Tidy Towns Competition 2016

Adjudication Report

Centre: Bawnboy Ref: 50

County: Cavan Mark: 241

Category: A Date(s): 27/06/2016

Maximum Mark Mark Mark Awarded 2015 Awarded 2016

Community Involvement & Planning 60 31 32 Built Environment and Streetscape 50 30 31 Landscaping and Open Spaces 50 31 32 Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities 50 18 18 Sustainable Waste and Resource Management 50 11 12 Tidiness and Litter Control 90 55 55 Residential Streets & Housing Areas 50 30 30 Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes 50 30 31 TOTAL MARK 450 236 241

Community Involvement & Planning / Rannpháirtíocht an Phobail & Pleanáil: Fáilte An Babhún Bui! Welcome Bawnboy to the Super Valu 2016 National Tidy Towns Competition. You have six committee members which is a good representation in a small village. You list a large number of agencies, bodies and businesses that have supported your activities. These involve community groups in the village as well as more general agencies. It is a tribute to your hard work that so many agencies and bodies are prepared to help. You hold committee meetings approximately 6 times per year. Other committees meet monthly.

It is good that you have new residents involved in your work. You communicate through traditional and modern methods. Using both types of communication methods will appeal to different age groups within the community. We are delighted that you liaise with the local school. Events like the tree planting with your schoolchildren and local councillor of the Tidy Towns committee are good for the environment and also for your PR. Well done to the children on assisting you with litter tidying. We are sure that the Men's Shed will add greatly to help with your work projects.

You have been entering now for 11 years, and we are delighted to hear that in so doing, various groups have come together within the community creating a pride in your surroundings. You say that you have become more aware of environmental issues and of the wildlife of the area. You do indeed live in a beautiful part of County Cavan which has so much to offer. You celebrate your community during the August Bank holiday festival. We hope that you will get good weather for the event!

Last year's adjudicator said ‘a work plan on any projects being undertaken by the committee over all the categories would also be helpful to the adjudicator and the committee.’ At the end of your entry form you make three statements in relation to future work - which is - you say - your multiannual plan. This is rather limited, and whereas we do not require a very detailed plan we would recommend something somewhat more comprehensive. You give us no idea as regards a timeframe for two of the projects. For the workhouse project you mention the EU Interreg 2016 to 2020. Programme. You do not propose projects under most of the categories in the competition. We would suggest that you layout your plan on the basis of the competition categories. A three or five-year plan will focus your mind on the important issues facing you, and it will help you to prioritise your work. A plan need not be prepared professionally, but you should consult widely locally in preparing such a plan. You should tell us as to how you went about this consultation. You should also consider any statutory and non-statutory plans applicable to your village in drawing up your work programme. It is difficult to advance in this category in the absence of such a plan. Please do refer to the Tidy Towns Handbook for advice in relation to the preparation of a three or five-year plan.

Your map was diagrammatic and not very comprehensive. The entry form guidelines asks that you number each new or continuing project throughout the entry form under each category heading (as per section 3 in the entry form guidelines) and that you use the same numbers on a key to the village map (where the projects are ones which can be mapped). We recommend that you carefully study the guidelines to completing your entry form annually. Do not leave it to one person to do and do not leave it until the last minute. Sometimes groups get so involved in working on the ground that they rush putting the entry form together. It is very helpful to an adjudicator to have a good clear map showing all the new and continuing projects. guidelines) and that you use the same numbers on a key to the village map (where the projects are ones which can be mapped). We recommend that you carefully study the guidelines to completing your entry form annually. Do not leave it to one person to do and do not leave it until the last minute. Sometimes groups get so involved in working on the ground that they rush putting the entry form together. It is very helpful to an adjudicator to have a good clear map showing all the new and continuing projects.

Built Environment and Streetscape / An Timpeallacht Thógtha agus Sráid-dreacha: We were most impressed with your lovely brochure. You do not say though when it was first produced. As you do not mention it in your list of projects for this year we assume that it was produced earlier. There is no date on the publication either. It addresses much of the rich built heritage in your area. We also found your Bawnboy information board on the Ballyconnell approach road to be interesting. The Templeport information board was also very good.

You tell us that the area in front of the Barn Church at Kildoagh was tidied up and fenced off. On arriving at this site (which is a considerable distance outside the village proper) we were disappointed with the general appearance of the surrounds. The timber fence looked well, but the weedy site looked untidy, and the interesting information board was set so far back on the site as to be illegible from the road. We walked over to the board and found it to have fascinating information and photographs.

There are some disused properties in the village, but they still are an integral part of the original vernacular streetscape. You have made an effort to camouflage some of the rundown nature of their frontages - with for instance the An Siopa painted property. Well done to those responsible. We hope that the newsagent’s shop which is for sale will soon find a new owner, as it is beginning to look run-down. An empty advertising sign over Smith's should be removed. The red canopy of the service station is badly in need of repainting. Across the road we liked the old historic and interesting sign for the Post Office - this is worth conserving - and it is getting rusty. Your street is a pleasant traditional street but perhaps there are too many ‘ornaments’ arranged around the footpath areas. Keepers Arms looked well, but the galvanised gate beside was not as well presented.

The workhouse project is huge and we would recommend that you engage full architectural conservation advice at all stages - as well as perhaps meeting groups in other parts of the country who have tackled such a workhouse project successfully. You have carried out work to the Laundry building in the workhouse. Work has been done on the reroofing /cleaning up of this section of the historic building. Securing a roof is always important.

Although you mention the new traffic island here - we discuss it under the Roads et.c category below. We admired the Irish name at the school. The building was well presented as were the grounds. We thought that the large banner on the school fence detracted somewhat from the attractiveness of the grounds - as viewed from the roadside. We admired a nice clean grey shed with a good roof which is sited (beyond the school) at an angle to the road on the right-hand side approaching from Blacklion.

The playground was very well presented as was the GAA grounds at Temple port with its lovely backdrop of mountains and windmills.

Landscaping and Open Spaces / Tírdhreachú agus Spásanna Oscailte: We note that you planted native trees in the school grounds and at various places throughout the village. It is useful if you can indicate such plantings to the adjudicator on your map in future. Otherwise the adjudicator may miss some of the new plantings. There are lovely semi-mature trees on the approach to the street from the school as one travels from the Blacklion direction. The 191/2016 cherry trees project for the workhouse grounds commemorate this centenary.

We visited the landscaped lakeside area at Brackley Lake just north-west of the village. The amenity is a very pleasant place to spend time, and we admired the cleanliness of the picnic area with its lovely backdrop of trees on the far side of the road. We were intrigued by the picture of the Dromod sulphur spa The Cavan County Council watercraft bye-law signage is very dirty and needs cleaning. The lake is a very peaceful spot and on our visit there were some anglers - as well as a long-distance swimmer ‘ploughing’ through the water in the far distance near the crannóg. We very much liked the timber fencing which incorporated seating on the lakeside. There are beautiful views across the rural landscape between this lakeside area and the village proper. Meadowsweet was growing in profusion in the ditches. There were also some lovely specimen trees to be seen in the fields adjacent to the roadway. We liked the seating in the recessed area of the footpath - on the road to the workhouse from the village.

Although Templeport Lake and Church are well outside the village proper we visited this area and were not disappointed with the Constable-like quality of the landscape /views.

Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities / Fiadhúlra, Gnáthóga agus Taitneamhachtaí Nádúrtha: It is good to see that you are aware that your village is located within the SAC of Lough Oughter and associated loughs. You must be very proud to know that the site is the best example inland of a flooded drumlin landscape in the country. You have access to excellent information from the NPWS in relation to the habitats involved. It would be very important that you convey this to the local and visitor alike. We are delighted that you hope to get experts from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to talk to you in the autumn. Again this is something for your plan. Remember that the entry form only asks for projects completed this year or on-going projects (phased) – not future projects.

You say in your multiannual plan summary – you will interact more with Birdwatch Ireland and the NPWS. But you give us no indication as to whether you have

or how you have interacted with them to date.

You might also engage with the County Heritage Officer - and with the County Biodiversity Officer - if your County engages such an officer also - in exploring ways in which to further your knowledge and interpretation in this category The Tidy Towns Handbook is also there as a relevant helpful publication. The Heritage Council’s ‘Wildlife in Towns and Villages’ booklet is another useful resource.

We note that the adjudicators over the last two years asked for further information on the hen harrier. Perhaps it would be a good thing to start with the schoolchildren in conducting a simple survey of a small area. Maybe the NPWS staff or the local ranger might be interested in helping with such a project.

A little evidence of chemical weeding was noted. We would encourage you to desist from weed management of a chemical nature. Manual weeding is preferable from an environmental point of view. Apart from being environmentally friendly it also looks better than burnt vegetation. You should investigate chemically free methods which are now available. Your local County Heritage Officer would be a help to advise you in this regard.

You say in your multiannual plan summary – you will interact more with Birdwatch Ireland and the NPWS. But you give us no indication as to whether you have

or how you have interacted with them to date.

Sustainable Waste and Resource Management / Bainistiú Acmhainní agus Dramhaíola Inbhuanaithe: We note your project to utilise the wild grass at the workhouse site.

Last year’s adjudicator suggested that you might investigate the ‘stop food waste’ project. Have you progressed on this idea? There are many projects which you could consider in relation to the prevention of waste, and we are sure that your County Environmental Awareness Officer would be a great source of advice to you in progressing further in this category. The Tidy Towns Handbook will also help you to come up with ideas. This adjudication category has been expanded and updated with a new advice sheet available on the Tidy Towns website called ‘Sustainable Waste and Resource Management (updated 2015).’ Or you could request a copy of this advice sheet if it is not already in your possession (from the Tidy Towns unit HQ). This will help you also to understand and move forward in relation to sustainable waste and resource management. Remember that this issue is about reducing waste before it is produced - not just about recycling.

Is the school involved with the Green Flag programme, and if not could you encourage them to participate as getting involved with this programme is very educational for pupils and parents in relation to sustainable waste management.

Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair: You tell us that you had two events where you organised litter collections in April and May. Well done to the schoolchildren who were actively assisting with litter control. Litter was not a problem on adjudication day.

We noted an old fly post on a pole at the front of the school. With regard to the motor works opposite the school - could vehicles be tidied up on the site and confined to the site - versus spreading onto the hard shoulder?

We noticed a few bits of litter from an overflowing bin near the GAA pitch.

On the St Mogue’s' Island road no flags were evident at the national school, and the school's (traffic signs) were very dirty. One was also broken on top. However development was taking place at that school site just across from the 50kph speed limit sign.

There was a lot of signage at the entrance to St. Aidan’s pitch. Could this be rationalised into one notice board?

You have made an extra effort to keep the bring bank area clean and tidy. We noticed a few pieces of litter at the bring bank. The bring bank ‘do’s and don't’ small sign needs cleaning. The signs on two of the grey bins were torn. The pink clothes bank was rusty. The concrete plinth edge facing is rough. It would be good if the barrier could be painted.,

Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta: The only project you list under this category is that you have ‘continued to maintain the verges as in previous years.’ You do not indicate which verges you refer to – but as you enter the project here we assume that you mean verges of footpaths and grassed areas near houses.

Residences were generally well presented. The stone faced estate on the Blacklion approach and the houses on the St. Mogue’s approach were well presented. Arasaán Pheadair development looked well. On St Mogue’s church approach road an estate with no name had some rubble and plastic bottles and rotting grass in a (wooden fenced) hammer head. The road surface had manholes protruding.

Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí: It was difficult to see exactly where the new traffic island was installed. No road type development in the area of the school appeared to be particularly new. Perhaps we missed something? Can you let us know next year the exact date when this safety feature was completed. On the Blacklion approach a little weeding was necessary by the kerbs at the edge of the village and on the hard shoulder area in front of houses. There were a few dirty and bent yellow and black bollards near the entry to the village.

On the St Mogue’ss church road approach there were well-kept houses and weed free footpaths. The yellow pump badly needs painting. A very rusty short black and white pole near the solar school sign was noted. Inwards of this trimming was needed and we noticed some evidence of chemical weed killer. Please refer to our comments about chemical weed killing under Wildlife etc above. We noted the well planted grounds and the graveyard. Two auctioneering signs and a small advertising hoarding detracted a little from the rural approach.

On the Ballyconnell approach we admired the floral arrangement at the village sign. The splay wall beside the workhouse was being painted. Trimming was required between the fence and the wall. Cut grass should be taken away. Good grass trimming was noted beside the carriageway. A small sport’s advertising hoarding and a smaller sandwich board type notice were observed. We admired the pump and landscaping on this approach road. It would be nice if you could paint field gates on approaches to the village in a uniform colour.

Parking on the footpath in the village was noted. This looks untidy and also contributes to the cracking of pavements which was also noted. Directional signage in the village was for the most part clean and well maintained. school appeared to be particularly new. Perhaps we missed something? Can you let us know next year the exact date when this safety feature was completed. On the Blacklion approach a little weeding was necessary by the kerbs at the edge of the village and on the hard shoulder area in front of houses. There were a few dirty and bent yellow and black bollards near the entry to the village.

Concluding Remarks: Your village is in a beautiful part of the country and you are aware of the great assets which you have in the vicinity of your village. These are both natural and man-made. However tempting it is to spread your workload widely – do remember that the Tidy Towns competition is really about the village itself. Where a building or amenity outside the village is used extensively by the villagers it is worth working towards maintaining that – but you cannot be responsible for all places in the region! It is good to let visitors know that these wondrous places and buildings exist – but with such a small population in the village you need to concentrate on the village itself. We wish you continued success this year and into the future. Go n-eiri libh i rith na blianta ata romhainn!