Autumn 2021
Courtown Community Council (Registered Charity No. 20043414) has been diligently working over the past 6 months with individuals, local groups and national organisations to enhance and improve the collective communities of Courtown, Riverchapel and the surrounding areas.
The last six months have been witness to many successes with the completion of our New Coastal Pathway, Harbour Telescope, and Smart Village training. However, there have also been a myriad of challenges. It has been a real struggle for clear communication and transparency with our local authorities.
Our concerns have been fed back through formal complaints which are available below. CCC has made huge strides by achieving compliance with The Charity Regulators Governance Code and is working tirelessly on a Community-driven Smart Village Strategic Plan which is supported by expert consultation from Wexford Local Development (WLD) and Prescience EU, in line with Local, National and EU Strategic Plans. We want to ensure that the views of residents and visitors of our community are heard and respected. In line with Governance Code, as a Registered Charity, all of CCC's Trustees serve as volunteers, and make no personal gain from any CCC activities.
The members of CCC also represent and collaborate with a variety of other local stakeholder groups including: Seal Rescue Ireland, Irish Coast Guard, Riverchapel Community Complex, and local schools.
CCC are sincerely grateful to all those who are supporting, following or engaging in our diverse array of projects for the community benefit. Please take some time to read through a selection of topics that have arisen over the past 6 months, below. We hope you enjoy hearing about these community projects and we appreciate any support and feedback you may wish to provide.
Smart Village Strategic Plan
Representatives of CCC and Riverchapel Comunity Complex have jointly attended a 7-week Smart Village training course. The training was managed by Mary Dunphy of Wexford Local Development and delivered by Rural Development expert, Ian Dempsey of Prescience EU. The training provided invaluable resources, guidance and expert consultation to help CCC and other Community groups around Wexford to start developing a long-term Smart Village Strategic Plan. The Smart Village course focussed on enabling bottom up community development in line with Local, National and EU Strategic Plans, such as The Green New Deal. Our team, made up of Linda Sinnott, Craig Lang, and Jeshua Taucher are working with the expert consultant and WLD to draw together a Smart and sustainable Strategic Plan for Courtown, Riverchapel and surrounding areas. Our plan will be openly accessible with a heavy focus on community and stakeholder engagement and consultation, so that we can understand and deliver the real needs of our growing, yet disadvantaged community. We hope to strengthen connnections between these areas, protect and promote local heritage, provide services and amenity for residents, improve local tourism, and protect and restore our delicate local environment. The plan will be available on our website early in 2022 and we welcome input from all stakeholders.
Smart Village Launch
New Coin Operated Telescope
A project that has been two years in the making has come into fruition at last, as CCC unveiled its new coin-operated telescope on the North Pier of Courtown Harbour. The new addition was sponsored by SSE Renewables under the Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 Sponsorship Fund, and the telescope itself was manufactured by Tourist Telescopes UK which offered helpful advice shared by telescope experts Mark and Wendy Fairman. We are grateful to Wexford County Council (WCC) for supporting us with installation. One Euro provides 90 seconds of operation for viewing out to the Irish sea, local coastline, harbour area, Tara Hill, and the existing Arklow Bank Wind Park and the site for SSE Renewables Phase 2 project. All proceeds from the telescope, along with donations raised through www.courtown.org, go directly towards future and ongoing CCC projects to benefit the local community. Covid restrictions, VAT increases and Brexit all added to the challenge but we finally managed to have the telescope delivered to Courtown in May 2021, just as the pier enhancement works were about to begin. The area along the seafront was being upgraded so the telescope had to stay in storage for safety reasons. It was frustrating as we missed out on significant funding over the busier summer months. Now, it proudly stands on the bow of the ship with views stretching from Kilmichael Point to Cahore Point and of course towards the existing Arklow Bank Wind Park and the site for SSE Renewables Phase 2 project.
The Telescope makes a great addition to the space while simultaneously creating a visual platform highlighting what we hope will be an ongoing partnership between SSE Renewables and Community Council.
New Coastal Trail
The new Courtown to Kiltennel coastal walking trail (2.34km) is nearing completion, as the final Waymaker signs will soon be installed. As an additional safety measure, an emergency location marker system will also be introduced along both The Ballymoney and Courtown/Kiltennel trails. This comes from a combined initiative between CCC, Wexford Walking Trails, National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS), and the Irish Coast Guard. It is envisaged that other coastal trails will soon see these emergancy location markers rolled out along the Wexford coastline. Thank you to Rory O'Mahony and his team for for all their efforts on this section of the Sli Charman rehabilitation project. The trail will enable more visitors and members of our community access to enjoy this beautiful forested, coastal walk.
Courtown Woods and Leisure Centre Report
Last May, Protect Courtown Woods spear-headed a campaign to keep Courtown Woods and Courtown Leisure Centre in public ownership resulting in a petition with over 10,000 written and online signatures. At the May Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Meeting, a motion was passed to call on Wexford County Council “To take into public ownership Forest Park Leisure Complex and the adjoining protected Woodland for the use and enjoyment of our local community and visitors to the area for the future”. The motion was carried 6-4. Voting in favour Cllrs Bolger, Deveraux, Donohoe, Ó’Súilleabháin, O’Sullivan and Kenny. Voting against Cllrs Breen, Farrell, Kavanagh and Walsh.
On May 28th, a delegation of local representatives, including reps from CCC and Protect Courtown Woods, met with Wexford County Council CEO Tom Enright at the Amber Springs Hotel. A formal undertaking was requested from the CEO that once the liquidation process was complete, WCC would consider purchasing the lands in order to keep the woodlands in public ownership. The CEO agreed and gave this undertaking. See Approved minutes here. After some weeks, CCC along with local councillors, asked both WCC and the appointed liquidators, Baker Tilly, to disclose the figure offered to WCC as creditor. Baker Tilly responded that they were operating under a non-disclosure agreement, however this agreement did not extend to Wexford County Council in their role as creditors in the liquidation.
In early June, it was announced that Courtown Leisure Centre and the adjoining 53 acres of Courtown Woods was officially sold into private ownership, to Active Tribe Ltd. On meeting with the new owners it was disclosed that both the Courtown Woods and the Leisure Centre were sold as a package deal although Active Tribe are not creating any barriers in exploring avenues where Courtown Woods could be placed back into public ownership.
One of the many signs during the recent protests
Gorey to Courtown Footpath
In July, Courtown Community Council were asked to be the named community group associated with completing the remaining sections of the Gorey to Courtown Footpath. Subsequently, an application for funding was submitted by Wexford County Council to the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) to progress the footpath. Initially, CCC agreed to support the application and submitted the names of the relevant stakeholders who would need to be consulted. We also submitted a list of observations that would require further discussion and investigation prior to the application being submitted as an initial starting point for a public consultation process. See here. Unfortunately, the ORIS application was submitted within 24 hours of the initial phone conversation requesting support and without CCC seeing the full application or the 11 attachments including sample bridge styles. See full application here.
Once CCC had a chance to review the complete application and given the lack of any public consultation to discuss our concerns, the committee decided to withdraw from this particular application. We contacted ORIS and WCC to let them know that we were happy to stay involved in the project just not on this particular application given the lack of consultation with the relevant stakeholders. Also, we are concerned that the proposed route does not link into the existing infrastructure. We feel that it is imperative that the footpath should serve the needs of local residents whilst preserving and protecting our mature trees and our registered protected structures (Ballinatray Bridge & the Gate Lodge) and our National Monument (High Cross of Kilbride).
GKMD September Meeting
At the September GKMD meeting, CEO Tom Enright disclosed that a sum of €372,134.81 was offered to WCC as creditors of Courtown Woods and Leisure Centre by the liquidators, Baker Tilly. The choice now, said Mr. Enright, was to decide whether to take this offer and, if so, what to spend it on. Mr Enright went on to lobby the councillors to use the entire amount received from the liquidation to develop the Gorey to Courtown footpath. See report of GKMD meeting here: Funds received from liquidators will be used to develop long awaited Gorey to Courtown Footpath See our reaction and reaction from Wexford's Green Party.
As a result of this meeting and other issues which are affecting our community, CCC supplied all 10 councillors with a second Letter of Community Concerns in September. We have also submitted a number of formal complaints to Wexford County Council which have been forwarded on to the Ombudsman for review. Complaint 1, 2, 3 and 4. CCC have formally requested a meeting with all 10 Councillors. We are delighted to report we have been formally invited to address our councillors at the December GKMD meeting.
Courtown Woods Alliance
A new coalition has formed to protect Courtown’s precious woodlands and forested amenity areas. The Courtown Woodland Alliance is made up of a coalition of voluntary groups including Courtown Community Council, Seal Rescue Ireland, Protect the Woods, Gallivanting Tours, local trail runners and The Courtown Woods Preservation Group. The partners are working with local landowners and government bodies to protect and restore Courtown’s existing woodlands for the preservation of nature, and promotion of community health and well-being. Members of the new Courtown Woodland Alliance gathered at Courtown Woods in October to launch their woodland conservation initiative with a community 'Spooktacular Scary Hike' through the Courtown Woods. Led by a friendly local witch and legendary storyteller, Lorraine of Gallivanting.ie, and armed with torches, young and old alike braved the dark and gnarly forest trails to uncover Courtown’s historical horrors and local legends. Dozens of families in full costume were guided through cobwebs under the thinning autumn canopy and were duly spooked by an eerie assortment of ghouls, vampires, banshees and even a zombie Pirate who lay in wait behind the trees. A representative from the Alliance, Deirdre Robinson, said “There’s no doubt woods can be spooky places sometimes - cracking twigs, swooping bats, creeping tendrils of mist and a bramble catching at your ankles. But despite much playful shrieking and screaming, scary fun was had by all. It was a lovely opportunity for the community to re-acquaint themselves with the rare beauty of our local woodlands at dusk and help our kids appreciate the healthy delight of a woodland walk in any season.” Linda Sinnott of Courtown Community Council welcomed the new Alliance and praised its particular focus on community engagement and education as part of its conservation mission: “Over the past year it’s become clear just how much we all need fresh air, open space and beauty - it’s therefore all the more vital that we look after our special places for everyone’s benefit now and in the future. The volunteers of the Alliance are committed to such action and ensuring the whole community benefits from our remaining natural resources.”
Recent Community Halloween Walk in Courtown Woods!
Communtiy Working to Ensure Best Practice
In July, a significant amount of work carried out in Courtown Woods was found to be at odds with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) best practices for designated Natural Heritage Areas. Works that involved heavy machinery (which led to a potential water pollution event) took place in Courtown Woods without CCC’s knowledge. These works resulted in damage to mature trees and vegetation during bird nesting season. There was also significant disruption to the established riverbank (a protected species’ habitat) at an important time for freshwater species. Both Protect Courtown Woods group and CCC referred the case to the relevant local and national authorities.
In August, Wexford Walking Trails informed CCC that they were no longer the Wexford Walking Trail Representatives for this section of trails (Canal Walk, The Top Walk, the River Walk and The High Cross Walk) in Courtown Woods, where the above works took place. This role has now been taken on by the new private owners Active Tribe Ltd., effectively removing all local community involvement from Courtown Woods.
However, we would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that any member of the public are entitled to report breaches in environmental legislation to National Parks and Wildlife Service https://www.npws.ie/ as Courtown Woods and the Burrow Road over to Duffcarrick Rocks are all designated National Heritage Areas. We ask our community and visitors to continue to be vigilant particularly during bird nesting season, which is 1st March to 31st August each year.
Pier Enhancement
CCC are delighted to see this phase of the Pier Enhancement works in Courtown completed in October. Both the Seafront and the Ship have been renovated, with ongoing consultation with CCC, and the results are a big improvement. Many thanks to Liz Stanley and the team at Wexford County Council for advancing the Town and Village project. With new railings and additional improvements still to come, we look forward to working together again on the next Town and Village project - The Linked Riverchapel to Courtown Walkway.
The brave and bold Courtown Coastguard in front of the ship!
Habitat Restoration Project in collaboration with Seal Rescue Ireland
CCC are working closely with the only other Registered Charity in Courtown, Seal Rescue Ireland on a growing Habitat Restoration initative, throughout the Ounavarra River Catchment Area. Seal Rescue Ireland recently won the South-East: Waters and Communites Award for the National Tidy Towns Competition for their outstanding environmental work in our local area.
Clean water is fundamental to the health of our coastal community. By planting native trees along waterways and coastlines, we maximise the ecosystem benefits which trees provide, including water filtration, erosion control, soil protection, carbon sequestration to help fight climate change, promote biodiversity (on land, in waterways, and at sea), and protect coastal waters from sediment and pollution. The improved green spaces also provide a valuable public amenity which promotes community health and well-being
Seal Rescue Ireland have already successfully planted over 8,450 native trees in the local community over the last three years, with a pledge to plant a total of 25,000+ throughout the local catchment within the next two. Ireland is one of the most deforested countries in the world, despite having some of the most conducive conditions for tree growth. Therefore this project represents a great opportunity to inspire other tree planting projects nationwide for a brighter, greener future. If you would like to get involved in the planting efforts, or you have land that you'd like to see restored, you can make contact with them here.
