Enjoy the newest poem by our Swords Tidy Towns Chairperson and take a look at our new poster designed to tackle the problem of discarded face masks around the town.
The Litter Slob
By Ken Duffy
Have you seen the litter, left by litter slobs
No respect for others, environmental yobs
Baskets hanging, with a multitude of colour
Planters on Streets, they couldn't be fuller
Countrywide, Tidy Towns do what they can
Out in all weather, are this volunteer clan
In Hi-Vis, they sweep, crop and clean
In towns and villages, efforts can be seen
Asking for nothing, they toil each day
Picking up rubbish, keeping weeds at bay
Graffiti nationwide, has gotten out of hand
Adds to the workload, of this working band
Never losing heart, continuing with a smile
No matter how high, our rubbish does pile
If you see them out, say doing a great job
Good luck in the battle, against the litter slob
To celebrate the National Tree Week 2021, Swords Tidy Towns in collaboration with Swords Woodland Association had organised a tree art competition for the local children.
The competition has been a huge success and we were overwhelmed with the amount of entries received. Our thanks goes to everyone who entered and a special thank you to our three judges – it was not an easy task. You can see and admire the winning entries in the galleries below.
In the 6-12 years age group, the judges have also decided to award two merit awards. 1st Prize Sarah Onwuegbusi – 100 Euro voucher, 2nd Prize M. Rashim Bangash – 50 Euro voucher, 3rd Prize Amelia Ciurylo – 25 Euro voucher. Merit Award Aria Kelly – 20 Euro voucher, Merit Award Amy Wembridge – 20 Euro voucher.
Here are the wining entries of the Tree art competition in the 13-18 year old age group. 1st Prize Jessica Geraghty – 100 Euro voucher, 2nd Prize Adam Hezam – 50 Euro voucher, and 3rd Prize Eve McMahon – 25 Euro voucher.
Everyone who entered had received this beautiful a poster from the Swords Woodlands Association.
Swords Tidy Towns are very happy to announce they have been successful in their Pride of Place entry endeavour. We are All Ireland Runners Up in the over 5000 population Category in the 2020 National Pride of Place competition. Considering the National Tidy Towns Competition was cancelled this year, this is a fantastic bonus for the Swords Tidy Towns volunteers who are delighted with our achievements. We wish to extend our thanks to Fingal County Council’s management and staff for all their help and hard work and support over the year.
Swords Tidy Towns have been awarded a Community Green Flag for their Rock Garden Project on the Rathbeale Road.
The project took seed when our Chairperson Ken Duffy approached the head of Fingal County Council Operations Department Colm Rigney with the idea of converting the old derelict playground into a community space. Our Chairperson was told if he got permission from the houses in the immediate area for the project that it would be a runner. To this end our Chairperson and Secretary Teresa Cosgrave called to each house to garnish support for the project, it was given overwhelming support from the residence. The playground was once a Local Rock Quarry that closed in the 1940’s, it was then converted into a playground for the local children, but fell into disrepair in the 1980’s.
STT worked very closely with FCC throughout the whole process in particular with the Operations Dept, there was great cooperation and collaboration. FCC also worked closely with two of our members Matt Cullen and Mary Maxwell on the design of the Rock Garden, their design contributions and suggestions were very much taken on board and incorporated into the final design by FCC.
It is the first time a Green Flag has been awarded in Fingal for a Community Project which makes the award that much more special to our dedicated volunteers. We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to FCC from the top down for their unwavering support of this project. In particular a special mention must be given to the wonderful crew of the Operations Dept whose hard work helped to create this wonderful amenity.
Watch the shortened version of Green Flag Awards video including the interview with our Chairperson Ken Duffy below:
“Unprecedented” is definitely the buzz word for 2020. The whole world has been brought to a standstill with resulting job losses and social isolation, while we battle the Covid-19 virus. No longer may we just hop on a plane for a holiday adventure abroad, or even take a car or bus trip beyond a 5 km limit. Visits to family and friends are impossible. How can we take care of our mental and physical health under these testing circumstances? Members of STT have risen to the challenge in a number of ways. Social media has been an important means of checking on each other’s welfare, and for sharing our newly discovered or almost forgotten hobbies and interests. This has been particularly important for those who were obliged to “cocoon”. Some STT families and individuals have carried on with many of our usual Tidy Towns activities within the rules of social distancing. The levels of littering and illegal dumping have markedly increased since the lockdown, but undaunted, many of our group have worked tirelessly to improve their local environment by collecting bags of rubbish, planting seed bombs or by grafitti-busting. Behind the scenes, others have been working on our website or participating in webinars. So although our traditional meetings are not currently taking place, much of our work still continues.
Discover your latent talent or brush up on your neglected skills. Our chairman, Ken, has written a poem in response to the lockdown, which reminds us that we all have skills which we need to develop and share. Don’t be afraid to try a new interest or to improve on existing skills. In the absence of classes, try some YouTube tutorials which will guide you through step-by-step. Be inspired by some of our group’s efforts!
Cogs We Turn By Ken Duffy
Hidden inside, deep down in each Is a talent, that is within our reach A gift bestowed, to each at birth Talents that take time, to unearth
Talents bestowed, are for us to find To yourself, always be kind Talents we have, may try to hide Take that journey, enjoy the ride
We all have a gift, that calls to us Let it in, and don’t make a fuss It is your calling; it is who you are Let it take you, no matter how far
With gifts we are born, each and all No one gift is better, follow your call Survival is futile, without each other Cogs we turn, both sister and brother
Many positives have emerged from these trying times. With more time on our hands, there are no excuses for not completing those postponed DIY jobs around our homes. Use those pots of paint that have been gathering dust in the garage during our previous time-poor lives. There is the opportunity to be creative with spare materials lying about, which can be upcycled into something useful. Repairs can be made to existing items rather than waiting to buy replacements once the shops are opened again.
Take a look at some of our small and big projects and get inspired!
Upcycling / woodwork projects
from BBQ to a planter
Hilary’s and Willem’s wood shed made from recycled metal sheets and old house bricks
Garden mirror in progress
Using egg cartons for sowing seeds
Ken’s lovely two seater
Ramune’s post box got a makeover
Ken’s kitchen dresser is ready for a makeover
Mal’s bug hotel in his back garden
Georgy’s special STT shelf
Home improvement projects and maintenance
Gerry’s & Rose’s fence is looking fab
Grace’s fences got repainted and a broken swings fixed
Georgie’s lamp post got painted
George cleaning the weeds off the kerb on his road
Ken’s gate is getting painted
Ramune’s gate is getting a makeover
Ramune’s letter box
Despite the lockdown doom and gloom we have been blessed with truly wonderful weather, thus, no wonder that our Swords Tidy Towners turned to gardening. Some of our volunteers have still managed to do some flower planting and maintenance around the town, but most of us had turned all our attention to our own gardens – seeds were sown, flower beds got weeded, grasses got trimmed or maintained long for our pollinators. The best thing about gardening is that you get to enjoy the process without worrying too much about the end result.
Gardening
Isobel & Billy planting at the Highfields / Rivervalley gap
Mal used recycled driveway pavers for the boarder in this garden
Dympna’s and Dónal’s flower bed makeover
Pumpkin seedlings
Rusne and Viktoras are putting up “Don’t mow, let it grow” sign outside their home
No green fingers? – try some baking! What would the life be without some yummy guilty pleasures? To make it less guilty try baking/ cooking at home – it’s a relaxing, educational, confidence building, fun and absolutely delicious process.
Cooking & Baking
Ramune’s wheatgrass & orange butter cookies
Ramune’s spinach & lentil soup
Viktoras’ veggie burger
Daniela’s Mozzarella pizza
Isabella wih freshly baked bread
Baked by Daniela
Chocolate Chip Cookies made by Daniela
Made by Daniela
Rusne’s first attemp at making Falafel
Some lovely cupcakes made by Rose
Georgy’s Apple Pie
Plain and banana flavoured queen cakes made by Grace
We have some very talented artists in our group and this is the time when we turn to our most loved activities to escape and relax, and be peaceful. Take a look and enjoy!
Daniela’s family has recreated ‘Coco’ movie’s characters and put on a little show
Hilary & Willem often enjoy playing ukulele
We are truly blessed to be living in a beautiful historic town with a river crossing through and some wonderful parks to escape to during the times like these. If you haven’t been so lucky to go out for a walk yourselves we hope that these pictures will bring you some joy. Stay safe and stay well!
Photography and Walks
Eric & Buddy on their morning walk
Deers in the Phoenix park captured by Sandra
Photo taken by Ramune
Photo taken by Ramune
Pink sunset over River Valley park captured by Ramune
Grey Heron in the quiet Castle Shopping centre carpark captured by Ramune
Photo taken by Ramune
Ward River Valley pictured by Ramune
Starling among the dondelions pictured by Ramune
Pictured by George
Female Blackbird in Ramune’s garden
Pictured by George
Photo taken by George
Pictured by George
Photo taken by George
The Cow Parsley along the path in the Jacko pictured by Ramune
Will there be time, to save our planet
Will there be time, to save the Gannet
Will there be time, to change our ways
Will there be time, and how many days
Will there be time, to save the bees
Will there be time, to plant more trees
Will there be time, for the Polar Bear
Will there be time, do politicians care
Will there be time, to stop melting ice
Will there be time, do we pay the price
Will there be time, while politicians talk
Will there be time, to walk that walk
Will there be time, to turn things round
Will there be time, or destruction bound
Will there be time, our house is burning
Will there be time, are we for turning
Will there be time, for our future kin
Will there be time, will mankind win
Will there be time, to heed natures call
Will there be time, to reach one and all
Like everybody else, Swords Tidy Towns have been hugely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Social distancing and cocooning requirements, challenges with childcare, and also some of our members being healthcare providers have meant that we were not able to meet up for our regular Saturday cleanups in town. Despite all this, Swords Tidy Towns volunteers have not stopped caring and looking after the town of Swords. Since the very start of this pandemic, some of our members have been regularly litter picking within the required 2 km radius of their homes. Other members got involved in a social distancing group cleanup which was organised and supported by Fingal Dog Owners Group, Swords Civil Defence, Cllr. Ann Graves, Cllr. Dean Mulligan, and some amazing local residents in Swords Manor. Other STT volunteers got their whole families involved in cleaning up the River Valley (The Jacko) park. A shocking amount of rubbish, dog fouling and dumping sites were discovered and cleaned up in the local park and nearby areas. The gallery below highlights the extent and the seriousness of the situation and also the amazing community effort in cleaning it up. Well done to all involved!
“Take care of the Earth and she will take care of you” – Author Unknown
Tidy Towners we, and very proud of that
Volunteer of the year, is Tidy Towner Matt
Saturday mornings, at 10.30 we meet
To clean up litter, up and down every street
Graffiti the menace, an annoyance to us all
In parts of our town, it’s even wall to wall
Fly postering, an irritation to be scratched
Cheek of some people, is hard to be matched
Fly tipping, is an environmental crime
Attracting vermin, to its stench and grime
River clean ups, we organise twice a year
Removing rubbish, to keep it nice and clear
Flowers we plant, bring colour to our town
Beautiful baskets, contents hanging down
Swords Tidy Towners, a hard working crew
Deserve your support, they do it all for you
The Judging is over in our art competition and we wish to thank our independent judges for the amount of time they put into the judging. They were seriously impressed with the skill level of the drawings and so therefore they made the following decision. They are awarding in three categories: Ages 4-7 years Ages 8-12 years And Highly commended. Our special thanks to all the children who took part, you all made us smile this week and we hope you had fun. Congratulations and well done to all!
Swords Tidy Towns 