Tidy towns visit to Aughrim

A visit by Kilcullen Tidy Towns representatives to the national winner for 2007, Aughrim, was described as 'flabbergasting' at the recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action. The Co Wicklow town beat three other finalists for the grand prize of €415,000 and also won the prize for tidiest small town in Ireland. It was regional winner for the Midlands and East category.

The visit was organised by Kildare County Council as a way of offering insights to local competitors on improving their own 'game'.

Noel Clare outlined to the meeting how Aughrim had a 'key' element in an 8-acre park with a lake.

"It was just waste ground owned by a local farmer, who used to allow travellers to graze on it," he said they had been told.

The meeting heard that about 20 years ago, after hearing a rumour that the farmer was going to sell it to the travellers, the community bought it.

The property has since been developed as a park with a bowling green, and the lake was stocked with fish. It became the first dedicated fishing facility for the disabled in Ireland.

"The fishing takes in 85,000 euros a year, and there's a shop there which has a turnover of 25,000 euros a year, all operated voluntarily.""

The meeting heard that the Aughrim Tidy Towns organisation was servicing a 300,000 euros debt as part of their development. J J Warren noted that the Kilcullen group had handled similar amounts of money over recent years.

Noel Clare said that the group in Aughrim 'didn't listen to the knockers'. "When a problem comes up, they just get it done."

The meeting also heard that Aughrim works very closely with Wicklow County Council. To the point that apparently any planning application in the town is 'run by' the Tidy Towns group before any decision is made. Successful applications also carry conditions that require them to consult with the Tidy Towns group.

That prompted a question from Esther Kiely if such a situation was 'healthy'? "Could they become little dictators?" she wondered.

"They have a momentum going, and when the Council saw that they were building up their points, they got in behind them to help," J J Warren said. "They're turning over a very professional gig down there."

The Kilcullen representatives also heard that all the street cleaning in the town is done by the Tidy Towns organisation.

"I got the impression that litter isn't a problem for them, it is just picked up all the time," J J Warren said.

Noel Clare concurred, saying it was his impression that 'four or five people at the top' looked after it themselves.

Brian Byrne.