Tallaght has its first Green Flag park after Sean Walsh Park was awarded the honour last week.
Tallaght Community Council began to actively focus and lobbying to raise standards across Tallaght parks four years ago.
Last Monday their hard work paid off when An Taisce announced that the park had been awarded a Green Flag.
“This is a proud day for Tallaght – the culmination of 3 years cross community volunteering, from idea to achievement,” said Gerry Stockil, voluntary Chair of TCC, following the announcement.
“Well done Tallaght – take a bow. You were instrumental in bringing the coveted Green Flag Award to Tallaght.
“Tallaght can now proudly fly a Green Flag on the flagship town centre park.
“Now for phase 2 of the community plan for Sean Walsh Park to formalise the Gateway To The Mountain – a viewing tower and Cafe at the beginning of the Dublin Mountain Way”.
The awarding of the Green Flag is just reward for the army of volunteers who worked to improve the park.
A network called Love Tallaght Outdoors was founded in 2016 by TCC and interested Tallaght individuals such Gar Tyrrell and Simon Sweeney.
Peter, the TCC heritage officer, was a daily walker in Tallaght’s parks. He knew there were others, including locals Lisa McAuley and Jackie Long working separately in Sean Walsh park tackling litter.
Together they pulled together and formed a highly motivated and engaged group – the Tallaght Litter Mugs.
They set about establishing regular park clean ups and adopting the park’s sensory garden.
Two years of community diligence and voluntary commitment has been a major contributor to the announcement of Green Flag being awarded to Sean Walsh Park last week.
TCC said the community is hugely proud of this achievement and in particular the fact that the idea was community initiated and led.
Sean Walsh Park has a sensory garden, urban petting zoo, water features, ornamental lakes, viewing hills, thriving wild life and a national walk trail – The Dublin Mountain Way
The Love Tallaght Outdoors network and Litter Mugs continue to meet and tend to the park.
Anyone who would like to get involved with the regular park cleans can visit the groups’ Facebook pages.
