Community pull together for stunning River Inny project

The six-week project designed to enhance the river bank along the Inny in Ballyjamesduff has been completed in a most creative manner.
The ‘Get Involved Community Initiative’ which is run in conjunction with the Regional Newspapers and Printers Association of Ireland, including The Anglo Celt, has proved to be a great success.
All of the projects will now be judged and the team of judges is being chaired by RTE’s Duncan Stewart.
Representatives from all the project teams will be invited to an awards ceremony in Aras An Uachtaran on Thursday September 12.

Impetus
The Chairperson of the Tidy Towns Group in Ballyjamesduff Susan Willis said they had plans to rejuvenate the area for some time and being selected for the ‘Get Involved Community Initiative’ was “just the renewed impetus that the group required to transform the site”.
“From the outset of the project, a cohesive team was formed under the leadership of the Tidy Towns Group,” she said. “This had the effect of bringing together a diverse number of people with great skill-sets, such as carpenters, builders, machinery operators and numerous other skilled people, including FAS workers. As the weeks went past, the sense of teamwork grew and the river became the focus of conversation all over the town,” she said.
The work involved taking an area widely regarded as an eyesore and transforming it into a beauty spot in the centre of the town, where people can relax and have a picnic, or enjoy a cup of coffee.
Volunteers from the Tidy Towns group led the clean-up of the river, including the creation of a paved walkway, seating area on a platform of decking.

Creative
One of the most significant aspects of the project is the creatively-finished footbridge across the Inny. With regards to plant life; seven trees, including alder, weeping willow and birch have been planted. A variety of plants have also been put in place and grass seed has been sewn to further enhance the appearance of the river bank in the coming weeks.
The Tidy Towns Group also consulted with the Regional Fisheries Board with regards to increasing the flow in the river and reviving the natural flora and fauna on the banks.
The completion of the project to a very high standard illustrated that there are people in the community that cared enough about the aesthetics of Ballyjamesduff, and that those problems can be addressed.
“The environmental aspect was also uppermost in our minds,” said Susan.
“Not only did we wish to enhance the aesthetics of the area, but we also wanted to breathe new life into the river by consulting with the Regional Fisheries on increasing the river-flow and attracting fish into it.
“By planting a variety of indigenous trees and other flora, we are already noticing the richness in the bio-diversity along the bank,” she said, and thanked Cavan County Council for their help and advice.