Let’s Team Up to Clean Up Kilkenny gets off to an enthusiastic start 

RehabCare was first out of the gates on Tuesday to take part in Kilkenny County Council’s Let’s Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny, a day of environmental action. Eager to get going, the service users at RehabCare organised themselves into two teams and planned their litter picking routes throughout the City. The Mayor of Kilkenny Municipal District, Cllr David Fitzgerald, came to meet the teams along with the Council’s Environmental Awareness Officer.  

The inaugural litter picking activity was stalled by bad weather but the sense of excitement and local pride swelled in the room as discussion took place on why it's so important to keep Kilkenny City tidy. The Mayor compared Kilkenny’s hurling success to how well Kilkenny City is cared for, it takes a great team to keep Kilkenny looking so well and this initiative helps the community to provide a helping hand.   

He said 'every team needs star players and I see a great team in front of me today'.

The plague of rural litter in Kilkenny needs to be addressed urgently

There will be 55 groups active on the morning of Kilkenny Day between 10.30am-12.30pm, picking loose litter and reporting illegal dumping hot spots into the Council for investigation. Each group has been given a litter kit from the James Stephen's Army Barracks where army personnel came on board to lend a hand, and assembled the litter kits.  

The day will see over 6,000 flowering bulbs planted which will increase the floral displays around the city next spring. The initiative provided over 600 litter pickers and 600 hi-vis vests along with ancillary health and safety equipment to community groups and schools across Kilkenny City.   

Kilkenny County Council acknowledges PRL, Dawn Meats, John O Shea Trust and Glanbia PLC/Glanbia Co-op and the waste management sponsor Panda who have supported this community-driven environmental initiative.  

For any group who missed the opportunity to participate this month, a county wide initiative is planned for next February and the registration portal is open via https://cleanup.kilkenny.ie/.

Groups are welcome to apply now.