Newsletter 26 January 2025
A Busy Sunday!
Last Sunday Morning we had 32 volunteers plus 7 Transition Year Students out.
Thankfully the volume of litter was down greatly since last week. We covered a large area and a section of the Regional Park.
Pat collected 10 bags from Sunday and 2 bags of litter plus 1 bag of glass from litter picks during the week.
We adjourned to The Plaza for a well deserved cuppa.

Busy TY Students
On Sunday morning 8 TY students under the guidance of Denis and Bridget collected 3 tonne bags of leaves in a few different areas. Old Fort Road, Main Street at Eastgate near Circle K and Sliced were cleaned.
Unfortunately these leaves were unsuitable for composting so were recycled.

Proud Moment
Sunday evening was a very special one as the two National Tidy Towns All Ireland Trophies visited the Murphy Household. Tadg had been our Treasurer for 24 years. Apart from being treasurer Tadg has maintained the flower bed at the start of Baker Street and both Tadg and his wife Mary looked after the flower tubs outside the Church of St Mary and St John.
Along with this Tadg and fellow volunteer Brendan Murphy did amazing work throughout their many years with BTT.
Seeing their pride holding the trophies on Sunday evening was very special and inspiring.

Volunteer Opportunities
Want to make a real impact in your community? Join Ballincollig Tidy Towns and be part of the team keeping our town the cleanest and most beautiful in Ireland! Whether you have an hour to spare or want to get more involved, there’s a role for everyone. From social media and graphic design to green spaces, biodiversity, sustainability, and litter control, your skills and passion can help shape a cleaner, greener future. Come join our vibrant volunteer community and help us maintain our award-winning reputation — get involved today!
Contact us at 087 6348807 or secretary@

Busy Monday
Monday morning bright and early Gay,Tom, Keith and Sunday made a start on cleaning and doing winter works on the Westcliffe bed. This very large bed takes a lot of work but at least it’s started now.
They then cleared leaves from the corner of Flynn’s Rd down to The White Horse.
They collected 9 ton bags of leaves three of which were not suitable for the compost bay.
A busy mornings work.


Tuesday Works
On Tuesday morning Jimmy Sunday and Tom had a busy morning.
Tom and Jimmy brought 10 tonne bags of leaves which were not suitable for composting to be recycled.
Sunday sorted the remainder of the litter collected from the weekly litter picks.
.After that Tom, Sunday and Jimmy cleared leaves and twigs from the footpath in front of Velocity Cycle and along Hodders Villas.
They then set about removing moss and weeds from all the islands near the Maxol Service Station. They collected 10 plastic bags of leaves, weeds and moss.
A busy morning and the photos tell the story of a busy mornings work.


Community Spirit Awards 2024
We were very privileged to have received one of the 12 Monthly Community Spirit Awards and on Friday night we attended the Annual Dinner at the Cork International Hotel.
We were delighted to attend and our thanks to Eoghan Murphy and his Team at the hotel for an excellent meal and hospitality.
We were in awe of some of the other monthly winners and the incredible work that they do in so many ways. We were sitting with the amazing Team from Irish Sepsis Foundation and we were amazed at their personal stories and the amazing work that they do.
It was an honour to have the work done by Ballincollig Tidy Towns being acknowledged once again.
Our sincere thanks to the organisers and sponsors of the Community Spirit Awards.

Wednesday Works
Wednesday we started with a full team Vince, Tom, Keith and Sunday were working on two projects. Vince and Tom took items for recycling while Keith and Sunday were inserting wicks in the planters.
Given the number of planters we have replacement of the wicks is a very time consuming process but a very important. Previously we removed each one washed it and put it back in place. It is now much more efficient to replace them with new ones each year.
The wicks play a vital role when the planters are in place so it’s a very important part of our Winter Works.
Vince emptied 4 boxes of bottles and glass in the bottle bank which we collected as a result of our waste segregation.

Thursday- Calm before the Storm
On Thursday Ger K, Sunday, Keith, Tom and volunteer Natalie were busy at HQ. Natalie continued to put wicks into the inserts while Sunday was painting letters onto the inserts so we can identify which ones go where later in the year. Keith was washing and sterilising the large planter boxes.
Tom was tidying up the allotment and securing anything that might take off in storm Éowyn. Thankfully we did not suffer any damage during the storm.

BTT Keep Cups
Don’t forget to get your BTT Keep Cups and avail of discounts in local stores
Make the Difference

Muintir na Tire Cork News
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Dear Tom,
As we welcome a new year and reflect on another remarkable one.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to you for your unwavering support.
Your generosity and commitment have empowered us to expand our work and make meaningful progress.
To our sponsors who share our vision of protecting pollinators, thank you for your dedication.
To our incredible volunteers, your tireless efforts in spreading the message of pollinator conservation across Ireland have been invaluable.
Key Collaboration and Partnerships in 2024
We were privileged to collaborate with Blarney, Douglas, Frankfield, and Togher Men’s Sheds, whose craftsmanship brought solitary bee lodge posts to life for cavity-nesting bees.
Special thanks to Cork City Council and their Parks Department for supporting the installation of these habitats in city parks.
Our major sponsors for the year—Grifols, Stonewell, Reforest Nation, and PM Group—made it possible to advance our mission significantly.
2024 Highlights
February
On February 20th, we proudly launched the Cork City Project, an initiative dedicated to establishing Cork City as a Pollinator Sanctuary in the years ahead.
April
Our efforts blossomed in April with visits to St. Joseph’s Primary School in Glanmire, where pupils and teachers enthusiastically embraced our mission.
We connected with the community at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Ballyphehane and the Fota House Plant Fair, spreading awareness about pollinator conservation.
Habitat installations were undertaken in partnership with COPE Foundation Cork and Grifols Dublin, supporting local initiatives like Clondalkin Tidy Towns. Our collaborations also expanded to include Newcastle Tidy Towns and Inchydoney Hotel.
May
We celebrated remarkable achievements in May, reaching the RDS Sustainability Awards finals on May 3rd.
On May 11th, we completed habitat installations with Adare Tidy Towns and Lough Gur.
To mark World Bee Day, Abtran packed and distributed 3,000 clover seed packets, and we hosted engaging activities at Ballincollig Regional Park.
School visits to Ardmore and Grange were met with enthusiasm.
A special shout-out goes to Lauren Kelly and the students at Abbey Vocational School in Donegal, who organised a bake sale fundraiser to support our efforts.
June & July
During the summer, we showcased our mission at Clashmore Community Day and the Festival of Science at Fitzgerald’s Park
We also participated in events at Fota Wildlife Park and teamed up with the Cork School of Architecture to design a solitary bee lodge, blending creativity and conservation.
September & October
On September 7th, we joined Environment Day in Kinsale, spreading awareness about pollinators’ crucial role in the ecosystem.
In October, we engaged students at South Abbey School in Youghal, inspiring the next generation of conservationists.
Join the IBCP and Support Ireland’s Pollinators! 
At the Irish Bee Conservation Project (IBCP), our vital work protecting pollinators and promoting biodiversity depends on your support. Membership helps cover the day-to-day running costs of our charity and allows us to continue making a difference for Ireland’s bees and ecosystems.
Membership Options:
Individual: €25/year
Family: €40/year
Corporate: €500/year
By becoming a member, you’ll be directly contributing to conservation, education, and habitat creation efforts across the island of Ireland.
Join us today and make a lasting impact: https://www.ibcp.ie/donate/
Your support keeps us buzzing!
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Here’s to another impactful year ahead!
Le meas agus beannachtaí,
Patrick Deasy
CEO
The Irish Bee Conservation Project Team
Dear Friends,
Protecting Ireland’s Dark Skies, nature and wildlife is the focus of an inspiring Video Premiere now on our YouTube Channel – see how Irish Philanthropy is making incredible pioneering work happen in the West of Ireland.
We are also delighted to bring you an update on Invest Now For Future Generations event bringing together senior thought-leaders, researchers and advocates to put children, early years and education on the agenda for spending the Apple Tax Billions.
I hope you enjoy these and other updates as Community Foundation Ireland and its partners hit the ground running for 2025!
Don’t forget keep the conversation going on our social media channels, including LinkedIn.
We are delighted to give you the very first look of our latest video capturing truly pioneering projects in the West of Ireland to protect the Dark Sky to benefit our health, wildlife and nature. Check it out and share widely. This is Irish Philanthropy in action!
PREMIERE! Protecting Ireland’s Dark Sky
Investment For Future Generations
Why are children, early years and education absent from the discussion around the use of the Apple Tax Billions? We gather thought-leaders for a special live YouTube event with our partners the Children’s Rights Alliance. Speakers Alan Barrett of the ESRI, Dr Gráinne Collins of NESC, Tanya Ward of the Children’s Rights Alliance, Denise Charlton of Community Foundation Ireland and commentator Fintan O’Toole. Click below to watch event in full.
Here Comes Spring!
Hundreds of communities across Ireland are counting down the days to St Brigid’s Day and the start of Irish Spring. We will have some exciting news to share to coincide with the holiday weekend – keep an eye on our newsroom. (Photo: Ballyphehane Tidy Towns, Cork just one of hundreds of partners supported by Community Foundation Ireland)
Newsroom
2025 is well and truly underway. We have some big updates coming!
We also want to hear about how our partnerships are supporting your work, be sure to let us know about your plans. Info@Foundation.ie
Thank You,
Denise Charlton,
Chief Executive