2011 - Newtowncashel - Co. Longford

Tidy Towns Competition 2011


Adjudication Report

Centre: Newtowncashel Ref: 485
County: Longford Mark: 301
Category: A Date(s): 16/06/2011 29/07/2011

                                              Maximum Mark            Mark Awarded  2010    Mark Awarded  2011
Overall Development Approach          50                                   46                             46
The Built Environment                      50                                   38                             38
Landscaping                                    50                                   41                             41
Wildlife and Natural Amenities           50                                   30                             31
Litter Control                                   50                                   38                             38
Waste Minimisation                          20                                   11                             11
Tidiness                                          30                                   20                             20
Residential Areas                             40                                   28                             28
Roads, Streets and Back Areas          50                                   39                             39
General Impression                          10                                   9                                9
TOTAL MARK                                  400                                300                            301

Overall Development Approach:

Welcome Newtowncashel to the 2011 TidyTowns Competition. Your entry is welcome and appreciated. Thank you for your comprehensive entry form and the lovely map, which this adjudicator would love to keep but it will be returned to you. Your 3 year plan made interesting reading and the adjudicator appreciated it. As an award winner last year Newtowncashel knows how to do it so this adjudicator is not going to give advice in this category except to encourage you to submit copies of newsletters, cuttings from newspapers etc. They inform the adjudicator and may earn marks. Your committee knows how to present a winning village. You are well resourced with support agencies.

The Built Environment:

The new timber gate and piers at the GAA ground were noted. Overall, the clubhouse and pitch were well presented. The school looked very well.The church and grounds were immaculate and the parochial house was eye catching having been painted. The car park opposite the church does have stunning views over the countryside. The trees in the car park will be commented on in the landscaping category.The Hill Hall is very well presented. The former Heritage Centre really caught the eye with lovely roses and clean, nicely painted old agricultural machinery. Well done to the new owner for presenting the property in faultless condition. The village shop looked well after its rejuvenation. Fallon’s Pub looked very well. What can be said about Hopkin’s premises? An attempt has been made to improve the look of the shop but the derelict house adjoining it detracts from the first impression of the village. However, it is beyond the ability of your committee to rectify.

Landscaping:

The montbretia planting was noted and it will enhance the first impression of the village when it is extended to the crossroads.The beech hedging at the GAA grounds was noted. The post and rail fencing already in place is in good repair. The Butterfly Garden looks very well. What can this adjudicator say about the Quarry that has not already been said? It is a most imaginative use of an old quarry. So much creativity and craftsmanship has gone into it. One really should not single out one of its features for special mention e.g. the arboretum. It was this adjudicator’s first time to see it. Overall, it still retains a natural look. Man or woman has imposed on the landscape but in a most tasteful way. It is not about appraising this years projects in the quarry, it has to be enjoyed as a total experience. Even the old piece of agricultural machinery at the entrance enhances it. The pond looks so natural and is in scale with everything else. This adjudicator has every confidence that future projects will further enhance it. The copper beech trees in the car park are protected by very attractive raised beds at their base. The plaque in the stonewall acknowledging all those who helped Newtowncashel TidyTowns over the years is a very nice gesture. There are many other landscaping features around the village that caught the adjudicator’s eye. Instead of listing them all, suffice it to say that all are very well maintained and , collectively, show Newtowncashel off to its best.Very well done to all concerned. It is a most imaginative use of an old quarry. So much creativity and craftsmanship has gone into it. One really should not single out one of its features for special mention e.g. the arboretum. It was this adjudicator’s first time to see it. Overall, it still retains a natural look. Man or woman has imposed on the landscape but in a most tasteful way. It is not about appraising this years projects in the quarry, it has to be enjoyed as a total experience. Even the old piece of agricultural machinery at the entrance enhances it. The pond looks so natural and is in scale with everything else. This adjudicator has every confidence that future projects will further enhance it. The copper beech trees in the car park are protected by very attractive raised beds at their base. The plaque in the stonewall acknowledging all those who helped Newtowncashel TidyTowns over the years is a very nice gesture. There are many other landscaping features around the village that caught the adjudicator’s eye. Instead of listing them all, suffice it to say that all are very well maintained and , collectively, show Newtowncashel off to its best.Very well done to all concerned.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities:

Located as it is in lush, pastoral countryside Newtowncashel can score highly in this category.The increase in the hare population is very good news.The Quarry is a rich wildlife area within the village, which you are using to very good effect. It is also a terrific amenity.The school already has one Green Flag so it has shown that it has an interest in this category. To progress in this category, a survey of wildlife and habitats would inform further decision making. There are useful web sites e.g www.iwt.ie (Irish Wildlife Trust) and www.birdwatchireland.ie. The pupils will quickly find others. There is a very informative floral sign at the Quarry. A similar type of sign could be one of the outputs of the survey. The Butterfly Garden is an excellent initiative. Well done to all involved.

Litter Control:

Newtowncashel was litter free on adjudication day. Your litter prevention programme is very effective.The Bring Banks were neat, clean and litter free. The clothes bank in the GAA car park was also neat and tidy. Well done to all concerned, particularly the dawn patrol and the school management, staff and pupils.

Waste Minimisation:

Again, a copy of the parish newsletter should be sent with future entries. This category has as one of its principal criteria – the promotion of waste minimisation throughout the community. However, with only 2 commercial premises in the village waste minimisation is not a major issue and you do promote best practice in the parish newsletter.

Tidiness:

There were no weeds evident on adjudication day. As mentioned under the landscaping category some verges need attention. It is noted that you promote anti-litter awareness in your newsletter. It is always a good idea to send samples of these and newspaper cuttings with your entry form. They inform the adjudicator, may gain you marks and are returned. There were some bent white poles visable against the concrete block wall of the unoccupied bungalow beside the GAA grounds. Have you explored grant assistance to underground power cables at sensitive points in the village. Longford Resource Centre will advise you further. Noted that the ‘For Sale’ sign was removed. Well done.Your work programme included attention to the road verge near the junction with the Longford road and the stone bridge and arch.

Residential Areas:

Newtowncashel has no housing estates. It is a village of individual residences, all but a few facing onto a road. All are presented to a very high standard both buildings, gardens and boundary walls. Clearly, there is a strong community spirit and considerable effort is made to project the very best image of Newtowncashel. Stonewalls, a feature of the village, are very well maintained. Despite its elongated lay out there is very much a ‘village’ feel to Newtowncashel. Well done to all.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas:

Approach roads are very well presented. The village blue and white name sign on the Barley Harbour Road stands on a neat road verge. Is there an opportunity here to plant at its feet or build a raised bed faced with stone, which would be in character with the stonewalls in the village. It is an elegant sign, so much better than the black and white finger post sign that it replaced. The T-junction has a nicely landscaped area. On the Longford Road approach road the adjudicator noticed that Newtowncashel was spelled as one word on the blue and white village name sign but the TidyTowns silver winner 2010 spelled it as 2 words? Enhancement projects on roads have been considered under other categories in this report. No weeds were evident on adjudication day. Roads and footpaths in the village are, generally, in good order. The footpath from Fallon’s pub to the shop has been upgraded and the road-flooding problem at the Quarry has been eliminated. Well done Longford County Council and Newtowncashel TidyTowns. done Longford County Council and Newtowncashel TidyTowns.

General Impression:

Well done again Newtowncashel TidyTowns, your partners Longford County Council, Longford Community Resources, FAS, GAA and local volunteers.Collectively, you have once again presented the village as a beautiful, colourful and peaceful village. The introduction of some artistic elements gives the village an added dimension.Very well done to all involved.

Second Round Adjudication:

It was this adjudicator's first visit to Newtowncashel. The anticipation of seeing a village which has consistently scored well in the National Tidy Towns competition did not disappoint on the day. It is obvious that this village has taste. It is also obvious that everybody works very hard to achieve the results that are to be seen on the ground. We saw you working on our visit. We particularly admire your sense of restraint, and your faithful commitment to keeping the village classically simple and rural in nature. The Quarry is a hidden treasure, combining the best of the natural environment, enhanced by art/sculptures, and associations with Irish mythology and local heritage. The new display of poppies and other wildflowers in the Quarry Park was spectacular on adjudication day. Well done on acting on last year's adjudicator’s note about the newts. Perhaps you might consider including the Irish names for the flowers, birds, and animals on future wildlife/wildflower posters? This adjudicator is not so sure about the choice of location for the interesting old piece of machinery outside the park entrance, but this is a matter of personal opinion. Your lovely mature trees add great character and depth to your village. Your wonderful flower-bed/name sign on the Longford approach road brims with colour. There is some confusion however on this approach with your Tidy Towns Awards metal sign. The English version states that you were silver medallists in 2010.However, the Irish refers to “Bonn Óir” – which is a gold medallist. You obviously have mixed up some years here, so perhaps you can rectify this before 2012! This sign is beautifully set on a planted stone plinth on a nice verge.We noted some hedge cutting on approaches to the village. You are reminded that it is an offence under the Wildlife Act 1976 and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2006 to cut vegetation in a hedge or ditch on lands not cultivated between 1st March and 31st August annually - this is for the protection of nesting birds. Marks have not been deducted in this regard for this year; however in 2012 this will be considered in marking. Your County Heritage Officer will be able to advise you further in this regard. Your combination of modern sculpture and natural stone is dramatic. The fact that it engages the viewer in the natural geology and wildlife environment in its form and representation is much admired. We commend your local engineer for the excellent presentation of your road signs. The lovely old-fashioned striped uprights are very attractive and rare nowadays. Perhaps you can encourage him/her to include the uprights of the 50/80 speed limits on the Barley Harbour approach, and the upright on the junction sign on the Curroole approach ( where there is also a tilting speed limit sign), in a painting scheme for 2012! It is also possible to buy plastic striped sleeves for such signs which require washing but not painting. We were particularly impressed with your treatment of the junction area of the Quarry Road with the main village street and in particular your “number 25 wall creepers”. This is very effective. The lovely garden seat located on the footpath opposite number 25 requires treatment for rust before 2012. The porch roof edges of the office building/house could be improved. The teachers residence/Thomas Ashe Hall area is a lovely interesting enclave, beautifully presented. The shop still has repetitive signage referred to already by an earlier adjudicator. However, it was very neatly presented, apart from the excessive number of notices attached to the door glazing internally. The Garda Station/Church/Parochial House/Hill Hall/Fallon’s/ Health Centre/ Old Heritage Centre were all presented in an exemplary fashion. The new two-storey architecturally designed house beside the Heritage Centre is an excellent addition to your built environment, and it retains all the natural screening. We are glad to see that you state that the owner of Hopkin’s shop has recently been granted planning permission to refurbish this building. We hope that this is to professional architectural conservation standards, as this is a most traditional and beautiful shop front. We love your use of red throughout the village e.g. in the floral plantings, in the seating at the Quarry etc. It contrasts so well with the fresh green of the lush countryside. Is your “shut the gate” sign from an old railway level crossing? It is an interesting feature. We were also curious about the Hopkins stone memorial abutting the solitary tree in the field across from the school. Another quirky feature we noticed was the stone insert “AND” in the stone single storey building “assisted by Longford Community Resources” near the shop. Another quirky feature we noticed was the stone insert “AND” in the stone single storey building “assisted by Longford Community Resources” near the shop. One slightly jarring note was the - admittedly old and dulled - but nonetheless graffiti on the inside wall of the ruined cottage which is highly visible to approaching traffic from the Quarry to the village. The exposed room has a lovely fireplace, but this is detracted from by the graffiti. Are you in a position to rectify this? Two gaps in the stone walling along the approach from the school need attention. We note that you refer to one of these as “number 27” on the map “new residence on school road (landscaping)”. The surface of this, Barley Harbour approach road and the associated footpath both need repair in places. Well done on the footpath improvements from Fallon's pub to the village shop. We would like to see some screening of the remaining materials/tidying of the side access to the development behind the pub. There was a tiny amount of paper litter in the Quarry on adjudication day. At the Bring Bank site a cardboard box with an empty plastic bag inside had been left between the stone wall and the grey bin. The Newtowncashel information sign at the car park opposite the church is beginning to look a little worn. Perhaps the gable of the GAA building might receive a coat of paint before next year's adjudication. We noted a “for sale” sign on a stone wall on the Quarry Road. This was dirty. It is not the “for sale” sign referred to in last year's report, which this year’s first adjudicator noted had been removed. We noted a few discrepancies between the numbers on your map list and the map itself e.g. number 28 on the map is actually the school but on the map list it is referred to as “removal of bin” at Quarry Park. Your map nonetheless is a work of art. Furthermore we would like to commend you very much on your artistic and yet exceptionally clear three-year plan. Your entry in general is very agreeable to read and interpret - both written and cartographic details. We note that you are actually ahead of yourselves in some of your planned projects  such as the plaque to the memory of John Keegan Casey. To increase your marks under the Built Environment section we might suggest that you endeavour to paint all your gates/field gates in a unified colour. Raw metal field gates are not up to the standard you have set for the Built Environment! As has been pointed out in the earlier adjudication - to progress in the Wildlife and Natural Amenities category - it is recommended that a survey of wildlife and habitats be undertaken. You will find lots of advice in the Tidy Towns Handbook as to how to progress in each category. You have achieved a very high standard in this competition. To progress further towards the ultimate accolade issues mentioned by adjudicators will also need to be addressed. And continue to maintain what to have in as elegant a fashion as you have done to date, and we will be looking forward to watching you go from strength to strength.