Offaly pupils plant trees in latest phase of ambitious river project

PUPILS from Scoil Bhride in Tullamore ventured across the road on Tuesday to plant trees in the new wetlands park in Kilcruttin.

The wetlands park development is part of the Tullamore Living River project which aims to enhance the appearance and amenity value of the river and open it up to the public.

There is a small lake in Kilcruttin, rock features, a tarmac walking track and many newly planted trees.

“The Living River project was started by the council about two years back and there are plans to sow a lot more trees there,” said Cllr Sean O'Brien, Independent public representative and activist with Tullamore Tidy Towns.

“Tullamore Tidy Towns invited pupils from Scoil Mhuire and Scoil Bhride to give them an interest in the project and know what is there every day when they pass by.”

Cllr O'Brien said it is very important to involve young people in such a project because “they're the future, they're the guardians of the world” in the context of climate change.

“They were really excited digging the holes for the trees.” (See picture below)

Part of the wetlands site is elevated, offering a view down to the river and Cllr O'Brien said that when it is fully opened to the public it will be a valuable local amenity. “It is intended that it will be a place where the public can walk around and enjoy,” added the councillor.

In addition to the wetlands at Kilcruttin, which is at a site close to the railway station, the Living River project involves a clean-up of the river, monitoring of the water quality, and encouraging the return of wildlife in various places in an effort to boost biodiversity in Tullamore's town centre.

“There is testing of the quality of the water going on and an otter count is taking place and quite a number of otters have been spotted,” said Cllr O'Brien.

“There are also plans to encourage bats to come back.”

Where trees and unnecessary overgrowth is limiting views of the river some cut-back will be done and Cllr O'Brien said “a huge amount” of rubbish was removed in one big clean-up.

When Tullamore Tidy Towns linked up with the Shannonside Sub Aqua Club in 2021 shopping trolleys, bicycles, chairs, a television and tons of general litter were removed.

Fergal MacCabe, the Tullamore-born architect who is one of the country's foremost town planners, is optimistic about the river project.

Writing in the Tullamore Tribune recently, Mr MacCabe said: “A delightful sylvan riverside scene will be created and for the first time ever, the potential for seamlessly integrating the amenity of the river with the daily life of the town will become possible.” He said any natural character the river ever had was lost in the 1950s when on foot of the Brosna drainage scheme it was channelised, deepened and reduced to “an almost hidden drain” running through the backlands of the town.

The Living River Project will raise the bed of the river upstream of the old bridge behind the library to create greater turbulence in the flow.

“This will increase edge habitats and benefit wildlife by bringing a greater diversity of fish and plants. The watercourse will be realigned and enhanced by new planting to make it more natural and sinuous. The eastern bank will be lowered to river level to allow greater access and appreciation.”