It has been a whirlwind of activity at Courtown Community Council as we continue to build on our previous efforts to create a welcoming, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing environment for our expanding diverse community. The energy in Courtown is palpable as we gather together toward an exciting summer season. We are hopeful that the months ahead will see Courtown bustling with activity, but before we are in the middle of it, we wanted to pause and reflect on some recent activities!

We were thrilled to have emerged victorious, securing first place in the Keep Wexford Beautiful Environmental Awards. It is a testament to our unwavering love for our town and our deep-rooted desire to nurture the natural wonders that surround us. This Award not only fills our hearts with pride but also fuels our determination to continue championing environmental stewardship. We also proudly unveiled the results of our Smart Village Strategy. The strategy has been welcomed by all and we now have a community-led blueprint for a smarter, greener, and more interconnected Courtown. It is a plan that embodies the very essence of our community, marrying sustainability with innovation. Our shared vision is to create a community that thrives on innovation, inclusion, and boundless potential. The introduction of the Courtown Regeneration Partnership, a group with representation from all key stakeholders, aims to achieve success in the pursuit of a healthy and sustainable development plan.

We are driven by our commitment to serve our community, ensuring that every individual, young and old, finds their place in this exciting progress. Please take some time to read through a selection of highlights below. In line with the Charity Regulator's Governance Code, as a Registered Charity (Registered Charity No. 20043414), all of the Trustees of CCC serve as volunteers and make no personal gain from any CCC activities. CCC are grateful to all those who are supporting or engaging in our community efforts, and we look forward to this next chapter of consultation and local development. If you want to join us in achieving our goals for our community, contact us on courtowncommunitycouncil32@gmail.com.

Smart Village Plan Launch

Courtown Community Council would like to thank all members of the community who attended the launch and participated in the research that got us to this point. Special thanks also to Councillor Diarmuid Devereux, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, Pip Breen, Andrew Bolger, Joe O’Sullivan and Senator Malcolm Byrne for their commitment to working with Courtown Community Council to address the issues and capitalise on the opportunities outlined within the report.

Read the article in the Wexford Independent about the launch event below: Group acknowledges ‘mistakes have been made’ as new working group established to pave way towards democratic planning for Courtown Riverchapel area.

Pictured at the launch of Courtown Riverchapel Smart Village Strategy 2023 in the Ashdown Park Hotel on Monday evening were back row- Cllr Joe Sullivan, Cllr Pip Breen, Cllr Diarmuid Devereux (Leas-Chathaoirleach, Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District), Cllr Andrew Bolger, Cllr Fionntán Ó Suilleabháin, Senator Malcolm Byrne. Front row- Lorna Fitzpatrick (Trustee), Linda Sinnott (Chairperson), Cllr Donal Kenny (Cathaoirleach, Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District), Valerie Boylan (Tresurer). Pic: Jim Campbell

Courtown Regeneration Partnership

As a result of our successful Smart Village Launch in the Ashdown Park Hotel in March, it was agreed an official working group would be established to bridge the gap between the community, local government, local business and local residents. The groups aim is to drive forward the revitalisation of the Courtown District on issues such as provision gaps, key investment proposals, transport, environmental projects, local challenges and enterprise opportunities.

The Courtown Regeneration Partnership (CRP) will hold its inaugural meeting on Monday 8th of May.Please see link below to find out more information and if you would like to register your interest, please message us or email courtowncommunitycouncil32@gmail.com

1st Prize: Wexford Environment Awards

We are delighted to have won Best Community Coastal Management Initiative at the Wexford County Council (WCC) Environment Awards, #keepwexfordbeautiful.

As Wexford Walking Trail (WWT) Reps for Courtown, CCC have developed and managed a wholistic Burrow Management Plan for Courtown Natural Heritage Area. The plan is a partnership between CCC, Seal Rescue Ireland, WCC, WWT and National Parks & Wildlife Service that provides maximum ecological value while delivering an amazing, free, natural amenity for the public. We aim to protect this stunning Natural Heritage Area for wildlife and the public for many years to come!

With the help of Wexford County Council National Parks and Wildlife Service and Wexford Walking Trail we hope to continue enhancing the Courtown Kiltennel Walking Trail experience towards an official opening in 2023. A special thank you goes to our committed Tús Workers, Ed and Amanda who keep the area looking sharp year-round!

CCC's AGM

The first in-person AGM for Courtown Community Council (CCC) since 2019 took place in Riverchapel Community Centre on Wednesday, February 1st. Approximately 45 community members, local business people, Cllr. Andrew Bolger and representatives from local organisations and groups attended the lively and productive meeting.

Completion of the Riverchapel Linked Walkway

We are delighted to see the completion of the Riverchapel to Courtown Linked Walkway. Many thanks to Wexford County Council. Funding for this project came from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme with the support of a number of local community groups. The project includes upgrades to the picnic area in Riverchapel, a new bus shelter near the Post Office, and much needed renovations to the Harbour seating area. All members of the public are cordially invited to the grand opening on Friday 9th June at 2:30p

Enhancements to Courtown's section of the Slí Charman Trail

CCC were successfully awarded funding from Pobal and the Community Resilience Fund for two new Trail map stands. These should be in place for the summer season. Restoration Tree Planting will continue in vulnerable areas along the coastal trail as per our Burrow Management Agreement with Wexford Walking Trail, Wexford County Council and NPWS. We also aim to install picnic tables in the regenerating wildflower meadow, and knee high railing along the the roadside to improve the beauty and safety for pedestrians. The new trail maps will include additional information about the biodiversity and heritage of our beautiful Courtown Natural Heritage Area.

NeighbourWood Scheme

In February, Courtown Community Council facilitated a joint meeting between the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, Wexford County Council, Active Tribe, Courotwn Woodland Alliance, and Seal Rescue Ireland. The aim of the meeting was to introduce the associated landowners of different sections of Courtown Woods and Dunes to our contacts at the Forest Service, and assist them in drawing down valuable government funding the the NeighbourWood Scheme. A scheme that was also utilised 25 years ago in Courtown to do a massive amount of work to protect and enhance the ecosystem and amenities. CCC will continue to engage with all the stakeholders to influence habitat restoration, trail maintenance, public amenity improvements, and other important works.

Re-establishment of the Courtown Heritage Group

"The new group is aimed at bringing people together in an effort to compile and archive as much social and local history as possible. Facilitator Linda Sinnott of Courtown Community Council informed those in attendance that there hadn’t been a Heritage Group in Courtown for the past 25 years. It was following the recent Courtown Community Council AGM that a decision was made to bring one back into being."

Crime Prevention Meeting

As agreed at our AGM earlier this year, Courtown Community Council organised a meeting for the community with the Gardaí.

Inspector Patrick Cody has indicated that Courtown is currently serviced by one Sergeant, Neal Daly and two Gardaí, Sean Lee and Aisling Daly. Inspector Cody has also indicated that at least one and possibly two additional Gardaí will be deployed to Courtown over the summer. Gardaí will be focusing on patrols and visible policing in the area for the summer with cycling and walking patrols also taking place.

We also requested crime figures data for the area. Inspector Cody shared with these figures with us as a comparison for the first four months of 2022 and 2023. Inspector Cody stated that the levels of criminality in the Courtown area were not higher than other surrounding areas. The Gardaí reminded everyone about the advice and resources available on the Garda website: https://www.garda.ie/en/

There was a lot of great discussion on the evening and we can share a more detailed update with anyone who wishes to receive it.

Clean Water Campaign Funding

CCC has completed work in collaboration with Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) and the Local Authority Waters Programme under the Community Waters Fund. With SRI, we jointly ran seven community environment events to improve awareness of the importance of clean water, functioning habitat and thriving biodiversity. We also commissioned the development of a citizen science, water quality research project. This project used macroinvertebrate sampling to audit water quality and the presence, or lack of, biodiversity in the small streams leading into the Owenavarragh River, which enters the Irish Sea at Courtown Harbour. The results showed some areas of concern, with heavy pressures on the freshwater ecosystem, but also some areas of promise.

Sad Goodbye and Exciting Welcomes

Courtown Community Council would like to sincerely thank Craig Lang, Melanie Croce, and Jeshua Taucher for their dedicated and productive years of service to CCC, and our local community. Jeshua and Melanie have moved overseas, but you will still find Craig working hard for the betterment of the local area and its people.

CCC are excited to welcome Lorna Fitzpatrick and Sean Thim O'Leary to the Committee. Their skills and addition to the team are greatly valued and we look forward to the impact they will have in our community.

Thats all for now, but be sure to subscribe for notifications on our next newsletter and remember we love donations and volunteers! So if you want to more involved, head here!

Summer 2023