Cork Views: Let's recognise Cork’s greenest communities

Thu, 23 Oct, 2025 - 07:06

Dingle peninsula in Kerry was recently awarded the inaugural Ireland’s Greenest Place Award. Run by the Irish Times in association with Electric Ireland, the awards demonstrate what communities can achieve collaboratively with the support of local authorities, NGOs, state agencies, and local businesses and volunteers.

What about bringing this to the next level in Cork and finding our greenest community, greenest school, even Cork’s greenest garden?

The recent State of Europe’s Environment report confirmed what we already know – nature in Ireland is in a ‘very poor’ state with the country’s economic growth achieved at the expense of the environment.

The report states that 85% of Ireland’s protected habitats and almost a third of protected species are in decline, and more than 50 bird species are of high conservation concern.

The stark reality is that while the country has undergone a lot of change and growth in the last 50 years, “this success has been heavily dependent on environmental resources”.

As urban populations continue to grow, availability and accessibility to green spaces provide opportunities to promote healthy and sustainable places for people and planet.

Meanwhile, there is mounting evidence of the positive impact of access to urban green space on mental, physical and social health throughout the life span. One group working actively in this space in Cork is Green Spaces for Health.

Established in 2018, supported by Cork Healthy Cities, the Lantern Project, Nano Nagle Place and Cork Environmental Forum; Green Spaces for Health is a community-led initiative, supporting a broad spectrum of practical green projects across the city. It aims to support community members to connect with nature, to grow food together, to enhance and promote biodiversity, and to build social momentum.

It has had remarkable success in seven years, including the revitalisation of Páirc Eoin in the South Parish from a derelict overgrown site that was a no-go area because of anti-social behaviour, into a green space that promotes and protects biodiversity and natural wildlife habits.

Extensive planting of native trees and wildflowers is attracting bees, butterflies, caterpillars and birds. As the community engage with and contribute to the park’s development, the space is used for healthy social, recreational and educational activities on a regular basis. At the same time there is a marked decrease in anti-social behaviour in the area.

Deerpark is a residential housing estate also in the South Parish. A strip of green area, adjacent to a cul-de-sac road and overlooked by homes, it was identified as a suitable space for a community food growing project.

This commenced in 2020. While homes in the area have private green spaces, a community garden project was sought to foster a sense of community and to share knowledge and skills of growing food. A core group of just eight residents started the project. The garden incorporates raised vegetable beds, vegetables and fruit bushes as well as fruit and nut trees.

Togher community garden is a large community garden in a public park. It includes a polytunnel, 18 raised beds, fruit, nut and native trees, a pond - the installation of which was led by An Taisce as a community learning opportunity, a tree nursery and outdoor classroom.

In 2022, Cork Migrant Centre, with the help of Green Spaces for Health and a donation of land by the OLA sisters, set up the Ardfoyle International Solidarity Garden that hosts gardeners from migrant centres across the city. A horticultural school is also located here.

“There is a lot of diversity amongst the gardens,” Coordinator of Green Spaces for Health, Maria Young told me. “I can’t think of anywhere else where you get such a confluence of people of all ages, cultures, nationalities, abilities and backgrounds working together, their hands in the soil side-by-side growing food. I very much feel this is our time, and what an extraordinary time it is to be alive. We have huge opportunity to make the change.

“I believe we will dream and do. When I think of the future, what is important for Green Spaces for Health is to keep our joy and excitement alive; to never get complacent about the miracle of our beautiful world and keep doing everything we can to protect her at this time.”

Green Spaces for Health growing projects are providing communities with opportunities for social interaction and participation that are so badly needed in a world increasingly isolated and online. Communities have developed a sense of ownership and pride in the transformation of derelict, under-utilised sites, or transit corridors, into flourishing green spaces that are social, educational and environmental hubs.

Centred on a respectful, inclusive approach to each community, facilitating and guiding, yet careful not to dominate individual projects, the role of the coordinator has been pivotal in the success of the project.

Now, Muintir na Tíre is running school garden workshops in November, delivered by Aoife Munn, who has decades of experience with school gardens and a Masters in Horticulture. They are open to anyone involved or interested in supporting a school garden – principals, teachers, SNAs, office staff, caretakers, parents or community members.

Topics include practical gardening techniques, organic growing and sustainable practices (composting, recycling, water management); planning a school vegetable garden; polytunnels; small space gardening; biodiversity, sensory, and reflective gardening.

Workshops take place across the county in Coachford, Skibbereen, Ballypheane, Newtownshandrum as well as online, and are open to all primary schools in Cork city and county wih a garden or one in development. Register for workshops at https://shorturl.at/rBFhw

Imagine the enthusiasm this could generate - for planting long grasses and native trees, installing ponds and growing fruit and vegetables to feed your family, friends as well as your local community?

Cork’s greenest community awards could be supported by local authorities, NGOs, state agencies, local businesses, local media and of course the people themselves.There are plenty of green fingers in Cork that would be enthusiastic supporters of such an initiative.