and tidy and the tubs of flowers make this area attractive. The sign at the rose garden needs attention. The boundary wall across the road also needs attention. At the entrance to AFC the wire paling could be removed and this area landscaped making the entrance tidier. You seem to have a good plan in place as regards litter. Taking part in the National Spring clean and also in the 2K clean involves the wider community and makes more people aware of your efforts to control and combat litter. Well done on your 2K clean up this year. This is a good plan by the council getting so many Tidy Towns groups involved and cleaning of such a long stretch of road.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas
It is good to see that residents associations are in place and the housing estates maintain their houses to such a high standard. The competition between the estates is encouraging for the residents to become involved. Splendid entrance stones to the estates and well maintained green areas were noted. The houses along the streetscape were also well presented. The house across from Centra had a beautiful planted garden with plenty of colour. The houses around Upton Court were also bright and neat.
Approach Roads, Streets and Lanes
All approach roads to the village had superb entrance signs. On the Enniscorthy road a beautiful landscaped stone was admired. The exquisite planted boats on approach road was admired. Well maintained grass verges were also noted. The Famine wall was also noted, once again this community remembers their past members. The new disabled parking space outside Kates cafe was positive to see. The new lighting leading to St Marys Church with low energy bulbs will brighten up this road.
Concluding remarks
Kilmuckridge has done great work for this year’s competition. It is good to see a village developing and enhancing always ensuring that their heritage is not forgotten. You are wished continued success.