CARLOW LOCAL AUTHORITIES ANNUAL REPORT 2006

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Carlow County Council maintained its excellent relations with communities throughout the County in 2006. The communities continue to develop socially, culturally and environmentally. The Carlow Litter Action League, Environmental Grants, National Tree Week; Spring Clean; Carlow Pride of Place; Co-Operation Ireland Pride of Place; Sports Partnership; County Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum; County Carlow Equality for Women and Carlow’s Comhairle na nÓg were promoted and supported during the year.

Standards rose in all the towns, villages, housing estates and schools participating in our initiatives in 2006 and this is particularly obvious in the presentation of towns and villages around the County. Carlow now has a reputation for being Litter Free and Environmentally Friendly. This is only achieved and maintained by the active partnership of communities, local authorities and other agencies.

Schools are working for renewed Green Flags. Funding is provided to assist these schools in their projects.

National Tidy Towns participants continued to improve their marks in 2006 and Leighlinbridge, as a Gold Medal winner, was selected to represent Carlow in the All-Ireland Best Kept Towns initiative in 2007. Ballon, Borris and the Community Centre in Leighlinbridge represented Carlow in the Co-Operation Ireland Pride of Place and they all performed very well. Leighlinbridge won the Special Award in the Community Amenity category and Carlow County Council won the award for Best Local Authority. Carlow also hosted the National Awards ceremony in the Mount Wolseley Hilton Hotel, Tullow.

The Litter Action League attracted more participants in 2006 than in previous years. There was also an increase in the number of applicants for Environmental Grants and increased number of participants in Carlow’s Pride of Place. The Carlow Pride of Place Awards incorporated Achievement Awards and Burial Ground Awards for the first time in 2006.

Carlow continues to perform well in the I.B.A.L. Litter League and in the results published in December 2006, Carlow was awarded Litter Free Status.

LITTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

The Litter Management Plan is now one year old and enjoys a great deal of public support. Following the local litter awareness cinema advertising campaign featured on all cinema screens in the County, there’s a noticeable increase in the public awareness of litter. The Car Sticker campaign – “Keep Carlow Litter Free – We do” has resulted in our stickers being widely visible on vehicles around the County.

Two Environmental Patrol Officers (0ne in Carlow Town) carry out regular visits to villages, estates and schools in the County and to areas in the Town. Both are involved in judging the Carlow Litter Action League. They attend our Litter Action League and Pride of Place Launch and Award ceremonies and are both well known to all the communities in the County.

Over sixty Anti Litter signs “You are being watched” are displayed around the County – each one giving our Enviro-Watch contact number 1890 308 208. Our Environmental Patrol Officers respond quickly to reports of littering, dumping and abandoned vehicles from the public and our own staff.

National Spring Clean; Clean Up Days and Adopt-a-Road continue to be actively promoted to community and voluntary groups and business in the county. Results in Tidy Towns and the I.B.A.L Litter League provide great encouragement to communities and local authorities.

Eighty four litter fines were issued in the County area – excluding Carlow Town in 2006. €6,765.00 income was received from fines during the period.

HACKETSTOWN HEALTHY COMMUNITIES PROJECT

The pilot phase of Hacketstown Healthy Communities Project has come to an end and the process to evaluate the project has commenced. The project is still progressing and the Council continues to support the Hacketstown Healthy Communities Project which involves a variety of activities focused on improving the Health and Social well-being of the population of Hacketstown.

HERITAGE

Heritage Week 2006

Heritage Week 2006 was very well received in County Carlow with over twenty five events being organised for people to participate in and enjoy, the majority of them free to all. Heritage Week begun earlier this year starting on Saturday August 26th and running continuously until Sunday September 3rd. Heritage Week activities are organised across forty European countries which aims to promote awareness of our built, natural and cultural heritage thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation. The theme Europe: A Common Heritage has been adopted as a permanent theme by the Council of Europe. Some of the highlights are detailed below.

At a national level Heritage Week is coordinated by the Heritage Council. Carlow County Museum on behalf of Carlow Local Authorities coordinated on a county basis collective publicity of events, including the publishing, distribution of posters and flyers along with advertisements in the local press and the creation of a special section on www.carlow.ie. Carlow County Museum along with the Kilkenny Heritage Office arranged a joint radio advertising campaign and liaised together with KCLR 96FM for special slots during the week for various groups to promote their events.

On Saturday evening after an anniversary mass in Carlow Cathedral a special tribute, organised by John McDarby in the Cathedral Parish Centre, was held to former Carlow Actress Annie D’Alton who was best know as Minnie Brennan in the RTE series the Riordan’s. Seamus O’Rourke introduced the evening with background to Annie’s life from her place of birth on Bridewell Lane to her introduction to the stage at both the Carlow Town Hall and Slater’s Cinema (now the Carlow Post Office). To a packed audience a 1979 episode of the Riordan’s was played to a packed Cathedral Parish Centre. The episode was based around the stealing of the Christmas turkey, the finger being pointed at a well organised gang from Carlow! A number of Annie’s relations were in the attendance.

Carlow County Military Museum swung into action on both Sundays with a live demonstration of arms and armour of medieval soldiers while the Tullow Museum and St. Mullins Heritage Centres hosted open weeks. Local Historian Frank Clarke gave an in depth and interesting talk on “Everyday Life in the 1830s” in the St. Mullins Heritage Centre. The Green Party hosted a lecture by Brian Hand on “Some thoughts on the Rock Art of the Blackstairs”.

Over 100 people attended the Ballon Improvement Group lecture by John Smyth on the well known Lecky Family in Balleykealey Manor Hotel while over seventy people attended the Carlow Historical & Archaeological seminar with three different speakers. Well know historical author Dr. Michael Conry spoke about Horse Powered Churns, while local builder Dan Carbery talked about the old and former industries of Carlow some of which he had family connections or was involved in their construction. The third speaker was Pat O’Neill, editor of Carloviana who spoke on the history and impact of the Society as it celebrated sixty years this year. Up to eighty people attended the Society’s summer outing to historic village of Old Leighlin where Revd. Dean Gordon Wynne lead a tour of both the Old Leighlin Cathedral and St. Laserian’s Well. To commemorate the Society’s anniversary a special exhibition was held in the George Barnard Shaw room of Carlow Central Library. As part of the exhibition Carlow County Museum displayed a range of artefacts and photographs from its collection and a number of local schools made special visits to view the exhibition.

Carlow Library hosted demonstrations on the Library Council’s website “www.askaboutireland.ie”, which features sections submitted by the Carlow Library on the architecture, Poor Law Union and flora/ fauna of Co. Carlow. The South Eastern River Basin District hosted a multi-media display exhibition on “Water Heritage” in the foyer of Carlow County Council.

Lorcan Scott, District Conservation Officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service lead a rain soaked walk around the newly opened Oak Park Forest Park looking at the various habitats to be found there. Ireland’s top geologist Peadar McArdle, Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland (G.S.I) lead a ramble up to Slievebawn to explore one of Carlow’s finest natural landscapes – the Blackstairs while the Rathanna Community Group lead a Walk on the Wild Side with local guides outlining the flora, fauna and built heritage of this area of the county.

The Barrow Branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWAI) unveiled a number of benches and a seating area at the well maintained quay side at St. Mullins. They presented the benches to the local community development group S.M.A.R.T.. The IWAI were represented by well know Barrow enthusiast Arthur Keppel while Chairperson of S.M.A.R.T. Josephine Doyle was delighted to accept the new seats.

Compiling of Topographical Database:

Carlow County Council has as a result of this initiative included on its computerised mapping a section detailing the Irish translation and meaning of Carlow’s Townslands. This project was co funded by Carlow LEADER Rural Development Company Ltd. The project was originally begun by then Heritage Officer Lorcan Scott and completed by Carlow County Museum.

In 1937 Rathvilly school teacher and local historian Edward O’Toole published a book called the Placenames of Co Carlow. This book lists the townslands of the county along with their Irish form and their possible meaning. This publication formed the basis of this project. Many of the townslands have possibly more than one meaning or translation and such additions can be added to the system.

ARTS 2006

In 2006 Carlow Local Authorities consolidated and further developed the following areas for the arts in Carlow.

Commencement of a three year Strategic Development Plan for arts development in the county.

Visualise Carlow series of temporary public art projects as an advance programme leading up to VISUAL – The National Centre for Contemporary Art.
County Carlow Youth Theatre.
Carlow Performing Arts - Artist-in-residence programme & Children’s Arts Festival.
Support to Independent Arts Organisations in Carlow:

Éigse Carlow Arts Festival
Carlow Young Artists Choir
Carlow African Film Festival

Artlinks (Formerly South East Professional Development Forum).
Support for Artists and Arts Acts Grants.
Per Cent for Art – Public Art programme.

Arts Strategic Development Plan

To date the local authorities arts service has delivered an annual programme of events. Under the Arts Act 2003 each local authority is obliged to implement a plan outlining clear policies, objectives and actions for the duration of the plan. In November 2006 a countywide consultation process began to inform the arts strategy with key stakeholders.

Visualise Carlow is part of a continuation of a long-term strategic programme which incorporates the culmination of local, national and international projects in Carlow. 2006 is the fourth year this programme has run and Carlow continues to maintain a nationally recognised reputation as a centre for Visual Arts through this advance programme for VISUAL - The National Centre for Contemporary Art. In 2006 the following took place:

In May 2006 ‘Ex Machina’ by well established national and international artists Frances Hegarty and Andrew Stones took place at the old Trek building in Carlow which concentrated on the disused sugar factory of Carlow. A large installation with a large screen showed a short-film made by the artists.
In May 2006 ‘Time Exposure’ was also shown at the same time as ‘Ex-Machina’. ‘Time Exposure’ was a photographic exhibition by local photographer PL Curran and shown in Carlow Library. These exhibitions brought together ex-employees of the Carlow sugar factory
In September 2006 ‘Bloom over Manhattan’ by international artist Douglas Gordon and curated by national curator Caoimhín Mac Giolla Léigh took place in Bernard Jennings shop window, Dublin Street, Carlow. A photographic installation and performance by artist held from a shop front took place.
In 2006 the fourth Visualise Catalogue was printed and distributed featuring the proposed designs for VISUAL – The National Centre for Contemporary Art and Performing Arts Centre, in Carlow.

County Carlow Youth Theatre is an initiative of Carlow Local Authorities for young people aged 14+. In 2006 County Carlow Youth Theatre held weekly drama workshops for the youth in Carlow. They worked closely with groups in Borris, Kildare Youth Theatre and Carlow Youth Training Initiative and performed ‘News About Shoes’ in August 2006. County Carlow Youth theatre held a celebration of youth drama in Carlow with a variety of performing workshops open to all youth. County Carlow Youth Theatre invited all countywide schools to the event and held further dates for schools to see the performance throughout October 2006. In 2006 County Carlow Youth Theatre participated in Carlow town St. Patrick's Day parade.

Carlow Performing Arts

Carlow Local Authorities continued to provide significant support to Carlow Performing Arts Group working in association with them. In 2006 the following initiatives took place:

Playwright-in-Residence Programme The Playwright Bryan Delaney began weekly workshops in Carlow for local writers who are interested in writing for the stage.
Splanc – The 2nd Carlow Children’s Arts Festival

In October 2006, the Arts Office worked collaboratively with the Carlow Performing Arts group, Éigse, The Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Arc, Temple Bar Cultural Centre, Dublin and held the second Children’s Arts Festival in County Carlow. This included an artist in residence in Hacketstown National School and all art events held were sold out countywide to primary and secondary schools and were accessible to all children and young people in County Carlow.

Ėigse - Carlow Arts Festival
In 2006 Carlow Local Authorities continued to financially support the festival as well as the arts office working closely with the festival leading up to and during as a strong, vibrant and respected organisation locally. The Arts Officer sits on the Board of Directors of Eigse Carlow Arts Festival.

Carlow Young Artist Choir
In 2006 Carlow Local Authorities continued to financially support the Carlow Young Artist Choir. Carlow Young Artist Choir toured around Ireland, performing in Dublin, Sligo, Cork and Kilkenny.

Carlow African Film Festival
In 2006 Carlow Local Authorities in partnership with KCLR 98 fm, Talbot Hotel and Carlow Multi-Cultural Society and Access Cinema, held an African film festival which attracted audiences to Carlow from Cork, Belfast, and Dublin. The film festival was supported by the Nigerian Embassy and South African Embassy The film festival was held in a mobile cinema in Carlow.

Artlinks: Southeast Professional Development for Artists Partnership
In 2006 Carlow Arts Office, continued to work in partnership with Wexford, Wicklow, Kilkenny and Waterford County Arts Offices, establishing a Professional Development forum for artists residing in the Southeast regions and developed Artlinks which will benefit Carlow artists through offering a website to upload their details on, a forum for artists to meet, E-Bulletin, opportunity to attend workshops for the professional development and opportunities to share information and to network.

Support for Artists:
In 2006 the Carlow Local Authorities provided support for 12 local Carlow artists through the provision of small grants/bursaries to assist with expenses in relation to any of the following categories: Artists’ professional development, Artists’ creation of art and Artists bringing their art to the public. There was an increase of funding to artists in 2006. In 2005 7 local artists had been supported through this programme as opposed to 12 in 2006.

Arts Grants Scheme 2006
The aim of this scheme is to raise the standards of arts practice in the County. The Scheme also aims to pro-actively remove barriers, which lead people to be excluded from the arts/arts appreciation in their area. 14 local organisations benefited from the scheme in 2006 as opposed to 6 in 2005.

Per Cent for Art - Public Art 2006

Carlow Local Authorities Public Art Working Group commenced research on best practice for the administering of per cent for art schemes in line with National guidlelines and models of best practice around the country. A pilot project for a temporary public art project took place in Leighlinbridge during September and October 2006. This project was as a result of working in partnership with Cando – Community Partnership and the Parish Centre. A temporary straw structure named ‘Hedgeschool’ was erected in Leighlinbridge for young people to hold weekly art classes in, this culminated in an exhibition and an establishment of a youth group in that area.

Other countywide initiatives that took place in 2006 included: Writer in residence in Hacketstown National School.
Developing a Youth Theatre in Borris and Bagenalstown.
Tullow Civic offices space for local artists to show their work.

CARLOW COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

The future development of County Carlow is important to all its citizens. The county, in recent years, has experienced a new sense of pride, identity and citizenship. Carlow County Development Board was established in March 2000 and was reconstituted in 2004 following the local elections.

Carlow CDB is representative of local government, local development agencies, Statutory Bodies, the State Agencies and Social Partners operating locally. For the first time, the Board brought together the key players at local level to engage in a process of long-term planning for the county. The Board comprises 31 local leaders and representatives who have joined forces to grow County Carlow together.

The main priority for Carlow County Development Board in implementing its 10 year Strategy is to ensure the avoidance of duplication in the delivery of services at local level, whilst filling gaps in meeting the needs of communities in County Carlow.

In 2006 Carlow CDB continued to deliver actions prioritised in CDB Action Plan, 2006-2008. Task Groups have been established to implement actions and monitor progress on the following actions:

Action	Lead Agency
Economic Development	Carlow County Council
Employment Progression CE Schemes	FAS
Education Forum	Dept. Education & Science
Non-nationals - Employment Issues	SIPTU
Co-ordination of English language Course	Co. Carlow VEC
Community Education Forum	Co. Carlow VEC
Promotion of Renewable Energy	Energy Agency
Vulnerable Children & their Families	SIM Working Group
Integrated Services for the Travelling Community	Carlow County Council

In 2006, Carlow CDB received funding to establish two key projects, which had been prioritised for action in the CDB Action Plan – County Carlow Local Sports Partnership and Carlow Volunteer Centre. The CDB received €76,500 under the Improved Cohesion Fund from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to recruit a Co-ordinator and establish a Volunteer Centre for the County.

COUNTY CARLOW LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP

In January 2006, the Irish Sports Council provided seed funding to the Carlow LSP Working Group to establish a full Local Sports Partnership in County Carlow. Following a review of the existing LSP structures, the Irish Sports Council recommended that all new Local Sports Partnerships are to be established as sub-committees of the County Development Boards, with all employees employed by the relevant Local Authority. Ms. Martha Jane Duggan, Local Sports Co-ordinator, was appointed in September 2006

The objective of the Local Sports Partnership is to increase participation in sport and maximize use of local resources. The priority for the Sports Partnership in 2007 is to:

Expand and develop the current LSP Committee;
Develop a five year Strategic Plan for Sport and Recreation in County Carlow;
Co-ordinate the delivery of Irish Sports Council Programmes at local level, e.g. Buntus, Code of Ethics, Go for Life & Women in Sport.
To provide information and support to local sports clubs on areas such as accessing funding, coach education, club development, volunteer recruitment and retention, etc.

CARLOW COMMUNITY & VOLUNTARY FORUM

2006 proved a busy year for Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum.
Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum provides an opportunity for community and voluntary groups and organisations to network, build linkages, consult and be consulted on a wide variety of topics relating to the Social, Economic and Cultural development of County Carlow. Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum provides a bridge for the exchange of information between local communities, statutory agencies and non-governmental bodies.
In drawing up their annual plan Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum ensure that each action is undertaken using a partnership approach and that their annual plan is socially inclusive and in line with the County Development Board Strategy.
In 2006 Carlow County Council continued in its facilitation role in providing assistance and support to the Forum.

RAPID

The Carlow RAPID (Revitalising Areas through Planning, Investment and Development) has ensured that the two designated areas of Graiguecullen and Tullow Road continue to be prioritised locally and nationally for investment.

In 2006 a total investment of €2,381,440 was received for RAPID endorsed projects. The ongoing commitment of the Area Implementation Team working in partnership with the RAPID communities and community agencies has in this past year ensured significant investment particular into youth work projects and facilities. Funding for traffic calming measures and estate enhancement works from RAPID and Carlow Town Council has also continued, with significant improvements to areas such as the Croppy Graves Graiguecullen, an event which was proudly marked by a community celebration in August. The play area in the Tullow Road was completed providing a much needed facility for children and young people in the area. Sporting organisations in RAPID areas have also benefited from Sports Capital and RAPID top up grants to improve their pitches and equipment .The Carlow RAPID Equality for Women Project has organised training and personal development courses for women throughout Carlow town in the past year including training in Active Citizenship/Voter Participation. Two part time community support workers will be employed shortly to work in the Tullow Road and Graiguecullen areas with funding from Dormant Accounts. With 95% of the projects completed or underway from the initial RAPID Plan work has now commenced on a RAPID Plan 2007 -2009.