Tidy Towns Competition 2018
Adjudication Report
Centre: Hollyfort Ref: 217
County: Wexford Mark: 260
Category: B Date(s): 01/07/2018
Maximum Mark Mark Mark Awarded 2017 Awarded 2018
Community – Your Planning and Involvement 60 39 40 Streetscape & Public Places 50 32 33 Green Spaces and Landscaping 50 32 33 Nature and Biodiversity in your Locality 50 24 26 Sustainability – Doing more with less 50 10 12 Tidiness and Litter Control 90 51 52 Residential Streets & Housing Areas 50 31 31 Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes 50 32 33 TOTAL MARK 450 251 260
Community – Your Planning and Involvement / An Pobal - Pleanáil agus Rannpháirtíocht: Cuireann an moltoir seo failte roimh Hollyfor (Rath an Chuillin ) chuig Comortas na mBailte Slachtmhara Super Valu 2018 agus chuig Ceiliuradh 60 Bliainan Chomortais. Thank you for the very comprehensive and very informative entry form and the additional supporting material that included 5 year plan, an excellent map of the village map and copy of the Hollyfort News. The letter addressed to the residents of the village shows that as a committee you have a desire to ensure that the village makes incremental progress in the competition in the years ahead. Your committee of 10 coupled with a core of 10 supportive volunteers is more than sufficient for a village the size of Hollyfort. The breakdown of age groups and gender balance is interesting. You have a good mix of agencies, businesses and local organisations that are supportive of your work on behalf of the village. Some are obviously from outside the village and its shows the standing you have as a committee if you are able to harness this sort of support for the betterment of Hollyfort. It’s noted that you have no national school in the village but have links to the school in Ballythomas. Communication methods are top class from the Hollyfort News to the various forms of social media. There can be no complaints among the community about not knowing what Tidy Towns in the Village is about, so well done on this. All the other content in this section has been noted but I would suggest that you bullet point in puts as it makes it easier on an adjudciator to pick out salient points rather than to have to read a narrative and maybe miss something relatively important. Well done on your involvement in initiating a trail development and negotiating with all parties involved which can be painstaking. Thank you for your endorsement of the competition and what it has meant to the community of Hollyfort. The projects in this category that you have itemised under a colour coded index system have all been read and noted For the effort that you made to deliver the message of Tidy Towns the greater community of Hollyfort over the last year which has resulted in positive support from local people you are awarded an increase in marks.
Streetscape & Public Places / Sráid-Dreach & Áiteanna Poiblí: Some excellent efforts have been done in this category over the last year and the vast majority of these relate to remedial work restoration of old features, repair of snow damage, treatment of derelict buildings and the continuation of the old school house renewal project. Well done on these initiatives and commendations to the personnel who gave of their time voluntarily to carry out the work. The following are a few observations that the adjudicator made on his walkabout the village and extremities. The road surfaces were good with the exception of the road over the bridge at River Bann at the excellent amenity area. Directional, name and speed signs were clean and visible. The new T Junction signs were noted and recorded. John Cooney’s pub and shop is quite unique now in rural Ireland but it was rather disappointing to see what seems as Gala shop closed next door. Also at the junction of the Village another former substantial business has closed and left large premises unoccupied. Here a good camouflage job has been done the premises looks as if it had been painted fairly recently as well. St John’s Church is an architectural heritage building that was well presented with immediate grounds in very good condition thanks to the efforts of both TUS workers and local community members. The Old Forge has at least held its place in the village many of these buildings around the country have been totally demolished over the last few decades. Nice plaque to the memory of local poet Peter Casey who died earlier this year. The amenity area at the Bridge with the very fine 1916 Memorial and commemoration stone to Marie Comerford is a very tranquil setting and the seating is of top standard. The Area for car parking is a little bit tight and should be expanded a little and re surfaced in due course. There are number of other features that deserve positive comments including the public seating and new car park provided for people to park, relax and enjoy this lovely relaxing part of Wexford. For your efforts in this category in the last year you are awarded an additional 2 marks. the work. The following are a few observations that the adjudicator made on his walkabout the village and extremities. The road surfaces were good with the exception of the road over the bridge at River Bann at the excellent amenity area. Directional, name and speed signs were clean and visible. The new T Junction signs were noted and recorded. John Cooney’s pub and shop is quite unique now in rural Ireland but it was rather disappointing to see what seems as Gala shop closed next door. Also at the junction of the Village another former substantial business has closed and left large premises unoccupied. Here a good camouflage job has been done the premises looks as if it had been painted fairly recently as well. St John’s Church is an architectural heritage building that was well presented with immediate grounds in very good condition thanks to the efforts of both TUS workers and local community members. The Old Forge has at least held its place in the village many of these buildings around the country have been totally demolished over the last few decades. Nice plaque to the memory of local poet Peter Casey who died earlier this year. The amenity area at the Bridge with the very fine 1916 Memorial and commemoration stone to Marie Comerford is a very tranquil setting and the seating is of top standard. The Area for car parking is a little bit tight and should be expanded a little and re surfaced in due course. There are number of other features that deserve positive comments including the public seating and new car park provided for people to park, relax and enjoy this lovely relaxing part of Wexford. For your efforts in this category in the last year you are awarded an additional 2 marks.
Green Spaces and Landscaping / Spásanna Glasa agus Tírdhreachú: As was stated in last year's report there are a large number of public permanent planted beds some with nice cut stone surrounds. Many of these beds have mix greenery and flowering shrubs with the emphasis of sustainable planting. Advice has been got from a landscape specialist which is commendable of the Committee as too many of these schemes are planted with unsuitable mix of shrubs due to a lack of knowledge. All were noted by the adjudicator who was impressed with the locally made troughs that were placed at main points such as the Tinahealy,Killenirin,Gorey junction. One or two of these beds were becoming a little crowded but no doubt the committee has done an audit on all these planting areas. The name stones were excellent but the one As Gaeilge should have read Failte Go Rath An Chuilinn should it not? The planting at the Village Memorial Park at the bridge was very attractive with blue geraniums to the fore. Urns filled with flowers were a feature on the Killanerin Road. The adjudicator personally liked the proliferation of ox eye daisies as it reminded him of time past in home place. Overall the standard was very good and the adjudicator has no more to offer except to say well done again for seeking professional advice before embarking on any planting regimes. You are awarded an additional mark in this category as well for work undertaken since last year.
Nature and Biodiversity in your Locality / An Dúlra agus an Bhithéagsúlacht i do cheantar: The key components of this adjudication category are a) knowledge of local species and habitats and knowledge of local designated areas and b) being able to promote the knowledge gained to the local community and the passing visitor in format that would be easily accessed such as wildlife information boards in a central location. Being aware of invasive and possible destructive plants such as Japanese knot weed,of which you a;-9re, is also essential. As committee you are to be commended for supporting the Wexford Biodiversity Plan which is very much in line with the general statement above. The projects that you have listed here are what this category is all about and one in particular “Tree Alphabet” Exhibition is most unique but so educational for both young and old alike. You also had an excellent turnout for this event. Good to note that you have addressed the invasive species issue in a very practical manner. The adjudicator was impressed with the wildlife information panels at the area on the Banks of the Bann. In light of what you have done in the last year in this category you have been awarded an increase in marks.
Sustainability – Doing more with less / Inmharthanacht - Mórán ar an mbeagán: The objective in this category has moved on from one of reduce reuse and recycle to one of promoting the concept of reducing the production of potential waste at source such as excessive packaging. “Doing more with less” is a very apt The practical benefits of good waste management and control of unnecessary production will be seen as a major contribution to a better environment. You have listed 7 projects under this category and all fit well with the main objective of “doing more with less” but are not unique to Hollyfort as all have been witnessed by the adjudicator in other parts of the country. The adjudicator hopes that you have the resources to manage all in a sustainable manner To get more out of this sector in terms of creating even a greater awareness of a more sustainable environment consider looking at the following websites for idea generation www.localprevention.ie ,www.greenhomes.ie and www.sustainableprocessing.ie Also something that this adjudicator became aware of during last year’s adjudication is the circular economy. It is a bit too long to explain the concept in detail in this report, but if you access the following www.dccae.gov.ie you will get a pretty good idea of what it’s all about. The idea of what is called a linear economy of “take, make and waste” is now being seen as not sustainable and alternatives need to be found. It is a bit too long to explain the concept in detail in this report, but if you access the following www.dccae.gov.ie you will get a pretty good idea of what it’s all about. The idea of what is called a linear economy of “take, make and waste” is now being seen as not sustainable and alternatives need to be found.
Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair: Top marks to your committee for addressing the issue of roadside placard type of advertising anything from garden fetes to my fellow county man Jimmy Buckley appearing somewhere or other. Don’t get me wrong I like a bit of country! but this type of advertising does exercise me in a negative way as they can be quite distractive. Overall the standard of litter control was acceptable but there were pockets to be seen in the outskirts and down near the amenity park at the river. One appreciates that as per your entry you have excellent measures in place to address the litter problem and that you also won awards in the Wexford Clean competition but it is neigh impossible to get everyone to buy into being Anti Litter. Despite a strong national push to combat litter this adjudicator sees very little change in the position over the last number of years. General tidiness was also acceptable but there were a few back and side areas that need to be tidied up as well as one unoccupied area that was once a business. It would be remiss of me to highlight these in such a small village but I’m sure the Committee are aware of these. Overall the standard was good on the day and well done also on having your own Litter Wardens although maybe I would change the title from Warden as it has connotations of having statutory powers.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta: As you state in your entry the Vllage has approximately 20 or so houses and most were tidy and well maintained. Chesnut Grove was visited and the adjudicator felt that the green area that houses the name stone and has the fencing around it was just in need of little revitalising. Houses in the Estate were presented well. The Ghost Estate issue seems to have been addressed as per your note but of course such a development should never have been allowed in a place like Hollyfort which has such seclude idyllic charm.
Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí: It’s quite amazing to think that a village the size of Hollyfort has five approach roads as such leading into it. It can be a bit confusing to find the Hollyfort for a first time visitor but at least unlike some other places in the county one can find their way out as there are directional signs at the main junction in the village. Entry from the Gorey road was good even thou the now redundant business premise just before the village was falling into further decay. Kilanerin Road has got nice flower urns and is well maintained with good signage particularly at the Grove Bridge area that houses the memorial garden and small car park. The other entrances were also well maintained as you outlined in your submission. Overall the standard was very good and merits an increase in marks is merited.
Concluding Remarks: It was nice to visit the village of Hollyfort for the very first time and the experience its idyllic rural charm. Much has been achieved since you have entered the competition. You are wished well in future years ahead.