Garrienderk group ‘delighted’ to progress in Going for Gold
South Limerick community is fourth group into the final of the competition to keep areas clean and tidy
GARRIENDERK Community Development has secured a coveted place in the final of Going for Gold 2024.
The team will now be making their way to the final of the competition being held in October this year. Kilteely Tidy Towns, Meadowbrook Residents Group, Corbally, Mountcollins Development Association and Newcastle West Tidy Towns are still in with a chance of obtaining a place in the coveted final as the judges will be selecting wildcard finalists in the coming weeks.
Treasurer of the Garrienderk group, Michael Murphy said they're “absolutely delighted” to have made it through to the next stage of the competition. “We were hoping we'd get through because we think we have a good project going on there.”
The development group recently purchased a derelict house before undertaking a feasibility study to see what they could use the building for once renovated. They successfully got planning permission last year to redevelop it into community purpose-built rooms. An engineer is currently preparing drawings for tender and earlier this year, the group was awarded a grant of €250,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
In addition, the group recently put up a plaque commemorating Michael Collins on the bridge of Garrienderk and had a stonemason erect a plaque in a stone wall.
If Garrienderk wins Going for Gold, they're hoping to use the funding to work on a garden around the property. “That's a huge improvement and it's going to be a great facility for the people of the area. Like, 'cause we have nothing in the line of any sort of a community centre.”
The Community Development group has entered Going for Gold for many years but has never made it into the final before. Mr Murphy said they're always been hopeful of getting to the next stage and that it's “lovely” to see the benefit the competition beings to local communities.
“Last year, our neighbours Kilfinane won the award and it shows that small communities like us can get into the same system as well. We're very happy to there,” added Mr Murphy.
Limerick Going for Gold encourages communities to be environmentally aware and keep their neighbourhoods clean and tidy.