Two apple orchards planted

APPLE orchards, which were voted for installation by members of the public, have been installed and are working well at two locations in South Dublin County.

At the recent Clondalkin Area Committee Meeting, Cllr Eoin Ó Broin asked for remedial action to be taken to enhance and grow apple orchards which were planted as part of the €300k Have Your Say initiative.

Corkagh Park, Clondalkin Park, Monastery Gate Close and Riversdale estate were chosen as having potential for apple trees, but only two “proved viable and were not subjected to vandalism”.

The two successful sites at Corkagh Park and Monastery Gate Close are being managed by qualified horticulturalists.

Corkagh Park’s apple orchard was enhanced recently by planting of additional trees by Clondalkin Tidy Towns.

“The Monastery Gate Close orchard has been slower to establish but is growing well,” the council said.

Additional apple trees will be purchased and planted at this location later this year to replace five trees that failed to establish.

€300k Have Your Say is a public participatory budgeting initiative, with residents in Clondalkin voting in 2018 to install apple orchards.

At the time, then Cllr Brian Leech gave a rousing speech which had the entire council chamber in stiches laughing after comparing councillors to apples.

“There is even a variety named ‘Councillor’ which was a seedling originally grown in Dublin in 1930 by Cllr JJ Walsh,” former Cllr Leech said at the time/

“Like all councillors, it’s sweet, attractive, and tasty.

“There is another variety named Richardson and comes from Kilkenny – like Councillor [Dermot] Richardson it’s aromatic and sweet, and needs a sunny location for the best results.”