Ten apple orchards to blossom around Mayo's county town
By Tom Gillespie
ONE hundred apple trees are to be planted at 10 locations around Castlebar in a unique community initiative that could see a return of 50,000 apples in seven years time.
The Bee Kind Project is coordinating the planting of two community apple orchards at Lough Lannagh on Saturday next, March 8.
Funded by Variety Ireland, a children’s charity, the project is a partnership with Castlebar Tidy Towns and Mayo County Council, working together to deliver the initiative.
Sean Corrigan of Bee Kind explained: “The project is all about bringing communities together for something positive, and we are delighted to partner with Castlebar Tidy Towns.
“Forty-five trees are earmarked for the Lough Lannagh sites and in the coming weeks the remaining trees will be planted at St. Joseph’s, Castlebar Primary School, St. Bridget’s Crescent, Greenway, Lakeview, The Brambles, Green Fields, Cois Abhann and Cuan Catriona.”
Sean continued: “I have worked a lot in rural areas and I have seen lots of social isolation through Covid and people living on their own. We came up with this project to bring people together that might not normally meet each other.
“Linking up with the Tidy Towns was the obvious choice as they are so well connected in Castlebar. I contacted Councillor Ger Deere of the Tidy Towns committee and they were delighted to come on board.
“The project has been a long time in the planning. We got talking to David Mellett on Mayo County Council as we wanted to do something that was under the town development plan.
"The council have given us 10 sites and we plan to plant 100 apple trees in 10 orchards. There will be between 45 and 50 community groups who will attend on Saturday and each group will plant a tree and some groups will have to share.
“This is about social and community benefits. It is about people getting out and talking and having the craic, and getting together shoulder to shoulder. ”
On Friday, Midwest Radio will be in Castlebar as part of the Bee Kind initiative to highlight all things good about the town.
Councillor Ger Deere said the objectives of Tidy Towns have changed over he past 30 years.
He explained: "There are eight categories involved now, biodiversity being one of them, and inclusion. Over the last few years Aurivo gave us saplings which we planted as an urban forest in the town park.
“But this project takes on another level. It is about involvement, more inclusion and biodiversity and the benefits of it. It will give a lot of young people in the urban area a better understanding of nature and planting and the benefits of it.
“After Saturday there are nine other housing estates where trees will be planted and over the coming years the young people can see the development of the orchards they planted.”
He added: “The social inclusion aspect and getting all sorts of groups involved - marginalised and disability groups - is all part of the project. The new biodiversity officer with Mayo County Council, Shelia Murphy, and foreman Joe Monaghan are working with us. This is a planned project and the trees will be planted in areas where they are safe.”
The trees are heritage apple trees from Irish Seed Savers. It’s hoped that within seven years each will produce up to 500 apples – that’s 50,000 apples people can pick.
The Lough Lannagh planting will take pace on Saturday from 9 a.m. to midday and all are invited to attend.
The group are putting together a 20-page booklet on tips on well-being and biodiversity, which will be included as an insert in The Connaught Telegraph at the end of March.