Community Council making village area a vibrant place

Tallaght Community Council (TCC) launched a Tallaght Tidy Towns project for Tallaght village in May 2022. TCC have been long time champions of maintaining the village area as a vibrant place, which celebrates our culture and heritage.

The objective of the project is to create an always-on focus on the village streets, improving the kerb appeal, increasing biodiversity and giving interested people / groups an opportunity to give back to the village.

The Tidy Towns allows everyone involved to actively show their pride in Tallaght – it epitomises Pride of Place.

Tallaght Tidy Towns have held over 70 clean-ups since it launched – two every week. They have completed lots of projects so far – Grafitti busting, street planting of pollinators, formal heritage style signage and of course, litter picking.

The ultimate success of any Tidy Towns group is the support from the community, the local council and local businesses.

The community in Tallaght have responded strongly, rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in – the group now averages 14 to 15 volunteers at each meeting.

“Tallaght people always respond to the rallying call. In the last year, we have been delighted to welcome lots of positive individuals to the clean ups, and indeed some groups too. The atmosphere is can-do, inclusive, always friendly, enthusiastic – not even rain dampens our spirits!” said Tara De Buitléar, voluntary PRO of TCC.

South Dublin County Council have been very supportive of the weekly meetings, providing gloves, litter pickers, litter pick ups and provided paint to the volunteers.

Several businesses have also spent volunteer hours with TCC in Tallaght village – including MRA Auditors, AWS in Communities, Bank Of America, PM Group and Lidl.

Businesses often ask how they can help. So as part of the preparations to enter the Tidy Towns competition in May 2023, TCC have created a pledge to help village businesses be active Tidy Town supporters.

The pledge contains 10 practical actions a business, resident or property owner in Tallaght village can commit to doing to play an active part.

The pledge items include some basic external building maintenance, regular cleaning, providing bins and adding to quality external signage design, that adds to the village appearance.

“We are delighted to launch the Tallaght Tidy Towns pledge this week in the heart of our village with Zak Moradi, our Tallaght Person of the Year, along with the first two businesses to step up and sign the pledge, Fanagans and Café Aon Scèal.

“The pledge is an innovative way local businesses can not only show their support, but can actively take part, taking ownership for our village, the little village,” Liz Kennedy, voluntary Chair of TCC tells The Echo.

Established business Fanagans Funeral Directors and newer business Café Aón Scéal, both of Main Street, are the first two village businesses to sign the new Tidy Towns pledge.

Both businesses responded immediately upon hearing of the new pledge. They were keen to be active in the efforts to show Pride of Place in Tallaght village.

Nollaig Ryan, Branch Manager, Fanagans, Tallaght talked proudly about their involvement, he said: “I am a proud Tallaght native and work in Tallaght village with Fanagans. It is important to me personally to be actively involved in the Tallaght Tidy Towns, the village is an important place to me and deserves this positive focus.

“As well as offering the highest standards of service and compassion, an important role for us is to give something back to our communities. Fanagans Tallaght signing up to the Tidy Towns pledge is something we are proud to do,”

TCC have issued their latest Tidy Towns newsletter and it is being distributed over the coming weeks.

This summarises the progress made so far by the volunteers. It also includes the pledge. TCC are open to meet any business, resident, group or property owner in the village who wishes to discuss the pledge, or how they can work towards signing the pledge.

After signing the pledge, Dawn Nic Íomhar, Irish Language Officer, Gaelphobal Thamhlachta said: “Café Aon Scéal is a bilingual cafe based in Tallaght village. Our aim is to promote more spoken Irish – líofa or cúpla focal, in Tamhlacht, in a real life, everyday setting. Community is the driving force of that goal and the café. Tá athas an domain orainn an Tidy Towns pledge a follúnach.”

TCC will be presenting Fanagans and Café Aon Scéal with their framed, signed pledges later this month, for display in their businesses.

Anyone who wishes to join the Tidy Towns effort for Tallaght village is always welcome to join in the weekly 1 hour long events (Wednesday and Sundays). There are jobs for all interests and abilities.

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