KILDARE: Castletown Demesne receives international Green Flag award
Castletown Demesne in Celbridge has received an International Green Flag Award.
An Taisce Environmental Education acknowledged Ireland’s best public parks and gardens with the announcement of the 2023 awards.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) welcomed the news that 10 OPW sites were among a group of over 100 Irish public parks, gardens and voluntary run green community sites across the Republic of Ireland who received their 2023 Green Flags. These were Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre in Co. Meath, Castletown Demesne in Co. Kildare, Derrynane Historic Park in Co. Kerry, Fota Arboretum & Gardens and Garinish Island in Co. Cork, Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Irish National War Memorial Gardens, St. Stephen's Green Park, The Iveagh Gardens and The Phoenix Park in Dublin.
In addition to the Green Flag award, the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre, Derrynane Historical Park and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens have been awarded Green Heritage Site Accreditation while Castletown Demesne received a special award under the Pollinator Awards for their work supporting pollinating insects.
Castletown Demesne
Castletown Demesne is the designed landscape that surrounds Castletown House. It is an area of approximately 90 hectares consisting largely of a mixture of grassland and woodland on the outskirts of Celbridge, Co. Kildare.
Castletown House was built for the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Conolly, between 1722 and 1729. Castletown House was Ireland’s first house built in the Palladian style.
The eighteenth century Castletown landscape has survived remarkably well and it is still possible to stroll along Lady Louisa’s river Liffey walks and see the Temple and the remains of the Bathing House. The Meadow in front of the house is a semi-natural meadow and flowers from February – October, which hosts many wild flowers including pyramidal orchid and lady's bedstraw and provides an important habitat for butterflies and bees from very early spring to autumn. The parklands and river walks are open every day throughout the year.
Many events take place in Castletown Demesne every year, including National Dawn Chorus Day, National Drawing Day, Farmers’ Market and the host of cultural and musical events which are held in Castletown House.
Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works said
“I am delighted to see that many of our OPW sites has continued to receive the recognition, with the awarding of the Green flags which highlights the wonderfully diverse parks in our care. I particularly would like to congratulate all the OPW staff whose dedicated work and commitment to each property has contributed towards these Awards. The OPW places great importance on the sustainable management and conservation of the State’s Heritage sites, and the Green Flag Awards scheme is a wonderful way of recognising and celebrating these high standards.”
The Green Flag Awards, administered by An Taisce in the Republic of Ireland, recognise and encourage the provision of good quality parks and green spaces that are managed in environmentally sustainable ways. The awards are marked on eight criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. This International Scheme is in operation across Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.