Castleconnell secure a place in Going for Gold final yet again

CASTLECONNELL Tidy Towns has been named a finalist in this year’s Going for Gold competition in Limerick.

The team will now be making their way to the final of the competition being held in October this year. Caherconlish, Caherdavin, Doon, Elton and Feenagh are still in with a chance of obtaining a place in the coveted final as the judges will be selecting wildcard finalists in the coming weeks.

Castleconnell Tidy Towns Chair John Hardiman said the group was “delighted” to qualify for the final. He said they're excited ahead of the final. “There's a good buzz about it so we're looking forward to it... We'll be going in grateful for whatever we win and just looking forward to the overall event.”

Mr Hardiman added: “We've been fortunate, we've been at all the grand finals, which I think probably makes us unique.”

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Castleconnell Tidy Town's most significant project this year focused on improving the habitat of the Hermitage Stream located on the south west approach to the village. This involved engagement with local farmers to allow them to install gravel into the stream at very specific locations.

This effort was led by Pat O’Connor of the Castleconnell River Association. By placing gravel strategically, it encourages salmon and trout to spawn in these locations. Mr Hardiman explained: “We also introduced a pasture pump to encourage the cattle to access drinking water without walking into the stream.”

Regarding the Going for Gold competition, the local Tidy Towns group prioritised Streetscape and Public Places, Green Spaces and Landscaping, Nature and Biodiversity, Sustainability and all-important Tidiness and Litter Control.

If they won the annual competition, they would use the winnings towards creating a mural as part of a Siolta Glasa project they are undertaking in conjunction with Creative Ireland to spread the message that decarbonisation is vital for all our futures.

Limerick Going for Gold encourages communities to be environmentally aware and keep their neighbourhoods tidy. A top prize of €10,000 and other monetary prizes are up for grabs this year.