Pride aplenty across Cork

Cork County Council has this week revealed who has been chosen for the 2023 IPB Pride of Place Awards which acknowledges the work being done every day by communities across Ireland.

The Cork County nominees are:

• Banteer Community Group for its Community Well Being Initiative

• Youghal Tidy Towns for its Community Age Friendly Initiative

• Rylane Community Park Association in Category 2 (Population 500 – 1,500)

• Boherbue Tidy Towns in Category 1 (Population 0 -500)

• Clonakilty Tidy Towns Committee for Climate Action and Biodiversity.

To date projects valued over €7 million have been completed in Banteer with the support of the local community group, with sustainable development leading to employment for 42 people. Projects include the provision of a youth club, sport, arts and music facilities, social and recreational services, which includes a community wide defibrillator network. Fishing facilities, walkways and wildlife protection along the Glen River, as well as the restoration of local heritage sites have greatly enhanced the community. Current projects are focused on reducing energy consumption in all community run facilities.

In 2020, Cork County Council partnered with Youghal Tidy Towns and Tesco to develop a community garden in the grounds of the old Bridewell Gaol in Youghal. The Tidy Towns group have since transformed the space into a beautiful walled garden and urban orchard with seating, a gazebo and 8 raised beds for planting vegetables all year round.

The garden also hosts coffee mornings, meditation, yoga and summer performances. Le Cheile Community Garden was designed specifically for active retirement groups, men’s sheds groups and any vulnerable members of the local community.

Rylane Community Park Association was set up in 2016 to develop a community park in the village.

The group decided to set up a community space to benefit all members of the community. To date, fund raising activities have included a weekly lotto, raffles, fun days, fun run and walk, vintage runs and choral evenings.

With monies raised and grants received, €165,000 in funding has been secured. Phase one of the project, a multi-sport pitch has been completed and played host to its first match in May 2022. Phase 2 is due to begin in late 2023 and will include a new playground.

Each spring Boherbue Tidy Towns rally together to ensure the village and approach roads are neat and tidy. Biodiversity and sustainability have become the focus of new projects for the group.

A biodiversity garden was constructed and developed as well as ten other gardens within the village. The centre island was redeveloped and the appearance of disused buildings in the town were improved. The group is in the process of planning several new projects to further enhance the village.

Following a donation of 2 acres of land to Clonakilty Tidy Towns Committee, work began in July 2020 to transform the disused piece of land near the town centre into a biodiversity oasis and community space.

Committee volunteers, local community employment workers and the public collaborated to design a garden with raised vegetable and fruit beds, a pond, stone wall and a willow dome. A steel gazebo was installed and has been used to host local bands, musicians and acts.

The park is dotted with seating sponsored by local families to remember their loved ones, while story boards inform passers-by of the significance and history of the Mill Field they’re now enjoying.

Mayor of Cork Cllr Danny Collins said: “Our nominees showcase just some of the many diverse initiatives undertaken by communities the length and breadth of the county to support well-being, age-friendliness, climate action and biodiversity.

“I commend the tireless work of each of the nominated groups and wish them the best as they welcome the judges during the summer months.”

Judges will visit communities during July and August before the announcement of winners in November.