All About Cork: Tidy Towns group is looking for new volunteers

With an application for the 2025 SuperValu TidyTowns competition already gone in, Bishopstown Tidy Towns is seeking new volunteers to help keep the area looking great.

Volunteers are hard at work planting and adding colour to the Bishopstown area, and Bishopstown Tidy Towns vice-chair Jean Downey said this year they have increased the number of planters located at the MTU roundabout, the High Street, and on the barriers on the approach to the Wilton Roundabout by CUH.

“We have also installed larger planters at the ‘Welcome to Bishopstown’ signs, located at the four main access roads to Bishopstown.

“These along with planters at Inspire Credit Union, Bishopstown, and along the river in Murphy’s Farm, are now planted with colourful summer plants,” she said.

Ms Downey added that the volunteers were extremely grateful to their sponsors for their support of their planting scheme.

First established in 2016, Bishopstown Tidy Towns has been entering the Supervalu TidyTowns competition since then.

Membership is open to all residents in the Bishopstown, Wilton, part of Glasheen, and the Model Farm Road areas.

The group currently has approximately 68 Tidy Towns volunteers, and from that it has a regular core of about 20. More volunteers are always needed and the group offers a welcome to all new members.

Anne-Marie O’Keeffe, the group’s secretary, said that in the community garden in Murphy’s Farm, volunteers had been busy preparing and planting, and the beds and herb planter were growing well.

“We are now using our own compost from the Ridan composter, which is an environmentally friendly way of using green and brown waste including the coffee grinds kindly donated from Thrive Coffee on Curraheen Road,” she said. “We have planted vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, celery, courgettes, lettuce, onions, peas, and potatoes and have also added strawberries.

“In the polytunnel, a new plant bed has been installed and contains tomatoes, peppers, and herbs and the grapevine has produced grapes again.

“When the crops are harvested, the volunteers can take some of the organic produce, which is always delicious,” Ms O’Keeffe said.

Bishopstown Tidy Towns meets at 1pm on Wednesdays in the community garden in Murphy’s Farm and at 9.30am every Saturday morning at The Outpost car park, Curraheen Rd, Glasheen, Cork (Eircode: T12 K163).

Most Saturday mornings the volunteers work for about two hours and then gather for refreshments.

The group can be contacted on its Facebook page, by email at bishopstowntidytown@gmail.com, or at 083-4077781.

Events at local library

There is always plenty to do at Bishopstown Library, with several groups holding free events there every week.

The Arts group meets at 2.30pm every Monday, and the Knit and Natter group meets at 10.30am every Tuesday.

There is a gramophone recital at 3pm on the last Thursday of the month; Caint is Comhrá is at 6.30pm, every Thursday; and the Adult Chess club meets at 2.30pm each Wednesday.

A number of retirement groups meet in the library, among them the Wilton Go-Getters at 2.30pm every Tuesday, and the Wilton Wanderers, who meet at 2.30pm on the second and fourth Friday.

Bishopstown Library is open from 10am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Email: bishopstown_library@corkcity.ie or telephone: 021-4924953.

OPW report due on weir repair

Four years after an agreement to look at repairing Ballincollig Weir, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has yet to issue a report, last week’s meeting of Cork City Council heard.

The weir, which is located in Ballincollig Regional Park, was built in the 1790s to power the local gunpowder mills, and collapsed in late 2014. The weir came under Cork City Council’s remit at the 2019 boundary change.

In 2021, the OPW agreed to assess the feasibility of including repair works on Ballincollig Weir into the construction contract for the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme (LLFRS).

At last week’s council meeting, local Sinn Féin councillor Joe Lynch asked for an update on engagement with the OPW.

Gerry O’Beirne, the council’s director of services at the Infrastructure Development Directorate, said it was anticipated that “a report will be completed/issued in the coming months, and elected members will be updated further at that stage”.

The OPW was asked for comment.

Summer seaside story event at Carraig Centre

The Carraig Centre is hosting a summer seaside story event of family fun on Friday, July 25, from 10.30am until midday. There will be activities, crafts, a Bible story and snacks, suitable for pre-school and school-aged children accompanied by a parent or carer. Organisers say all are welcome to this event, which is free of charge, and there is no need to pre-book.

The Carraig Centre is a church and community resource for Ballincollig, run by Carrigrohane Union Church of Ireland.

Mechanic career opportunity

A local company is seeking an experienced mechanic to work in what is described as a fast-paced work environment.

The job is based in the general Ovens area and is two days per week to start, with the employer saying that would then be extended to full-time for the right candidate.

The ideal candidate would have extensive experience in vehicle maintenance and repairs, and their key responsibilities would be to diagnose, repair, and maintain a variety of vehicles.

The job would entail performing routine servicing and preventative maintenance, while working efficiently under pressure to meet deadlines and ensuring all work meets safety and quality standards.

They would need to have a full, valid driving licence. Those interested are asked to email profixautoservicies@gmail.com or WhatsApp 085-8225056.

ECCE age summer camp

Ballincollig Family Resource Centre has been holding an Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) age summer camp over the past weeks, with the final week starting next Monday. The camp caters for children aged from two years and eight months up to five years.

The camp runs from 9am to 12.30pm five days next week, Monday, July 28, to Friday, August 1.

Among the activities offered at the summer camp are arts and crafts, gardening, a sports day, a local outing, and outdoor activities. Meals are provided, and the cost of the camp is €85, with NCS subsidy available.

Application forms are available at tinyurl.com/37t2fhy3. For further information, contact
021-4876295 or childcareadmin@ballincolligfrc.org.

GAA club weekly lottery

The numbers drawn in the Ballincollig GAA Club lottery, which was held on Thursday, July 17, were 2, 18, 26, and 32.

There was no winner of the €13,600 jackpot, but there were three consolation prize winners for club supporters, with €100 going to Alexis Reit, €50 to Tony Wool, and €50 to John Noonan.

Ballincollig GAA Club has migrated its lottery to its club platform ClubZap.

For further information, see ballincolliggaa.clubzap.com.

The jackpot for this week’s lottery draw now stands at €13,800.

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