Tidy Towns to consider convent garden as project

The potential garden area in the Cross & Passion College grounds will be visited by Kilcullen Community Action members this weekend with a view to deciding if it should become the Tidy Towns project for this year, writes Brian Byrne.

A professional plan for the garden has been prepared, and there's agreement in principle between KCA and the school college management to develop it, Monday night's meeting of KCA heard.

The garden park project is a logical follow on from the lowering of the former convent wall some years ago, a joint KCA/CPC project which opened up the vista of the historical building, most of which is now occupied by the KARE organisation.

With no specific funding programme for the garden park project, the discussion on Monday night worked around dividing it into small sections which could be planned over months and even a number of years.

The plan which has been prepared is designed for low maintenance and involves mainly shrubs and trees. Celia Travers suggested that some flowers could be planted as part of the street flowers programme this year.

The issue of voluntary labour was raised, with the comment that Tidy Towns work always seemed to revolve around the same few people. Noel Clare commented that it was the same situation in communities all over the country.

Suggestions of a 'community day' where people would be asked to spend a few hours helping with clearance work and ground preparation were teased out, possibly involving a community picnic at the end of the day.

KCA chair Esther Kiely said a small area might be chosen to work on and finish for this year. "That would then show people what can be done and might encourage them to take part next year," she said.

There was also an idea that individuals might and groups might be asked to sponsor plants and shrubs for the project. Ray De Courcy proposed that a 'wish list' be developed with a local nursery so that people could select what they wanted to sponsor, in a similar manner to a wedding list. Margaret O'Shea wondered if past pupils of CPC might like to get involved in the project, while Niall McDonnell suggested asking KARE if some of their clients might find it therapeutic to be involved.

KCA members agreed to meet on the site on Saturday morning to see what beginnings might be possible on the plan. Subsequent to that, the school management will be approached to discuss the next stage.