Green Flag Award Achieved
This year we have achieved our first Green Flag Award and are 1 of only 3 parklands in Kerry, and 1 of 103 in Ireland, to get the award. The entire grounds team have been working all year in preparation for the judges who arrived in August to see new flower beds, wildflower meadows and a new management plan for the park.
Water Enhancement
As part of our continued commitment to improvement of our water quality we have continually planted the lake during this year with aquatic plants. In Spring, our work placements from Munster Technological University worked tirelessly to transplant Yellow Flag Iris, Water Mint, Brooklime and Bullrush. This November, in conjunction with Transition Kerry and Water Enhancement we planted more of the same and included marsh marigold and water lily to the collection. This will improve the water quality by taking up nutrients, providing a valuable shelter and a food source for aquatic invertebrates. We encourage you to watch out for our Water Lilies next year. We are so grateful for Breda Moriarty, Community Water Officer, Local Authority Waters Programme in Kerry County Council for her support and by the Community Water Development Fund.
Flower Beds & Medieval Herb Garden
This year we were delighted to get our flower beds at the pedestrian entrances full of life. Out of the 6 beds two have been filled with wildflower seeds, two are filled with ornamental flowers and the final two are a recreation of a medieval herb beds selected by Claudia in Tralee County Museum. All of the plants were provided by Don Nolan in Liscahane Nursery and Garden Centre to whom we are very grateful for his help and mentoring.
New Educational Panels
This year we added bright new Educational Panels around the park. So much work went into writing and designing these panels and it was great to see them actualised in the park! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do! We are so grateful to the Failte Ireland Adaptation Fund and to Declan Murphy for all his support .
A big thank you to Tessa Dennison of Dennison Design who assisted us with this project and to Niamh Ní Dhúill, Biodiversity, Nature & Ecological Gardening Educator for all their contributions.
