Local community garden honoured with a community vibrancy award

KERRY Group, in partnership with North, East and West Kerry Development, presented the July 2018 Community Vibrancy Certificate to the Castleisland Community Garden on Monday morning.

The award was presented in recognition of its valuable contribution to the community vibrancy of the Castleisland Area.

Its role in social supports, and leadership in community, environment and rural development were also seen as winning attributes

Castleisland Community Garden is an all-inclusive community development project that involves gardeners with diverse abilities, various backgrounds and all age groups promoting sustainable growing and the harvesting of organic produce.

The garden was started in 2012 by NEWKD’s Rural Social Scheme (RSS) with the support of the Presentation Sisters, who gave a lease of the ground at the Crageens.

The committee which runs the project comprises of representatives of: St John of God and Oilen Beo; Castleisland Women’s Resource; Kerry Diocesan Youth Service; Castleisland branch of Kerry Mental Health; Castleisland Community College Transition year students; Acquired Brain Injury Ireland and other groups and interested individuals.

The project has 32 gardeners and 53 plots fully planted and growing, three large poly-tunnels and an orchard with several rows of more than 20 different types of trees and bushes.

The garden also has a pond for frogs, with natural hedging planted on the boundaries, as well as some native Irish trees, all creating bio diversity corridors throughout the garden.

Kerry Education and Training Board has organised several courses on vegetables, growing in poly-tunnels, herbs, composting, rain-harvesting and cooking.

In terms of future plans, the group hopes to facilitate the collection of rain water, the manufacture of a large compost sieve, the roofing of the eco hut, and is also looking at getting chickens and ducks, adding to the variety in the garden.

“NEWKD congratulate the Castleisland Community Garden and all individuals and groups involved in making this such a positive, environmental, inclusive and vibrant community-led initiative that is going from strength to strength,” said NEWKD Chairperson John Stack.

Director of Corporate Affairs, Kerry Group Frank Hayes also offered his congratulations and best wishes to all involved:

“Well done to all involved with Castleisland Community Garden. It offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals to connect with nature and their community and as part of a productive and sustainable initiative.”

Photo by John Reidy. Castleisland Community Garden manager Willy Reidy (left) pictured with committee members Lisa Cronin and Seán Hanly of Oileán Beó, after the blessing of the garden by Monsignor Dan O’Riordan in April 2016.