History of Aughrim Tidy Towns

Aughrim has a long tradition of involvement in the National Tidy Towns competition. The Aughrim I.C.A. Guild hosted an open meeting on 18th April 1966 for the purpose of discussing the desirability of Aughrim entering the National Tidy Towns competition. The meeting was presided by Very Rev. Fr Paul Phelan. There was an attendance of about one hundred people at the meeting who unanimously agreed that Aughrim would enter the competition. The I.C.A. Secretary (Miss Kathleen Keating) signed the entry form. Aughrim won the award in category C (best new entrant), and the secretary Mrs. Nolan travelled to Ballyjamesduff to receive the prize.

A number of years later, interest in the competition was renewed by the ICA and Mrs. Julia O’Brien (Lourdes Crescent) called a meeting where it was agreed to form a new committee comprising officers Dudley Byrne, Jim O’Brien, Sean Linehan and Stewart McGrane. A very enthusiastic group of volunteers came on board, and this was the beginning of a period of activity that led to the transformation of the village. The rise in Aughrim’s ratings in the national tidy town’s competition is a testimony to this work. Some major projects from this time include, building the rockery and water feature at Station Road, clearing the river at Tinakilly Bridge to create a Childrens paddling pool and accompanying picnic area, replacing the ditch at Glen Road with a stone wall, creating a flower bed at the entrance to Lourdes Crescent, creating stone wall feature at Nursery Way (Beside The Meath Arms) and many more projects.

It was also during this time that Aughrim Tidy Towns formed the idea to approach Michael Owen Fogarty, the owner of a piece of ground situated in the center of the village known locally as “The Bog,” with a request to purchase the ground and transform it into a people’s park and lake. After extensive fundraising, dedicated volunteering and support from FAS, Wicklow County Council, Rehab Group, Wicklow Rural Partnership, and private benefactors the National Disabled Angling Facility was created. The work included forming an artificial lake, building a stone pavilion and extensive stone walling built using stone donated by the Keating family from their land at Cooleballintaggart. President Mary Robinson opened the facility in 1996.

Meanwhile, the dedicated work of Aughrim Tidy Towns volunteers and FAS operatives brought Aughrim increasing success throughout the years in the National Tidy Towns competition culminating with the overall win in 2007 and numerous other awards including Entante Florale and communities in Bloom.

Our beautiful park is the pride of the community and has evolved to include a community center, bowling green, Childrens playground, men’s shed and thrift shop.

The natural beauty of the lake and maturing landscape provides a facility held in trust by Aughrim Tidy Towns Association and Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG that the people of Aughrim will enjoy into the future.