GOREY TIDY TOWNS RESULTS AND REPORTS
around the country especially in the last few years since communities became more familiar with the category objectives.
The dancing at the Crossroads BBQ leftover food one is interesting,hoefully no fermented apples are included !
The Bring Bank at Murphys Gala was compact and well managed and easily accessed.
To get more out of this sector in terms of creating even a greater awareness of a more sustainable environment consider looking at the following websites for idea generation www.localprevention.ie ,www.greenhomes.ie and www.sustainableprocessing.ie
Also something that this adjudicator became aware of during last year’s adjudication is the circular economy.
It is a bit too long to explain the concept in detail in this report, but if you access the following www.dccae.gov.ie you will get a pretty good idea of what it’s all about.
The idea of what is called a linear economy of “take, make and waste” is now being seen as not sustainable and alternatives need to be found.
Congratulations on the work that you have done over the last year in trying to persuade people to be anti-litter and making it known that it helps the village in terms of appearance, tidiness and environment protection.
Good to note that you have regular litter pick rotas and well done to whoever is in charge of the rota.
The support of the County Council and TUS workers is invaluable well done to these workers whose efforts often go unheralded?
This is not an easy job and demands commitment of the highest order.
It would be a little churlish of me to identify areas in the heart of the village where small pieces of farm related activity residue was observed as this is a farming community.
The adjudicator has no doubt that these areas are being monitored and cleaned up on a regular basis.
Illegal dumping is an out of control problem in the country if one is to be honest and you are to be commended for your monitoring policy at Curragh Woods
General tidiness was quite acceptable in an overall context and the work that you have carried out such as power washing of pavements, cleaning signs and removal of moss from footpaths etc all contribute to this.
The adjudicator was not too concerned with overhead wiring in the village he didn’t feel that it was obtrusive and blocking the skyline view.
Weed control has got a support system in this hot weather as weeds seemed to be burning off naturally that is until the rain comes back
Obtrusive banners at roadsides seen at this time of year advertising festivals and country music lads of renown are thankfully absent in and around Kilinerin.
The majority of your residents have a pride of place mentality as the village is neat, compact and tidy
Litter bins were pretty ok as well considering it was a week end day.
Overall the standard was very good.
It’s hard to imagine that there are 6/7 housing developments in a village the size of Kilanerin.
The committee has recognised the efforts of the residents of housing estates in the village and their contribution to the Tidy Towns effort
Carraig Vale has already been mentioned in relation to its entrance and the estae itself was very well maintained and homesteads kept in an orderly fashion.
One can see why The Elms is a regular award winner, superb presentation of homesteads, inviting planting arrangement and novel biked presentation at the entrance
It is obvious that there is a good cooperative spirit within the areas as witnessed by the adjudicator in his walk about.
An Bruach,Curragh Woods,Borleigh Park and Taobh Na Coille all have nice name signs snd these estates are also well presented..
Town houses in the village were very well maintained and those on the outskirts.
Other aspects of presentation relative to town houses and communal areas have been made under Built Environment and Streetscapes The standard was good and very acceptable.
The entrances in to the village from all sides were impressive but there is an obscure sign at the Limbrick Hill 1798
Commemorative garden in from Hollyfort.
The Gorey Entrance was resplendent with trees and the long embankment planted with both perennials and other shrubs adding colour and greenery to that side of the village.
The Coolgreany entrance has the new community centre and the excellent GAA grounds although some of the roads surface is a little rough
Overall the standard was very good and merits an increase in marks.
It was good to visit Kilenarin after an absence of 8 years and see the positive changes that have occurred.
You are a high achiever in the county and this is reflected in the marks you have received over the years.
As I said at the outset I had no comment on the issue of 2016 except to say that it had no relevance to the entry for 2018 and should not have been included as it had been dealt with in 2017 and that’s been upfront and honest.
You are wished well in the future years ahead in the competition.
298 MARKS (294 IN 2017)
The application was one of the most comprehensive and well indexed which the adjudicator has seen in his years of judging in the competition.
The gathering and dissemination of relevant information must have taken some collaborative effort on the part of your committee.
The adjudicator wants to point at the outset of this report that everything included in the form could not be commented upon in a 3 page report that covers 8 sections but rest assured that the adjudication was carried out in a fair and objective manner and in line with competition guidelines.
Your committee of 6 and a volunteer core 4 is in this adjudicator’s opinion rather small to manage such a portfolio of work.
But it seems to work for you so who am I am to comment.
The interaction that you have with a wide range of stakeholders both at local authority level and within your own community is paying off in spades so no further comment is needed here except to say a continuance of this effort will see Kilmuckridge progress to greater heights in the competition.
Well done on the launch of your 2018 calendar this is an excellent form of communication in making people aware of the work that you do on behalf of the village and its community.
As well as the tried and tried and trusted methods of communication used for the best part of the 40 years of your years the competition you have embraced the various and changing forms of social media.
You have an excellent Facebook presence and one assumes that Whats App and Twitter are used to get instant messages to the public.
The “Kilmuckridge Song Project” is a new departure for a Tidy Towns so well done on this as it shows the creative side of your committee and well done also to the Arts Department of Wexford CoCo for giving you such support. When does the tour start ?
I always wondered what part of the County Buffers Alley Hurling club came from and now I know. Some great hurling names like the Dorans and Tom Dempsey from this club.
Good to note that you have a very fruitful relationship with both the primary and second level schools.
Overall the standard of input and future planning in this category was very good.
The adjudicator took note of the 13 items for consideration that you have in this category and has also made some observations of his own during the walkabout.
Closure of businesses in any village or town leaves a voids and often a prolonged impasse because of issues such as ownership.
The situation in relation Ranson House is outside your remit and will only be addressed if the ownership dispute is resolved between the parties in question.
St Marys RC Church is a very fine ecclesiastical building and has well maintained if parched grounds.
The adjudicator was very taken with the very effective camouflage mural at “Maisies Sweet Shop” St Josephs Primary School is also a very well managed public building and credit is due to the person or persons who are responsible for its upkeep.
The pedestrian crossing here was noted and this will make for extra safety crossing for children and parents.
Is the Hammell name synonymous with the commercial life of Kilmuckridge such are the number of business premises that bore the name ?
McLoughlin’s Traditional Barbers has a very attractive shop front and Kates Cafe was also well presented.
Colaiste Atha was admired for its contemporary design and also it was well maintained.
Well done on the composition make up of the Community Information Board.
Boggans also was well maintained and presented
The Upton Court Hotel which is little outside the village was very well presented and is a fine establishment with many facilities for customers.
Road surfaces,signs and street lighting were in good condition.
A boundary wall near the horse cart that houses the floral arrangement is badly in need of a coat of paint and maybe it was being prepared for just that.
Overall the standard was very good and for the efforts that you made in influencing the local authority to make some very important infrastructural improvements
The landscaping arrangements both public and private viewed by the adjudicator were well presented and effective but are probably struggling somewhat in growth terms because of this unprecedented dry and hot summer that we are having.
One could see signs of wilting at a few beds notably one at the entrance to Greenwood Avenue.
The colourful boxes at Maisies Sweet Shop were being admired by overseas tourists as the adjudicator passed by and rightly so as this is very creative piece of work done by the committee.
The Grotto was mentioned in last year’s report was once again in a very presentable and accessible state.
Estates such as Silverdale had some very attractive entry planting arrangements where annuals offered summer colour but the perennial shrubs offered year round sustainability.
Some individual premises had very fine front and side gardens and on the evening in question many were tending their respective gardens probably fearing that many might be lost to the drought.
Will we see the day that cacti become the norm in this green land of ours?
The hanging tyres at the wall by Hammells were noted and whist the adjudicator would not be in favour of tyres for plants or decorative purposes this particular offering was quite attractive.
The Wexford House was resplendent with colour and it must be hard to maintain on an ongoing basis so well done to the owners.
The number of trees and hedgerows planted over late spring in the village and its surrounds is impressive and it’s hoped that they will all thrive well into the decades ahead.
Overall the standard was good.
The key components of this adjudication category are a) knowledge of local species and habitats and knowledge of local designated areas and b) being able to promote the knowledge gained to the local community and the passing visitor in formats that would be easily accessed such as wildlife information boards in a central location.
Being aware of invasive and possible destructive plants such as Japanese knot weed,of which you are, is also essential.
You have been very active under this category and the measures that you have in place this year are very much in tandem with the category objectives.
The dedicated biodiversity garden at Greenwood Avenue was visited and the insect hotel was noted near Boggans.
Other measures such as the cutting of verges in accordance with good guidelines for the preservation of various species of wildlife were noted during the adjudication.
There is no mention of any specific project in this category that involves both schools.
I would suggest that you make contact with both school principles and advance the case for school projects in conjunction with either a local wildlife enthusiast or the county wildlife ranger or equivalent.
Some good measures in place but far more potential for you to consider.as your immediate area is rich in habitats for many species of wildlife.
Also avail of any workshops on Biodiversity that might be organised by the Local Authority to increase knowledge and to network with like minded groups from all over the county.
The objective in this category has moved on from one of reduce reuse and recycle to one of promoting the concept of reducing the production of potential waste at source such as excessive packaging.
“Doing more with less” is a very apt The practical benefits of good waste management and control of unnecessary production will be seen as a major contribution to a better environment.
You have listed 16 mini projects under this category and explained in simple terms who were the lead partners in each project
Many of the projects you have mentioned have been replicated around the country especially in the last few years since communities became more familiar with the category objectives but you have taken a different approach
The adjudicator hopes that you have the resources to manage all in a sustainable manner
To get more out of this sector in terms of creating even a greater awareness of a more sustainable environment consider looking at the following websites for idea generation www.localprevention.ie ,www.greenhomes.ie and www.sustainableprocessing.ie
Also something that this adjudicator became aware of during last year’s adjudication is the circular economy.
It is a bit too long to explain the concept in detail in this report, but if you access the following www.dccae.gov.ie you will get a pretty good idea of what it’s all about.
The idea of what is called a linear economy of “take, make and waste” is now being seen as not sustainable and alternatives need to be found.
An additional mark is awarded for the new measures you have put in place in the last year.
The committee has harnessed the goodwill of the local community in rowing in behind your efforts in this category.
There were sufficient bins in pace for the size of the village and all were emptied probably earlier in the day .
The Bring Bank was tidy and free from loose bags that are often left at the sides of receptacles.
Measures that were put in place to deter indiscriminate dumping- certainly has paid off because on the evening in question, with the exception of one or two pieces, no litter was observed.
There is no point in repeating back to you what you have done except to say keep this type of sustained effort going.
An increase in marks is justified.
You have fine housing developments of high quality in the village and the entrances signs were attractive.
Seaview Court was in very good condition with homesteads presented to a very good standard.
Beechbrook Park which has over 40 trees planted is maturing very well and Fort Haven is a development primarily made up of detached bungalow type residents.
The green areas are maintained by local residents but the grass certainly wasn’t in need of cutting as it was parched from the lack of water
Greenwood Avenue has been mentioned elsewhere and is very private development of mostly detached single story houses,
This year’s adjudicator was also very impressed with the signage and the manner in which it was kept.
Overall the standard in this category was good.
All the entrances into the village were kept very tidy and well presented all through.
The adjudicator was hugely impressed with the way each entrance place name was looked after.
The name stones were clear and visible and this is a plus factor as visitors tend to judge a place on first impressions.
Directional and speed signs were both clean and clearly visible.
The pedestrian crossing mentioned in last year’s report and promised for the St Joseph School area has been put in place and it will provide for orderly exiting from the school.
Bualadh Bas to whoever was responsible for influencing the council officials to provide additional infrastructural improvements at St Josephs NS and double yellow lines at the entrance to Beechbrook.
It was good to re visit Kilmuckridge after a few years absence and to see some new changes that have occurred in the Village in that period.
The adjudicator had a pleasant walk about during after the adjudication and the occasion was made all the more worthwhile because of the exceptional weather at that time.
You are wished well in the competition in the years ahead.