Deceased Tidy Towns volunteers recalled in Kilkenny village

The bright and warm Sunday sunshine showed off Tullahought Village and the surrounding countryside at its very best for the special occasion of the blessing and opening of the Memorial Rose Garden in memory of the Tidy Towns and community volunteers.

On the short walk from the church, the conversation included the weather, the great overnight news of Aidan O’Brien’s America Breeders Cup win and Denise Gaule’s camogie All-Star as the under-12 to under-17 hurlers were gathering in the nearby sportsfield for an end of season training session.

The event saw the Tidy Towns Cathaoirleach Breda Horgan welcome the attendance and recall the great work carried out by the community volunteers over 32 years.

In it Breda recalled Pat Purcell, Johnny Duggan, Paddy and Mary Egan and the many other deceased volunteers and supporters who had played their part in so many ways. Following it an Sagart Paróiste an tAthair Fearghus Ó Fearghaill blessed the Rose garden and remembrance plaque.

The occasion was completed when a special presentation was made to Eamon Doyle, the founding and retiring Tidy Towns treasurer, of inscribed Waterford Crystal and a voucher.

A member of the Cards Committee that initially got together with the Ladies Guild to form the core of the Tidy Towns efforts, Eamon has been a stalwart on Tidy Towns evenings since the very first day.

Having won numerous regional and sounty awards and seven Silver medals the spirit of the community was recalled when the forge, Crokes well and an Túr Amharc the Viewing area were totally overgrown sites.

The stone walls in the village had collapsed sections, flowers and shrubs were for house gardens and the area was blighted with ruins and indiscriminate dumping.

Entered into the Tidy Towns initially by Fr Robert Raftice PP in 1991, the result saw Tullahought finish last before the entire community, for many miles around the area, worked together to make it today’s award-winning hidden gem.

Afterwards all returned to the Community Centre for tea, refreshments and a chat and a viewing of old videotapes put together by the secretary Richard Walsh from other historical Tidy Towns events around the village.

As the crowd of all ages broke up the hurlers headed home from training with their coaches and Adrian and Emmett Landy, the community basked in the special glow of a memorable occasion.