Ballybunion Tidy Towns on a roll as resort’s fortunes rocket in contest
Group is meanwhile calling golfers for classic on Friday
BALLYBUNION Tidy Towns is looking for the support of all golfers this Friday in a big fundraising classic on the famous local links as the group vies for a first medal in the national competition come September.
It’s a prospect that is entirely possible, with the voluntary committee leading the work having overseen a jump in 41 points in the space of a few short, recent years.
Ballybunion’s Tidy Towns’ performance is now within a hair’s breadth of the milestone score of 300 points. So it’s all to play for as the judges hit town.
But the massive workload the dedicated committee carry on a weekly basis requires continual fundraising and to that end the golf classic is taking place at Ballybunion Golf Club this Friday, July 21.
“The Tidy Towns committee is 100 per cent voluntary and we’re carrying out a lot of work everyday keeping Ballybunion looking beautiful,” treasurer Kathleen Collins told The Kerryman this week.
“So we’re hoping for great support from the golfers of the region on Friday as the proceeds raised will help pay for everything from flowers, trees and soil to paint, fertiliser and signs,” Kathleen explained.
The group is essentially fulfilling local authority duties with some members working nearly fulltime at present, cutting grass, planting up beds and borders and much else.
Working with Kerry County Council, with the aid of the RSS and CE scheme workers, the Tidy Towns has completed a plethora of fantastic new projects including new trees at Ahafona Cross; new footpaths and plants in the East End; the installation of an historic curragh at the Cashen; new murals on Main St and the Glen Road bottle bank and much more. Special ‘pollination zones’ have also been set aside this year in a protected haven for bees.