Category Archives: Clean Ups

KKB Earth Day 2023 Celebration

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All are welcome to come along and support Keep Kilkenny Beautiful’s celebration of Earth Day! McDonnagh Junction, Kilkenny 

There will be a range of  interesting presentations, the launch of the Kilkenny Climate Hero’s Challenge, entertainment for kids, colouring, Mr Picker Pal (ask the young people, they know who he is) and free giveaways of books, bulbs and keep cups.

Young ecologists who impress might be lucky enough to get a converted magnifying glass for hunting mini beasts! All welcome to come and celebrate.

 

👏👏

Speakers schedule for Earth Day
12:00    TD Malcom Noonan:-  launch of Kilkenny Climate Hero Challenge
12:10    Nicky Brennan:- Kilkenny Age Friendly Tips from the older generation
12:20    Cllr David FitzGerald Mayor of Kilkenny City:-                                                      The Path to being first Carbon Neutral City
12:30    Break
12:40    Patrick Jackson – Picker Pals
12:50    Paddy Phelan South East Energy Agency Grants & Supports Economy
13:00    John Carley South East Energy Agency Circular
13:10  Liam O’Brien Bagenalstown SEC Journey to Energy Master Plan
13:20    Seamus Nugent Kilkenny Sport Partnership Environment & Mental Health
13:30    Fergus Horgan KLP Food Waste to Compost
13:40    Break
13:50    Pat Boyd Keep Kilkenny Beautiful Special Project Officer –  Bio Bliz
14:00   Catriona Corr Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan
14:10    Marina DeCosta Sustainable Energy Communities SEC
14:20    Break
14:30    Maria Dollard Chairperson Keep Kilkenny Beautiful – Tidy Towns and SEC’s – complementary synergy towards SDG’s
14:40   Break
14:50    Mijke Jansen Barrow Valley Hub SEC Solar Panel EV Charger KLP LEADER Project
15:00    Breda Maher KCC Climate Action F

KKB & St Patrick’s Parade 2023

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What a wonderful day for Kilkenny. What  a great parade!

Fantastic day. Despite the weather there was so much good spirits and camaraderie. So many kids along the route saying to their parents they had Picker Pals in their school.

A thank you to Picker Pals working  to raise awareness of Keep Kilkenny Beautiful  .

Thank you so much the to fantastic volunteers and their children that made the effort to come out in the bad weather and showed how tough we are and how determined to Keep Kilkenny Beautiful

👏👏👏👏👏

you are all amazing

👏👏👏👏👏

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IBAL – Kilkenny City Joint 2nd in 2022

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A fantastic result for Kilkenny City in  2022.  This is    a reflection  on the tremendous work undertaken by  our volunteers, our community, our businesses  and  Kilkenny CoCo.  Congratulations also to Naas who took the  No. 1 position in 2022.

An Taisce Report – IBAL Anti-Litter League, Survey 2, 2022
Kilkenny: Joint 2nd out of 40 towns / cities surveyed. Cleaner than European Norms.
Kilkenny is no stranger to high placement in IBAL litter league and this time around it has scored particularly well with nine out of the ten sites surveyed getting the top litter grade. Examples included the approach roads, Kilkenny Train Station (Exterior and Interior), the Main Street / Parliament Street and Market Cross Shopping Centre – there was lovely paving at the latter. The only blemish was the Recycle Bank at St. Canice’s, which was moderately littered.
N10 Approach Road: Grade A. Road surface / markings / signage were in very good order and the overall impression was of a very well presented and maintained route with no litter issues of note.
Kilkenny Train Station – Exterior: Grade A. The overall impression here as a very positive one with paving to the front of the station creating a very fresh impression. There was minimal litter, just some loose food related items and cigarette butts in the shrubs of the bushes in the garden patch and at the base of the litter bins.
Kilkenny Train Station – Interior: Grade A. A sparkling interior with spotless floor tiles, seating, litter bins and visitor information notices in very good order.
River Bank: Grade A. A lovely riverside environment which was very well presented and maintained. The pedestrian bridge was spotless. There was a virtual absence of litter along the grassy banks and associated pathways.
Derelict building by Evans Lane: Grade A. Clearly a careful eye is kept on the tall building as there was no litter directly associated with it.
Recycle Bank, St. Canice’s: Grade B. The recycle units and signage associated with the use of same were freshly presented and in good order. It wasn’t just loose litter, but items had been very deliberately discarded by the units.
Market Cross Shopping Centre: Grade A. The paving of this outdoor shopping environment was particularly attractive and creates a great impression. It was a very freshly presented and clean environment.
Main Street / Parliament Street: Grade A. This was characterised by lovely paving, planter boxes, wooden seating, stainless steel bicycle parking and some attractively presented shop-fronts. There was a virtual absence of litter throughout.
696 Freshford Approach Road: Grade A. All aspects of the area surveyed were in good order – there was no visible litter throughout.
R712 Approach Road: Grade A. (by Leggetsrath Bus. Park) A wide stretch of road with lovely tree planting along both sides. It was excellent with regard to litter, creating a very positive first impression of Kilkenny – this very high standard was sustained for all the remaining sites surveyed

New Years Resolution – KKB

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How about making a New Years resolution  to Keep Kilkenny Beautiful and get involved with our Community  in Kilkenny

Why not meet and join with our volunteers  this Saturday 7th Jan at 10 am at  the Kilkenny retail Park Loughboy carpark in front of Woodies. Coordinates ( 52.635366, -7.244313 ).  Take part on  our first clean up for the new year.  Tea/Coffee and chat follows at 12.00 noon.

We look forward to seeing you, we also have a lot of other activities taking place,  please also keep up to date  by reviewing  our  facebook page or email us at mail@keepkilkennybeautiful.com  . Why not join our KKB news whats app page.

Let’s Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny

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Let’s Team Up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny.

The first event will take place in Kilkenny City on the 9th of October 2022

KKB Chairman Pat Boyd launches the Team Up initiative with Mayor David Fitzgerald

KKB supports this Kilkenny Co Co initiative here in our City.   We encourage  all who are able to  register   and Team Up to Clean Up    with Keep Kilkenny Beautiful.

KKB  arrange regular clean ups and other environmental projects, all are welcome to take part.  to contact us  mail@keepkilkennybeautiful.com or  catch us on facebook, alternatively  call or text us, see our website contact page. Click here for our contact page 

you can also register your own residents group  or association at cleanup.kilkenny.ie

We look forward to hearing from you!

KKB Chairman Pat Boyd launches the Team Up initiative with Mayor David Fitzgerald

Kilkenny Cleaner than European Norms in IBAL 2022

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Great news for Kilkenny city  and all who are  working to keep Kilkenny beautiful.  Kilkenny has again achieved Cleaner than European Norms in IBAL 2022 round 1.    (Irish Business against Litter).  See our  adjudicators report under.

Congratulations to Naas who have achieved  No. 1 in the current Judging.

 

Kilkenny: 8th out of 40 towns / cities surveyed. Cleaner than European Norms.
Kilkenny is consistently high-ranking and this takes a lot of work on the part of many within the community. All approach roads got the top litter grade, creating a positive first
impression. This high standard was maintained for many of the remaining sites surveyed, including the Train Station (Exterior and Interior), the Riverside Walk and Parliament Street – the latter scored well, despite plenty of activity within.

N712 Paulstown Approach Road: Grade A. This route presented very well, creating a positive first impression of Kilkenny with cycle paths, roadway and adjoining grasslands clear of litter. Kilkenny Train Station – Exterior: Grade A. A very welcoming environment with colourful planting and a virtual absence of litter throughout. The area could be further improved if cigarette butts weren’t allowed to gather at the base of the planted areas.
Kilkenny Train Station – Interior: Grade A. All aspects of the interior of the station were in pristinecondition e.g., seating, signage, litter bins, visitor information notices etc. There was a virtual absence of litter throughout.

Riverside Walk: Grade A. A wonderful riverside environment which is very well presented and maintained. Planted areas were in good order and the overall impression created was a very positive one.
Derelict buildings at ‘The Ring’ beside Rothe House: Grade A. There was a notable
improvement in the overall presentation and litter situation at one of these buildings. A new coat of paint has made a big difference here. This time around, there was minimal litter to be seen.

Recycle Facility at St. Canice’s; Grade B. Casually discarded litter / items associated with recycling took away from an otherwise freshly presented ‘Bring Facility’. This could easily be top ranking with a little extra care and attention.
Friary Bridge, by City Walls: Grade B. The most obvious litter items were sweet papers and plastic bags with lower levels of fast-food wrappers and cigarette butts.

Parliament Street: Grade A. This busy shopping street has scored very well with regard to litter. it is well served by litter bins and the overall presentation was a very good one.

Bennetsbridge Approach Road: Grade A. There was a complete absence of litter along the stretch of road surveyed. Grass boundaries had been carefully mown. It was an excellent site,overall.

Durrow Approach Road: Grade A. As with the other approach roads into Kilkenny, this was verymuch deserving of the top litter grade. It was well presented and immaculate throughout.

 

St Patrick’s Historic graveyard gets clean up

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Thanks to all the volunteers who came out  to clean up st Patrick’s historic graveyard. the works included trimming back bushes  and weeding the gravel path that meanders through the graveyard.  the NIAH notes  “A picturesque graveyard containing a collection of markers of artistic design significance exhibiting high quality stone masonry. A number of markers dating to the late seventeenth century represent an important element of the archaeological heritage of Kilkenny while serving as a reminder of the mass house, later a Catholic chapel that existed on site until the late eighteenth century”

For  further information on the many historic grave stones within the grave yard see link- click here Kilkenny Archaeological society

Kilkenny City continues to be clean to European norms

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Kilkenny continues to be  clean to European norms having been placed 6th  in the current IBAL survey published in October 2021. Since the receipt of the results KKB volunteers have been out in sunny weather  undertaking additional work in areas mentioned as requiring attention  in the report. Congratulations to all for keeping Kilkenny Beautiful.

 

An Taisce Report – IBAL Anti-Litter League, Round 1, 2021

 

Kilkenny: 6th out of 40 towns / cities surveyed. Cleaner than European Norms.

Kilkenny retains its perennial status as Cleaner than European Norms. As we have come to expect, there were no heavily littered sites. Kilkenny Train Station (Exterior and Interior) wasn’t just good with regard to litter but was very well presented and maintained – it is clearly a place of great pride, based on the various plaques / awards hanging on the wall. Other top-ranking sites of note included the River Bank, Parliament Street and Market Cross Shopping Centre. The latter was particularly well presented and maintained with the opportunity for ‘separating’ waste, attractive seating, planting and some welcoming features along the pedestrian entrance.

R712 Paulstown Approach Road: Grade A. This heavily trafficked route presented very well and there were no visible litter issues. It created a positive first impression of the town and this high standard was maintained for many of the remaining sites surveyed.

Site of ‘Tubs & Tiles’ on corner of R712: Grade B. There is no doubt that the overall presentation of this environment has improved compared to a few years ago. The wooden planter boxes around the edge looked well. The area over the low wall, which was heavily weeded within, harboured some food related items. The blue overflowing litter bin is liable to produce more litter if not addressed.

Kilkenny Train Station – Exterior: Grade A. An exceptionally well presented and maintained train station environment with all aspects in very good order. There was a complete absence of litter throughout the area surveyed.

Kilkenny Train Station – Interior: Grade A. The interior of the station was gleaming and there is clearly great pride in the station based on the various plaques / awards hanging on the wall. Seating, bins, signage were in excellent condition.

Derelict building, beside Rothe House: Grade B. This white building, with three steps and a white railing presents very poorly. While there was minimal litter in the immediate vicinity, it needs attention, especially as some parts were likely to fall down.

Bring Centre (St. Canice’s car Park): Grade B. One of the bin units was in a bad condition, the base of it was broken, the contents of which were falling out. Broken glass on the ground and other miscellaneous litter items in the immediate vicinity of the facility also brought down the litter grade.

Market Cross Shopping Centre: Grade A. The pedestrian passage-way has been colourfully adorned with an array of umbrellas above, almost sculpture like. Paving was fresh, shop fronts were in very good condition, seating and planting were in good order. Patrons have the opportunity to ‘separate’ their waste with a substantial cigarette butt collection unit to the side. The overall impression was a very positive one in terms of presentation and litter.

Parliament Street: Grade A. There was a virtual absence of litter along this busy shopping street. A well presented and cared for town centre environment.

River Bank: Grade A. This lovely waterside environment was an exceptionally well presented and maintained environment. Railings, grass, flowering arrangements were in very good condition – the whole area was spotless throughout.

Waterford Approach Road: Grade A. All appeared in good order along this route. Road surface, markings and signage were in very good condition.