TidyTowns Results 2012 - Department of Environment and Local ...

irELANd’S TidiEST TOwN
part of a community. You could contact Green Home,
www.greenhome.ie, and investigate if Abbeyshrule
Tidy Villages could participate as a community. Your
reuse of old teapots as bird nesting pots is innovative
but we wonder if you have witnessed any birds taking
up residence in the pots? We noted your poster
competition ‘Waste not Want not’ in your village
notice board and also liked that you ran an event in
conjunction with the Abbeyshrule Craft Fair and the
St. Sinneach’s National School Parents Association
where waste materials were reused as craft and play
resources. This adjudicator particularly likes how you
are creating fun opportunities to get the local children
involved in your work programmes and interact with
their local environment whilst developing positive
attitudes and approaches to waste management, in
particular reduction, reuse and recycling.
residential Areas:
Housing quality is excellent in Abbeyshrule. All
individual houses are presented extremely well.
Corncrake Meadow was admired but we noted the
partly unfinished section which is boarded up and that
part of the roadway needs completing. Landscaping
work was ongoing at Barley Gardens on our visit. There
are some extremely well maintained individual gardens
but one really stood out to this adjudicator and we
note from your appendices that this is George’s
garden!
roads, Streets and Back Areas:
The approach from Colehill is delightful; the
undergrounding of the cables certainly enhances the
view towards the village from this direction. A man
was varnishing the fence on the approach here to
create a fresh impact on arrival, well done. The new
footpath from the bridge to the Bog Road was under
construction on adjudication day. The adjudicator
enquired with one of the workmen as to when the
footpath would be completed and was informed it
would be in a few days time. The adjudicator thought
that it was a pity that these upgrade works were not
completed in time for our adjudication visit as this
may have bolstered your marks in this category. The
approach from the airfield is faultless.
General impression:
This adjudicator had heard a great deal of talk over
the years about the village of Abbeyshrule and was
looking forward to the adjudication visit with much
anticipation. Located between the Royal Canal and the
River Inny, we are pleased to report that Abbeyshrule
did not disappoint. On the day we visited, the sun
was out, flowers were blooming, and the village was
gleaming. Abbeyshrule Tidy Villages - you have raised
the bar this year. Grass was being cut at Our Lady of
Lourdes Church, the fencing on the approach from
Colehill was being painted, a man was collecting leaves
at the canal harbour, a householder was painting their
boundary wall, landscaping works were underway at
Barley Garden and as already mentioned the village
pump was receiving a make-over – there was certainly
a buzz in the air and a real sense of community spirit
and pride of place. Congratulations and well done to
all involved this year.
Second round Adjudication:
Driving along a pleasant country road I came to a
point where the grass verge was neatly cut and, as I
was not here before, I guessed I was in Abbeyshrule.
This was confirmed after a short distance on reaching
the bi-lingual sign for the village that was adorned
with attractive flowers A small notice attached to the
sign had a message “text alert area”. Next I saw the
well-kept graveyard enclosed with a great traditional
stone wall with a view of the ruins of the Cistercian
Abbey. A good road safety measure at the corner is in
place where the wall of the graveyard is replaced with
a splendid railing giving a good view of the road. The
new footpath looked well and is a welcome feature on
this busy road. Already I found there was a distinctive
flavour to the location.
There is limited commercial development in this
compact village where the Rustic Inn stands out, at the
back of which there is a splendid mural that makes
this part of the canal a most picturesque location. I
admired another well kept Bar that was freshly painted.
The bridges display really fine traditional building and
engineering qualities and it is a testament to those
great people that worked in the creation of these
structures that are as strong and sturdy today. It is
delightful to see these bridges so well maintained and
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