Mayor of Limerick flags award for village's picture perfect town park

ADARE is already synonymous with golf flags but now a Green Flag has been proudly raised in Adare Town Park as a symbol of excellence in the management of public parks and green spaces. 

This prestigious award is part of the Green Flag for Parks Award Scheme, an international standard recognising best practices in sustainable park management.

An Taisce Environmental Education awarded Green Flags to 120 parks, gardens, greenways, and wildlife sanctuaries across Ireland. They included Adare Town Park and two more parks managed by Limerick City and County Council -  People’s Park and Lough Gur Lakeshore Park and Visitor Centre which both retained their Green Flags. Lough Gur also achieved the 2024 Green Heritage Site Accreditation.

Additionally, Abbeyfeale Biodiversity Park was awarded a 2024 Green Flag Community Award, recognising its community-led efforts.

At a celebration in Adare, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran praised the efforts of all involved, saying, “We are incredibly proud to see Adare Town Park raise its first Green Flag”. 

“I am also pleased to see the recognition for amenities at Lough Gur and People’s Park, as well as the community driven project in Abbeyfeale. 

“These awards reflect the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in maintaining and enhancing these park’s natural beauty and facilities. Each is an example of what can be achieved through community involvement and sustainable practices,” said Mayor Moran.

The Green Flag for Parks Award Scheme evaluates parks based on eight criteria: a welcoming place, healthy, safe and secure, well maintained and clean, environmental management, biodiversity, landscape and heritage, community involvement, marketing and communication and management

In Ireland, the scheme has significantly raised the profile of public parks and gardens, highlighting their potential to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Carmel Lynch, head of parks at Limerick City and County Council, commented on the significance of the award: 

"It is wonderful to be able to celebrate all of Limerick’s parks that have been awarded Green Flags for 2024. I am particularly pleased for Adare Town Park, receiving its first ever Green Flag. It is a great honour and reflects the collective efforts of the council’s parks team, Adare Tidy Towns, members of the Municipal District of Adare-Rathkeale, volunteers, and the local community. Their commitment to maintaining and improving the park is truly commendable,” said Ms Lynch.

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Located across from Adare Heritage Centre on the village's Main Street, Adare Town Park, once part of the Dunraven estate, was gifted to Limerick County Council in 1979 by Thady, 7th Earl of Dunraven, and his mother, Nancy, Countess of Dunraven. The park’s transformation into a community hub is a tribute to the Dunraven family’s vision for a park for all to enjoy.

Community involvement has been pivotal in the park’s development. The Adare Tidy Towns Committee, the Ladies 2020 Club, and the Adare Men’s Shed group have all played vital roles. Initiatives such as litter picking, planting fruit bushes, and creating habitats like the Hedgehog Hotel and the Stumpery have enhanced the park’s biodiversity and appeal.

In collaboration with Analog Devices and the Irish Bee Conservation Group, various hives have been installed, following guidelines set out in the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. The park also features a natural play area, a climbing archway for roses, and a thatched gazebo, making it a vibrant and welcoming space for all.