ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Ballincollig Tidy Towns’ Annual General Meeting will take place on Monday 17th July at 8pm in The Oriel House Hotel. Only Registered Members may attend and vote.
WATERING
After the hottest June on record, we were kept busy keeping the Planters watered and the reservoirs topped up.
Thursday 1,100 litres were used over 2 1/2 hours. All the Wooden Planters, Window Boxes, Poles, Towers and Parklet were watered. On Sunday morning the Planters at Eastgate were watered. Thirty-one Planters took 900 litres of water and feed.
CLEANING
Denis continued cleaning the signs. He also tackled the traffic reflectors near the top of Station Road.
LITTER PICK
Although several of our Volunteers are on summer holidays there were still 18 Volunteers and 1 Transition Year student out for the weekly litter pick. During the week our Volunteers were busy doing a litter pick every day. Pat collected 4 bags of Litter, 1 bag of Plastic, 1 bag of Cans and 1 bag of Glass.
He also colllected 10 bags of Waste plus 1 bag Grass and 3 bags of Leaves (hedging) from Leo Murphy Terrace.and 1 bag of Green Waste from Beech Road.
SOME OF THE WEEK’S WORK
On Monday Tom and Adrian removed weeds. He also removed an old weed barrier and fitted a new one at the front of a derelict house in Coolroe.
Sunday removed all the weeds between the wall and footpath and along the bicycle lane opposite Colaiste Choilm.
Adrian and Tommy were out early Tuesday morning cleaning the kerbs outside the Allotment.
When they were finished, they joined Sunday and cleared the weeds from the kerbs and footpath from the Muskerry Estate area at the rear of Circle K.
A total of 11 bags of weeds were collected plus a one-ton bag of bindweed cuttings.
On Wednesday Sunday spent the morning removing the suckers from the trees in Innishmore and Community Drive.
The lads rearranged some of the planting in and around the large Transition Stone bed in Fr. Sexton Park. Rather than putting summer bedding plants around the three standard roses, Adrian put down grass seed in these beds using some of our compost. The rain played its part to help it along. Additional herbaceous pollinator friendly plants were planted around the stone.
Our newest project is on Flynn’s Road. The Biodiversity Officer from Cork City Council has been kind enough to give us some wonderful advice. There are big plans for this area and more details will be revealed more in the coming weeks.
As part of the preparations we were advised to remove the bindweed which is covering the old limestone wall.
Ger and the lads tackled it on Thursday morning and they removed 4 one-ton bags of bindweed.
TUESDAY WORKNIGHT
On Tuesday evening a crew of 16 were out working on projects. This excluded the Waterboys who were busy watering the flowers. We concentrated on cleaning around the Main Car Park, Ballincollig Tidy Towns welcomed Ger, a new Volunteer, to the team.
Denis repaired some of the loose cappings on the raised flower bed at the rear of An Caislean on the Kilumney Road. He also tidied up some of the flowers.
RECYCLING
As part of our ongoing recycling efforts Ger took a large amount of cardboard to the Kinsale Road Recycling Centre. He also filled the trailer with all the metal collected during our litter picks and clean ups over the last few months. This he took to Pouladuff Dismantlers.
BOOK LAUNCH
Paddy O’Brien, Champion of the Elderly, will launch the Poetry Books of Richard Goodison in Cork City Library, Grand Parade at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 19th July.
The Books are: – ‘The Goldfinches’ and Other Poems, An Anthology The Sighting, Writings and Poems, A Gathering ‘A Bouquet, Some Sports’ A Third Collection
All are welcome for the launch which will include readings from the anthologies.
LIBRARIES BLOG
Did you know that Cork City Libraries has a Blog?
The Blog, written by the staff members delves into a wide range of topics from book reviews to local history to sustainability projects.
The latest sustainability blog looks at the basics of gardening and what resources are available from your local library.
Check out the blog at – https://corkcitylibraries.tumblr.com/
MY OPEN LIBRARY
My Open Library at Douglas Library is a fabulous service that allows registered patrons visit anytime between 8.00 am and 10.00 pm 7 days a week.
As a member you can become a My Open Library patron and enjoy the library during staffless hours.
Pop in or call on 021 492 4932 and a library staff will be delighted to talk you through the registration process.
WHAT A FIND
Irish botanists were excited this week with the discovery of a rare irish orchid in the lawn at Trinity College, Dublin after the university stopped mowing the lawn. This broad-leaved helleborine appeared in the Front Square alongside a second orchid species the pyramidal orchid.
TCD’s Professor Jenny McElwain, from the School of Natural Sciences, found the plant which has grown to about two feet.
She told RTE: “It’s absolutely remarkable.”
Speaking about the rare helleborine, she added: “Botanists are known to get excited about plants, but we really did get excited about this one.
“It’s really unusual to find this orchid anywhere. It’s rare. It’s extra unusual to find it in the middle of Trinity, right in Front Square, in the middle of the city.”
Ireland is home to around 30 species of wild orchids, found in fields, bogs, woods and mountains. The helleborine now gracing Trinity’s lawn, has small purple flowers and is more usually found in woodlands.
Prof McElwain says she believes the orchids now growing at Trinity are the result of ‘No Mow May’ – which the university decided to extend throughout the summer.
The international campaign calls on people not to mow their lawns to let wildflowers grow for pollinating insects.
She added: “We wanted to implement a positive measure for biodiversity. So, we just simply stopped mowing this lawn in May. And that was difficult to do, because a lot of people really like finely cut lawns.
“But we stopped mowing, and this wonderful orchid began to emerge. And there’s not just one – there are three orchids, including another species. So, we actually have an orchid-rich meadow. That’s a botanist’s dream and our only intervention has been to stop mowing the lawns.”
But how did the orchids get there?
Prof McElwain says it could have blown in, been carried by a bird or may have been underground for decades just waiting for the right conditions to thrive.
“The right conditions in this case happened to be not mowing the lawns,” she said. (Shauna Corr, Irish Mirror)
CORK COUNTY JULY FESTIVALS
St. Barrahane’s Church Festival of Music, Castletownshend: 20th July – 18th August
Mallow Arts Festival, Mallow: 26th July – 30th July
Skibbereen Arts Festival, Skibbereen: 26th July – 5th August
Be sure to check out the websites for further details and future additions to see all the fantastic arts festivals occurring in Cork in 2023.
CORK PAST HERITAGE EXHIBITION 2023
The 2023 Celebrating Cork Past Heritage Exhibition Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday 30th September 2023 in the Millennium Hall, City Hall, Cork City.
This year, as many groups as possible are being encouraged to exhibit on the day; groups that have been there for many years, and groups that would like to participate for the first time. The day is a most memorable occasion for heritage groups throughout the city and county to meet one another and highlight to one and all, what they are about, what pride they take in their local place and all the heritage it encompasses.
At this juncture, expressions of interest from each group are being sought, to determine if they would like to be part of the action in 2023 – thanks to the groups who have already been in touch.
The exhibition will run from 11am to 7pm with set-up time between 9am and 11am and also on Friday 29th September from 2pm to 5pm. Groups should also have the opportunity to collect their boards/exhibits on the Sunday. More details on this shortly.
This year, each group will be asked, if they are keen to partake, to give all present an overview of their activities and initiatives (c. 5-minute slots) and where groups have undertaken video productions of heritage in their locality, a number of these will also be shown on the day.
To indicate your interest in participating on the day, please email richardtcooke@yahoo.com / Conor Nelligan at corkheritage@corkcoco.ie and we’ll get back in touch with additional information. Please confirm by Friday 21st July.
WEST CORK LITERARY FESTIVAL
Celebrating 25 years. Bantry Library will be hosting the festival launch on Friday July 7th, with an additional two events every day for the week. Authors visiting Bantry Library will include William Wall, Billy O’Callaghan, and Sarah Byrne. A number of writing workshops will also take place as part of the festival.
Other venues include: the Maritime Hotel, Marino Church, Bantry House and Whiddy Island. The festival headliners this year are John Banville, India Knight, Donal Ryan, and Graham Norton.
For more information and to book an event click here: West Cork Literary Festival – Events Bantry Library | Cork County (corkcoco.ie)
SWIFT BOXES
There was great activity in Scoil Mhuire Ballincollig’s school yard as 6 Swift Nest Boxes and 1 call system were installed. Congratulations to the school. They now have their own Swift Nest Box Project, and hopefully the Swifts will find these soon. As the boxes were being installed three Swifts actually flew overhead.
Swifts are very special birds. They are officially Red Listed (they are considered an endangered species). In the past fifteen years the Swift population has plunged by 40%.
To find out more click on the link https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/swift/
A huge thank you to Noel Linehan, Swift Conservation Volunteer, Cork Branch, Birdwatch Ireland. Noel’s knowledge, passion and expertise is second to none.
Thank you to Eithne Lynch, a local Ballincollig resident. Eithne is very passionate about nature and the environment, and reached out to a number of schools and institutions/organisations in Ballincollig. She was successful in finding suitable and willing project locations for Swifts. Thank you to Cork City Council for funding all aspects of the project. Thank you to Sean Dorgan and Dennis for doing an excellent installation job.
Scoil Mhuire’s is the first of these installations. Other locations have been identified and will take place over the coming weeks /months. These will add to the Swift Boxes that Ballincollig Tidy Towns has already installed. Check out Birdwatch Ireland.
FREE– LEAN BEST PRACTICE WORKSHOP
(online delivery)
Tuesday, 11th July – 09:30 to 13:00
Are you an owner/manager of a small business (less than 10 employees) looking for ways to do things Better, Smarter, Cheaper and in doing so increase competitiveness, improve delivery times, improve productivity, understand and reduce waste, improve data and admin processes, layout improvement, process and efficiency improvement, reduce congestion and streamline processes.
If you would like to find out more, book your place at this upcoming workshop which will be delivered by Allyson English and Stuart Nelson of Jigsaw Better Business on behalf of LEOs Cork and Kerry –
LEAN Best Practice – workshop – 11/07/23 – Local Enterprise Office – CorkCity
Also, if interested in participating the full LEAN for Micro Programme (5 X half days one-to-one mentoring) click on the following link for further information and the online application –
Lean – Local Enterprise Office
The Lean for Micro Programme is suitable for businesses across all sectors.
LOCAL ENTERPRISE SHOWCASE 2024
From 21st to 23rd January @ RDS. Closing date for Application for Cork LEOs has been extended to Tuesday, 11th July @ 16:00
Link to the online application: https://submit.link/1Qx
EMBRACING BUSINESS GROWTH FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS
A learning and networking event for female owners/mangers of small businesses across Cork City and County
Tuesday, 25th July – 10:30 to 12:30, with refreshments and networking from 10:00 @ Blue Angel Hospitality Suite, Cork Opera House
https://www.localenterprise.ie/CorkCity/Training-Events/Online-Bookings/Embracing-Business-Growth-for-Women-in-Business.html
SAVE THE DATE
National Women’s Enterprise Day 2023 – Thursday 19th October
Further details of the South West Regional Event will be announced in due course.
FUZZY CREATURES
The other day while working on the Poulavone Roundabout we saw several caterpillars munching on ragwort, a daisy-like yellow plant more commonly found in paddocks and pastures. These fuzzy creatures love to feed on ragwort covering it and totally stripping the leaves. These little creatures eventually develop into the distinctive Cinnabar Moth.
2023 WINDOW STICKER CAMPAIGN
The first of our Ballincollig Tidy Towns Window Stickers have been posted to our sponsors this week as part of the 2023 Window Sticker Campaign. A full list of sponsors is available on our website.
SHARING THE LEARNING WEBINAR
Wild Work Co-operation Project on Wed, 19 Jul 2023 19:00 – 20:00 BST. Online. Duration 1 hour. Mobile eTicket
Why not join the “Sharing the Learning” webinar hosted by the Wild Work Team.
Dive into knowledge sharing across four key thematic areas – Seed Saving, Biodiversity Corridors, Nature Wellness, and Citizen Science – learnt from the Wild Work Co-operation Project spanning West Cork, South Cork, Limerick, and Cavan.
Hear from diverse speakers, engage with Veri Connect on their experience of delivering the training programme, and learn from Emagine’s journey of creating immersive VR and video content. This interactive session aims to deepen our understanding of the project’s implications for local biodiversity.
Keep an eye on Wild Work page for further information and a webinar link.
SEISIUN
Summer Seisiún in Bruach na Carraige Heritage Centre Rockchapel
Every Tuesday night for July and August. All performers welcome.
THE MURDER OF WOLFE TONE
Historical Entertainer Paddy Cullivan brings the incredible story of the mysterious death of Theobald Wolfe Tone, the founding father of Irish Republicanism to life. An audio-visual spectacular featuring hundreds of images, shocking new research and incredible songs, Paddy dares to unravel the secrets and lies around what happened that fateful week in the Provost’s Prison in November 1798.
Tickets available at Bandon Books Plus GREY HERON West Cork O’Farrell’s https://bandon-wolfetone.eventbrite.ie (online booking fees apply)
AFTERNOON TEA DANCE
Gurranabraher/Churchfield Community Afternoon Tea Dance will take place on Sunday 23th April 2023 in Gurranabraher Churchfield Youth & Community Resource Centre (The Hut) at 3pm to 6pm All Welcome!! Refreshments provided. Admission free.
This event is organised by local volunteers and part funded by Cork City Partnership.
GARDENS AND GALLERIES
This year on Sat 22 and Sun 23rd July their sixth Gardens and Galleries will again light up Innishannon. Twelve gardeners will open their gates and six art studios hang their pictures for your pleasure. It will all begin at 10am at the Parish Hall where for ten euro you can collect your ticket and map for all the venues and then either board one of the free buses generously provided by ack McNulty of Local Link and be chauffeured around or do the driving yourself. If your choice is to drive yourself there will be a local person at the Parish Hall to assist and advise with directions. On the bus you can relax and chat with other garden and art lovers while being driven by the affable Billy or Willie whose aim is to help you enjoy this experience.
The variety of gardens on view this year are wide and varied from the extensive Cor Castle garden to small village street gardens. The Mary French gallery and garden combination give double viewing. If at first you just want to have a potter around the village begin at the Parish Hall which will have a selection of crafts and paintings by Mary Nolan O Brien and fellow artists. Along the street The Found Out and Rohu’s Country Market will have exhibitions and in the later Jimmy McCarty will entertain with his large selection of records played on his old gramophone. At the back of Barrett’s pub will be a Jerry Larkin art exhibition, a woodcraft display a plant sale, musical recitals and on Sunday a performance by the Bandon Brass and Reid Band. Over the week end the forecourt of Southern Motors car sales will host a mini vintage show.
On Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 2pm beginning from the Old Graveyard there will be a history walk of the village and also a Wood Walk in Dromkeen at 2pm on both days. So the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd July Innishannon Gardens and Galleries is the place to be.