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Ballynacally Tidy Towns 
Hello and welcome to our page where we hope to keep you informed on whats happening in Tidy Towns.. We also encourage you to like our Facebook page to help us communicate with you. Please help us by liking and sharing our Facebook page with your friends.
See more info on our new swop shop by clicking HERE
The Tidy Town National Conference 2017
Two members of Ballynacally Tidy Towns travelled to Wesport in County Mayo in March to be part of the 2017 National Tidy Towns conference to pick up some valuable information on competing in todays Tidy Towns. Popular TV personality and Architect Dermot Bannon opened the 2 day event and highlighted the importance of Tidy Towns to society and our communities. The event also hosted many interesting keynote speakers most of whom are adjudicators from biologists to environmental scientists, horticulurists and representatives from the 2016 winning Skerries committee to name a few there was lots to be learned. See list of speakers by clicking HERE.... It is hoped that the information gained together with this years work plan will show in the results announced in September. Also watch Tom Gilligan, Dermot Bannon, Noel Kavanagh: Tidy Towns Conference opening at the decennial conference click HERE. Dermot holds a Q&A session Click HERE. Finally some more video of Dermot Bannon and his love for Tidy Towns click HERE
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| Dermot Bannon Architect and MC opens the conference in Westport Co. Mayo | A Tidy Towns brush for everyone in the audience | Attendees shown how Bees are so important to our biodiversity | Dermot poses with Ballynacally Tidy Towns members | |||
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| Proof Ballynacally was represented at the conference which takes place only once every decade | Ann & Yvonne scouting out the 2003 winning town of Wesport | Group Shot cleaning up with Dermot Bannon MC of the Tidy Towns conference | A keepsake for all who attended |
The Japanese Knotweed
Japanese knotweed is the most common and widespread of the knotweeds in Ireland. It has small, bright green leaves with a characteristic flat leaf base. Since its introduction it has infested a wide range of habitats, including the banks of rivers. The plant grows to 3 metres in height and forms very dense cover. Spread is rapid and the growth habit of the plant efficiently excludes native herbaceous species. It is hard to kill with professional help needed. Cutting should be avoided as this does not kill the plant but can allow it to spread, farmers with hedgecutters need to be especially vigilant as they can inadvertantly spread the plant to many areas. Interestly the British think they may have found a way to kill it it a fungus and the introduction of a japaneese knotweed loving fly. More here.
Busy Bees
Weve been very busy recently at the community centre as The Development & Tidy Towns work together for the good of the community?
The Development committee organised a used clothing collection to raise much needed funds for the upkeep of the Hall. The amount raised was 190.35. A huge thank you to all those who supported it by dropping in their unwanted items of clothing etc to the hall over the last few weeks..
Tidy Towns committee purchased a new, much needed Lawnmower which will be used throughout the season by the FAS crew to keep the village green areas looking their best as they prepare for judging in the 2017 Tidy Towns competition.
It was also great to see so much activity in the village hall over the weekend during the Apostolic Society display, people coming & going to show their support, look at their webpage on HERE on Ballynacally.com to see the wonderful work they do behind the seens.
Also over the weekend the first phase of potting the little flower plugs in the tunnel began. A huge thank you to the volunteers who gave up their time to help us out.
Phase two will begin soon if anyone would like to help us out doing this worthwhile task.. contact any of our members who would only be too happy to have you on board...
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Yvonne, Margaret & Dorothy help with clothing |
Ann loads recycled clothing |
Bill processed and €190.35 paid to Development for hall upkeep |
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Philip helps to bring in the new lawnmower purchased at the Market Hardware 1 day sale |
Philip pleased with the new purchase |
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Plugs sown in Gerard Morans Tunnel by the Tidy Towns Crew with help from volunteers |
Tidy Towns Season 2017
In its 59th year, the competition is administered by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and is sponsored by SuperValu.
Through its history the competition has encouraged voluntary activity and community participation across the country. It has helped to make our villages, towns and cities better and more attractive places to live, work and do business in. This year the crew are busy planning for the competition. With lots of useful advice picked up at the Westport Tidy Towns conference 2017, the dedicated members are waging war on the Japanese knotweed with help from Clare Co. Co. Also the flowers are ordered with an emphasis on perenial planting this year. Help always welcome just email us by clicking here or tel 086 6020553 if you can lend a hand.
Result for 2016
A delegation from Ballynacally’s Tidy Towns committee traveled to the Helix to hear the 
results of this year’s Competition. Ballynacally have enjoyed much success in recent years and they were delighted to win a bronze medal and continue to top the Category B group, albeit shared with Ballyvaughan. We can make improvements however and next year the committee will seek a larger community involvement from all age groups. We have a beautiful village and with more people taking ownership and doing just a little work we can make big improvements. View this year’s adjudication report at HERE. Well done to all involved from the dedicated committee to the DSP crew (ex fas) and the householders who present their houses so well. The theme for 2017 is community involvement and communication, and as we were within a single point of a Silver medal this year we hope to attain Silver in 2017. New members are always encouraged to join as the season begins again soon with planning for next year’s competition. Its not really about medals although they are nice and give us a focus, its really about presenting our village at its best so we can enjoy it
2016 Season chasing the silver
Tidy Towns has kicked off the physical season with the spring clean week in April in conjunction with an taisce. Many meetings have been held during the winter months, putting together the plan for submission for the tidy towns competition for 2016. The flower colour schemes have been chosen & the flowers were maturing in the tunnel until late May. Many perennials have been planted in flower beds throughout the village to create all year round interest & to minimise the use of summer bedding plants & therefore watering during the season. The DSP workers ( formerly known as Fás ) have been busy, painting walls, gates, cutting grass, pruning hedges, sweeping road verges & repairing stone walls, etc. A lot more work has to be done before judging takes place in June/July & August & we are looking for volunteers with a little spare time to help out on our work evenings, which are Tuesday's & Thursdays from 7-9pm. Works include painting, weeding, watering etc. Please consider helping us, contact us through our facebook page above or here
Footpath repair works
The development and Tidy Towns committees have received grant money awarded to both groups for works within the village, this money was received by the Tidy Towns group through PJ Kelly from Clare County Council. As a joint venture it was decided to use the bulk of this money to upgrade the footpaths around the hall and provide new handrails. This work was necessary for safety reasons due to dilapidation of the existing footpaths and the complete rusting through of the existing hand rails to the side of the main building adjacent to the old school. Money remaining will be used to fund various projects around the village by the Tidy Towns group who continue to work to enhance the greater village area.
Bronze again for Ballynacally
After securing a Bronze medal in 2014, Ballynacally were awarded bronze again this year and with the high point score of 312 just missed out on a Silver Medal. We again topped our category and also came 4th in the County from 41 Entries beaten only by Ennis Kilrush and Mountshannon. The committee will receive €400 prize money for their placing.
The prestigious awards were announced by Mr. Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in the Helix at Dublin City University on Monday, 28 September 2015.
Ennis (321) and Kilrush (320) have both been awarded Gold Medals, finishing just 2 and 3 marks respectively off the overall competition winner, Letterkenny (323).
Mountshannon won Silver (315) and there were Bronze Medals for Ballynacally, Kilkee, Tuamgraney and Quin. Clarecastle won an Endeavour Award, while Ennis, Kilrush and Mountshannon claimed the County Awards.
Cllr. James Breen, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Councilsaid: “The performance of Clare’s Tidy Towns participants is a tribute to communities across the County who carry out work throughout the year to enhance the appearance of their local areas. The strong spirit of volunteerism and community pride is evident for all to see and has helped to make Clare an attractive visitor destination and place to live.”
“I wish to particularly acknowledge Clare’s medal winners who have worked extremely hard in various public areas to create and maintain flowerbeds, keep streets tidy, cut grass and pick up litter. Regardless of whether or not they have received an award in the national Tidy Towns competition, each of Clare’s other Tidy Towns participants are already winners for the huge positive contribution they have made to their localities,” added the Cathaoirleach. (source; The Clare Herald)
Read the adjoudicators report Click here
And download the results book here
Information Night
Ballynacally Tidy Towns Committee held an Open Night and Information Evening at the Community Centre recently. Chairperson Maureen Hayward discussed the plan for the coming year, invited suggestions from those present and discussed the Tidy Towns Adjudicators Report highlighting the areas where improvements could be made. A talk was held on the bat population in our area and a demonstration of the different species was shown, a bat walk will take place in early July and also a historical walk with Dolores Griffin was announced. On local history, Mary Hester gave an intriguing talk on local place names and School principal Conor lynch announced the schools success in being awarded its second green flag & he pledged to help the Tidy Towns in any way he could. Local representatives Oliver Garry and PJ Kelly also spoke at the event. It was a very informative evening rounded off with tea and a fine assortment of cakes.
Local Heritage
Ballynacally Tidy Towns Committee organised a guided Heritage Tour of our village. The walk began at Kilchreest cemetery on Sunday Jun 7th & finished at Ballycorick Church. It was led by local historian Dolores Meaney and was followed by light refreshments at the Five Arches.
Bat Talk
We also organised a bat walk in Early July. A member of the bat protetion society David Lyons with 
his bat scanners gave an informative talk on our bat population and after equiping a number of locals with bat sonar scanners the group set off on foot to the shore to locate different species of this harmless but often feared creature who comes out at dusk to hunt midgets, moths etc. Although not blind, this delicate mamal navigates the air with its ultrasonic hearing. The walk was a success and many bats were heard and seen on route to the shore.
