Cracking day in Gleann na hEorna
By Aideen O'Flaherty
A HOUSING complex in Tallaght, which is run by the St John of God Housing Association and Respond Housing Association, got their Easter off to a cracking start on Thursday, March 29, when they held a family fun day for all of the residents, and also planted a Tree of Hope.
The Gleann na hEorna complex, which contains 147 housing units, a Respond group home and a Respond family resource centre, contains housing units for adults with special needs, while a number of the units are home to families who were on the council’s housing list.
Mayor Paul Gogarty at the Respond social housing development in Tallaght at the planting of a tree of hope
The estate fun day included a range of exciting events, such as the launch of the estate’s gardening club, an estate litter pick up, an Easter egg hunt and the Tree of Hope planting.
Declan Corrigan, the estate’s caretaker, told The Echo: “There was a very fun atmosphere and the day was all about the residents.
“We got the children to do some gardening to try to show the kids to show respect for the area they live in, and the Tallaght Litter Mugs were there on the day and helped the children and adults to do a ‘Tidy Town’ clean-up of the estate.
“It’s about building a sense of responsibility for the children in the estate and building a sense of community.”
A Tree of Hope, which is a symbol of support for people whose lives have been affected by suicide or mental illness, was also planted in the grounds of the complex, with Declan explaining that “a lot of people on the estate have had difficulties in the past, so it was quite important [for the tree to be planted].”
Approximately 130 children live in the estate, ranging from toddler-aged to early teens, and following on from the fun day a worker from South Dublin County Council will go to the estate to put in some raised bedding so the children can plant vegetables.
Declan added: “The children will be shown how to care for those vegetables over the next few months.”
Declan hopes that more events for residents can be held over the summer months in order to plant the seeds of a strong sense of community in the estate.
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