County Limerick Burial Grounds And Golden Mile Awards Ceremony Takes Place

The winners of the annual County Limerick Burial Grounds Awards and the Golden Mile Awards were announced at a ceremony held in Limerick County Hall this evening.

29 community groups and voluntary organisations from across County Limerick received awards. Crean Development was named overall winner of the sixth annual Golden Mile Competition, which was sponsored this year by Cold Chon (Galway) Ltd. Councillor David Naughton, Cathaoirleach of Limerick Council presented the community organisation with a perpetual trophy crafted by John Ryan of Lickadoon, Ballyneety.

Caherelly was named overall winner of the Modern section of the Burial Ground competition, while Reilig Mhuire in Askeaton finished in second place. Meanwhile, Killeedy was named overall winner of the Ancient section of the competition with Annagh being announced as runner-up.

This evening’s ceremony featured a presentation from guest speaker John Murphy, who is a Clare-based wildlife documentary producer and a prominent member of Bird Watching Ireland.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Councillor David Naughton complimented the award winners in both competitions and thanked them for their commitment to enhancing the overall appearance of their respective communities. Councillor Naughton noted: “These award schemes demonstrate that the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in County Limerick and long may it continue to be so.”

The Cathaoirleach said the purpose of the Golden Mile competition is to foster pride in the country road-scapes. He continued: “The maintenance of the rural landscape is an important feature of our living environment and as the country roads act are the ‘front lines’ it is important that they are maintained and enhanced in an appropriate manner. Recognition of their importance as an integral part of our environment has brought together the various stakeholders including Limerick County Council, The Heritage Council, and environmental and community groups to work towards management and enhancement of safe and interesting stretches of roads. Above all, this competition provides an opportunity to work alongside your neighbour to improve your neighbourhood.”

Commenting on the Burial Grounds awards, Councillor Naughton said: “The people of rural Ireland have always had a deep respect for their dead and, by extension, for their local burial ground. By hosting these awards each year Limerick County Council is showing its appreciation of the wonderful work being carried out by local burial ground committees throughout the County. Graveyards are sacred places with a very special function that sets them apart from the everyday things in life and by maintaining them local committees are continuing to promote this value.”

Golden Mile Competition Winners 2009:
Crean Development (overall winner), Broadford Development Association Ltd (Communal Input), Croom Abu Walking Club (Hedges) Kilmeedy Community Development Group Ltd (Trees and Structures) and Kilteely / Dromkeen Tidy Towns Committee (Litter and Road Safety).

Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Ancient section):
1st Annagh, 2nd Kilkeedy, 3rd Clonanna (Annacotty), 1st Ballinard, 2nd Kilflyn, 3rd Athneasy (Kilmallock), 1st Killeedy, 2nd Springfield, Broadford, 3rd Abbeyfeale (Newcastle West), and 1st Anhid, 2nd Rathkeale St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, 3rd Crecora old cemetery (Rathkeale).

Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Modern section):
1st Caherelly, 2nd Doon, 3rd Castleconnell (Annacotty), 1st Kilfinane New, 2nd St. Joseph’s Cemetery Knocklong, 3rd Kilmallock (Kilmallock), 1st Ardagh, 2nd Feohanagh, 3rd Athea (Newcastle West) and 1st Reilig Mhuire Askeaton, 2nd Reilig Mhuire Croom, 3rd Kilcoleman (Rathkeale).

Closing Date For Fodder Aid Scheme Is Extended

County Clare farmers affected by recent serious flooding have until the end of this week to submit applications for assistance under the Aid Scheme for Damaged Fodder, Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen has confirmed.

According to the Clare Fianna Fail Deputy: “The Department of Agriculture has extended the closing date by one week, to 18 December 2009, as it is conscious of the ongoing severe conditions still being experienced by farmers in the affected regions. Payments will begin issuing later this week to those farmers who have already submitted applications and I would encourage those who have yet to do so to submit their applications immediately. There is no prospect of extending the closing date beyond 18 December.”

The Aid Scheme is targeted at farmers in the affected areas, whose fodder (silage, hay, straw or concentrates) was damaged by the unprecedented widespread flooding which occurred during November. The Scheme requires farmers to demonstrate that the fodder was damaged and the extent of that damage.

Application forms are available from Department Local Offices, the Department's website (www.agriculture.gov.ie) and Teagasc Local Offices. Completed forms should be returned to the address below, or any Department Local Office. A dedicated lo-call number has been set up to deal with queries relating to the Scheme: Lo-call telephone number: 1890 252118.

Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments To Be Issued In Early 2010

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen T.D. said this week that the Suckler Welfare Scheme will continue in 2010 at the rate of 40 euro per animal and that payment will issue early in the New Year in respect of the 2009 Scheme year.

The Clare Fianna Fail Deputy reminded all Clare farmers in the Scheme of the need to continue to use the Animal Events System to register calf births from 1 January onwards and to meet the various requirements under the scheme in order to ensure that they will qualify for payment in due course.

Minister of State Killeen said that the scheme had been very successful in its first two years. He continued: “The high standard of animal husbandry on participating farms is showing through when weanlings are being sold. The quantity of breeding information, a combination of ancestry, bulls used, performance data and weanling quality, now being collected on farms around the country and submitted to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation is already making a huge contribution to improvement in the genetic quality of the suckler herd. The real payoff will be in the long term and it is vitally important that we keep up the flow of data to the ICBF and at the same time maintain the high standard of animal welfare for 2010".

Minister of State Killeen also urged Clare farmers to take the opportunity of using better genetics in their herd by making use of ICBF services, including the bull search facility on the ICBF website www.icbf.com.