COUNTY COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT

OVER 300 children, community groups, volunteers, resident groups and individuals attended last week’s Environment Awards ceremony at the Ferrycarrig Hotel.

The annual event celebrates the environment and voluntary effort of those who strive to maintain it in their local communities. Councillors from across the county were also in attendance.

Presentations were made to 14 schools, 47 community groups and two individuals.

Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr. John Hegarty welcomed and congratulated all participants, acknowledging the magnificent voluntary work going on throughout Co. Wexford.

He said: “The unselfish effort and generosity displayed by volunteers really does make a difference to communities. 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.”

He welcomed the opportunity to pay a public tribute to the many excellent people who work so hard, year-in and year-out, to enhance their communities.

A ‘Sort Of ’ Environment Quiz took place at the beginning of the night and the six winners were: Erin Kehoe, Dean Boggan, Adam Butler, Barbara Brennan, Breda Byrne and Helen Murphy.

Various organisations were recognised on the night. Tidy Town groups were acknowledged for their achievements in the national competition. Ballycanew Tidy Towns were presented with the Our Community Climate Action and Let’s Get Buzzing awards. Wexford Tidy Towns were presented with the Clean Air Award. Ballyduff were the recipient of the Can It Award and Rosslare Tidy Towns were presented with a Value Water Award.

Ballyduff Development Group, Ferns Tidy Towns and Camolin Community Development Association Development Group were also presented with awards for their participation in the North Wexford 2K.

The overall winners of the Keep Wexford Beautiful Competition were Rosslare Tidy Towns.

Master of Ceremonies for the night, Alan McGuire described Rosslare as a “scenic village and seaside resort which prides itself on being the sunniest spot in Ireland”. He said that many parts of the village stood out including the entry to the beach, the new community notice board on the gable end of the public toilets, commercial properties, a new sensory garden, the old rail cottage and the RNLI Monument, to name a few.

Three Green Schools received awards from Cllr. Hegarty – each received a nest box sponsored by Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club. The schools were: Creagh College, Gorey; St. Fintan’s National School, Mayglass; and St. Joseph’s Primary School, Gorey.

Seven schools were awarded certificates for their participation in An Taisce’s Coastcare Project. They were: Ballycanew National School; Ballyellis National School; Courtnacuddy National School; Scoil Naomh Mhaodhóig, Poulfur; Fethard-on-Sea; Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare; St. Ibar’s National School, Castlebridge; and St. Patrick’s National School, Craanford.

Noah Kehoe of Screen National School was awarded a plaque as the overall primary school winner in the Christmas Decoration Competition 2016. His entry, ‘The Nutcracker’ was made using cereal boxes, bottle caps, plastic bottles and sweet box lids among other things.

Erin Doyle from Ballyduff National School was the Overall Primary School winner in the Environment Artwork Competition and Yvonne Lambert from Bunclody Vocational College was the Overall Secondary winner.

Scoil Mochua, Oulart was also awarded a plaque for being Wexford’s Cleanest School.

Awards for Outstanding Individual Contributions to Wexford’s Environment were presented to Anne-Marie Toomey and Samantha

Paya.

The overall feeling leaving the hotel following the event was that the future of Wexford’s environment is in very good hands.

THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS IS AS FOLLOWS:

GreenSchools– Creagh College, Gorey; St. Fintan’s National School, Mayglass;

St. Joseph’s Primary School, Gorey.

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. Patricks National School, Craanford. W ex ford’ s Clean est School – Scoil Mochua, Oulart. Christmas 2016 Decoration Competition in conjunction with SouthEast Radio–Noah Kehoe, Screen National School. Annual Environment Artwork Competition Primary–Erin Doyle, Ballyduff National School. Annual Environment Artwork Competition Secondary–Yvonne

Lambert, Bunclody Vocational College. Keep W ex ford Beautiful Overall Winnner– Rosslare Tidy Towns. Best Environmentally Award and Presented Town/Village

First– Kilanerin Tidy Yowns; Joint Second – Ballycanew Tidy Towns, Blackwater Tidy Towns. Joint Third – Ballyduff Development Group, Ballygarrett Tidy Towns. Highly Commended – Ballymurn Tidy Towns, St. John’s Amenity Group, Caim. BestNewEntry First – The Gap Tidy Towns and

Olive Kelly, Bridget Cullen, Doug Taylor, Nuala O’Leary from Blackwater Tidy Towns with the Keep Wexford Beautiful award.

Odhran O’Donohoe, Diarmuid Murtagh, Orlaith O’ Gorman, Ann Lyons and Aveline Grocock from Schoil Mhuire, Rosslare with the Coast Care award.

Nora Lacey, Dean Boggan, Max Hendrick and Sean O’Brien from St Fintan’s National School, Mayglass receiving their Green Flag for Schools Awards.

Noah and Tom Kehoe from Screen National School with the Christmas Decoration Competition Overall Primary School award.

Ella Carroll, Abbie Kersaw, Ali Carroll, Hannah Kersaw and Margaret Sinnott from Junior Tidy Towns group with the Keep Wexford Beautiful award.

Vera Casey, Eileen Collopy, Ray Flynn, Margaret Sreenan, Thibaut Deshomors from Towns.

Phil McCabe, Maurice Cloney and Jimmy Roche from Bridgetown Community Deve with the Keep Wexford Beautiful ward.

Denis Collins from Wexford Tidy Towns with the Keep Wexford Beautiful Clean Air