PICTURES: Lions Club teams up with two Kilkenny schools for special tree planting drive

Kilkenny Lions Club teamed up with Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown and Castlecomer Community School recently for tree planting initiatives on school grounds.

For this project, the trees comprised native species with an emphasis on promoting biodiversity. These trees have flowers which give nectar to insects in the spring and fruit later in the year for birds and other wildlife.

President of Kilkenny Lions Club Maurice Regan praised the students and their supervising teachers for their enthusiastic participation. He also thanked Principal of Castlecomer Community School Pat Murphy, Deputy Principal of Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown Alan Curran, along with Niall Murphy, the Lions Club project leader.

Mr Regan mentioned that Lions International has several environmental objectives and tree planting is one that its members are specifically tasked with supporting. Tree planting contributes to the achievement of the Lions objectives which include contributing to biodiversity, cleaner air and a healthier environmen, and educating community members to create positive change.
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He indicated that this environmental initiative is one of a number that the Lions Club are undertaking this year. This includes regular weekly clean ups by members around Kilkenny city starting in May going right through the summer. The tree planting programme in schools and other locations will continue over the coming years.

Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown
At Colaiste Mhuire in Johnstown, students from both fifth year and Leaving Cert were actively involved in the tree planting project. The trees involved were native cherry, mountain ash and hazel trees. The school reported that it 'is deeply committed to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness through a wide range of practical, hands-on initiatives that actively involve students, staff, and the wider community'.

Central to this work has been the dedication and leadership of teachers Eamon Marnell, Anne Clarke, and Brian Kennedy, whose vision has helped drive these projects forward, supported greatly by the invaluable assistance of the local Tidy Towns committee. 

The polytunnel provides a shared and inclusive space for TY, Agricultural Science, SEN, and the Parents’ Association to engage in planting and learning about sustainable food production. This is complemented by the outdoor vegetable garden, where students experience the full growing cycle, as well as hens, which encourage responsibility and an understanding of sustainable living.

In addition, the pond and wildflower meadow promote biodiversity and create thriving habitats for local wildlife. The school hopes to develop a walkway connecting these initiatives, further strengthening engagement and fostering a deeper sense of community involvement in our shared sustainability journey.

Castlecomer Community School
The tree planting at Castlecomer Community School involved bare root apple trees sourced by Lions from the Hares Corner Initiative. LCA Sustainability Class students enthusiastically applied themselves to this project.

Castlecomer Community School reports that it is involved in The Green Schools Programme which works to promote long-term, whole-school action for the environment with involvement from the wider community. The school mentioned that it is actively working towards their eighth flag on Global Citizenship and Marine Environment. It has ongoing involvement with litter management, energy saving, reusing, recycling and biodiversity.

“The apple trees are being planted within our wildlife corridors comprising a no-mow area, pollinator-friendly plants and wildflower patches. [The school has] a pond, bird boxes, a bug hotel, and a section of newly planted native trees. Our water well, low-energy bulbs and newly added solar panels all contribute to our environmental dedication," said Pat Murphy, Principal and Magalie Lalor.

"We collaborate with the Discovery Park (nature board created by our students and mini-pond workshops), Wee Ireland (battery recycling), Tidy Towns, Nore Vision, Keep Kilkenny Beautiful, Kilkenny County Council and the local community. TY students avail of dedicated action-orientated ecology classes and our L2LP follow the Grow-Cook-Eat course. All students study climate change and the circular economy within their education journey.”

Maurice Regan, and the members of the Lions Club who attended the plantings were very impressed with the environmental work being carried out by both schools. The students, teachers and parents can be very proud of their involvement and achievements in protecting the environment for future generations.