Suir Local- Ardfinnan.Pdf

comments and observations historic heritage river landscape river management and water quality angling biodiversity sport, leisure and tourism Suir Local: Ardfinnan historic heritage The Castle in Ardfinnan sits above the town and is privately owned. This was the suppsoed site of the Knight’s Templar. Ardfinnan means the height of St Finnan which is based on the height of the rock and landscape. Saint Finnan settled at this high point above the River. Lepers, being treated by Saint Finnan, were concealed beneath the bridge when the gentry passed. The bridge has significant historic meaning and local importance. It has 15 arches and is considered to be under threat from dilapidation. The bridge is one of the main Fording places on the Suir and is said to date back to the 6th Century. There was a horse changing station near the bridge. There was a wool mill between the castle and the river that made Ardfinnan tweed and is considered to be one of only 3 in Ireland. A place in town was identified where it is said Cromwell fired a canon. There is a rumour that buried treasure lies at the site of 3 Spanish boats sunk during the Spanish Armada. Every Sunday gentlemen traditionally walked from Ardfinnan to Cahir and ladies picnicked on the rock to watch them in their Sunday best. The Moontrapeen is a historic couples walk. There are a series of stone-age mounds, including Fairy Fort and Sand Pit. The community recounted a traditional saying that bandits stole a calf. The cow was so distressed it carved a path to track her calf. Rian bo pádraig. Suir Local: Ardfinnan river landscape The identity of the people at the meeting is strongly connected with the River and there is a strong understanding of the River’s geography. The flood plains are clear and legible and include the central green- the common land for the village where grazing is permitted. The green is said to be well used. The community is aware of flooding and as such there has been no building on the floodplain. There are a series of meanders that cross the floodplain. The primary school was built on a former bog. There is an island within the river, which seems little known about outside the village. An area of river, originally good for trout fishing, is now clogged with silt and there are boggy areas along the river which make access to the edge impossible. Suir Local: Ardfinnan river management and water quality The quality of the water has a great impact on peoples relationship with the river; whether you can swim in it and parents are said to be nervous now about their children swimming in the River. There is concern about the quality of the river water particularly since the lifeguards were removed. There is a concern that the sluice-gates create a foam that is unsightly from key views. Suir Local: Ardfinnan angling There are approximately 150 members of the Ardfinnan fishing club which controls the rights to some of the key fishing areas. The bank used to be populated by anglers however their number have reduced. Fishing is carried out on the weir. Ardfinnan has the only open access fishing area on the River Suir where the general public can fish. The colour of the water indicates to the anglers when they should go fishing. Sections of the river have been renamed over the years according to the angling points: salmon hug the banks at The Pipes. Suir Local: Ardfinnan biodiversity The local school is now surrounded by native trees that were planted as part a Millennium project. There is a desire to increase the biodiversity on the Green. Geese graze along the Green and are synonymous with Ardfinnan. There is a green walk surrounding the school. Suir Local: Ardfinnan sport, leisure and tourism The Green is said to be well used and is the common land in the village where grazing is permitted. Ladies football takes place on the Green. The draining of the bog at the school site has enabled a walk for locals and forms a circle within the village. The river has always been a place for swimming. Traditionally swimming lessons and lifesaving classes were undertaken in the river. The new EU Directives mean that no river in Ireland is now suitable for swimming. In the past up to 50 children would have swam in the river. Scout camping takes place on the Green. There are routes within the river known for kayaking and canoeing. Suir Local: Ardfinnan ideas, suggestions and possibilities for Ardfinnan Suir Local: Ardfinnan • The personal stories and relationships should be explored further as there is a feeling the area is mapped extensively but the personal aspect is neglected. • There could be a make your own craft workshop to maintain traditions and rekindle the sense of past. • People would like to see the reintroduction of ‘dancing at the crossroads’ ,‘dancing cois Súire’, at the Green. • St Declan’s Way from Cashel to Ardmore needs restoration and research to clarify its exact route. • The stone return, a recent intervention which diverts the course of the river, needs to be reviewed and the water course returned to original path, to create a safe swimming area for the future and prevent erosion of the bank. • The small island in the River by the Green could be tidied up and replanted. • There could be an extension to the existing hydro-electric facilities. • The mill site could be used to extend the existing hydro-electric facilities. • There could be introduction of canoeing and kayaking from Ardfinnan to Cahir. • Walks, from Ardfinnan, could be introduced to make the village more competitive in the Tidy Towns competition. • There is a desire to be more eco-friendly, and address derelict buildings and unfinished housing estates. • There is a desire to make use of existing knowledge within the town- to use the understanding of water harvesting, seed saving and composting. • There could be a project “Suir People” that, through art, links the communities on the Suir. • The mill has good buildings and could be used as a local heritage centre. • The operation and management of the sluice gates needs to be reviewed as it is considered they are having a detrimental impact on the visual amenity as they may be the cause of foaming water. • Effort should be made in preserving the river and its bank to keep the river alive. • There could be pedestrian bridge across the river as currently it is for cars only. • The gun club would like to see more biodiversity projects along the green spaces and the river, with Coillte, which would be positive for tourism and the environment. Suir Local: Ardfinnan Please note: The preceding information is taken directly from the workshops and may include some inconsistencies or factual errors. The ideas, suggestions and possibilities are quoted directly from the comments made by Participants in the Lay of the Land workshops. They should not read as the opinion of South Tipperary County Council or of the Interface Studio. Ideas are listed systematically and are not listed in order of importance, nor do they represent any technical or financial review. It is hoped that the information and ideas are useful in taking forward discussions of the many opportunties of the River Suir and its tributaries. The Lay of the Land was made possible by the support and funding from South Tipperary County Council as part of the EU INTERREG IVC Waterways Forward Project funded under the European Regional Development Fund and by the time and generosity of local people. The Suir River Café was part funded by the Heritage Council under the County Heritage Plan programme. We would also like to thank the Tidy Towns group for organising the community hall and refreshments. with many thanks, Labhaoise McKenna (for South Tipperary County Council) and Lucy Tauber and Pat Brown (for the Landscape Interface Studio) July 2011 Suir Local: Ardfinnan.

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