Summerhill Village representing Meath in this year’s National Pride of Place
Hannah McNamara
“It is an honour that Summerhill has been chosen to represent Meath in this year's National Pride of Place”. That was the reaction of the village's Tidy Towns committee which hopes it can encourage locals to spare just a “few hours of their time” to assist them in getting prepared.
Bernadette Gannon, member of Summerhill Tidy Towns said “There are a lot of projects that need attention: Painting. Weeding. Path edging and weeding. Strimming. Washing village benches. Dead heading planters. Sweeping. Trust me the list goes on”. With no specific time frame the locals are under pressure this month to get all the boxes ticked.
All the work Summerhill Tidy Towns has done for the past 12 years is finally being recognised and the team are “taking it very seriously” said Bernadette.
Summerhill, a rural village in South Meath, has entered to represent Meath several times before however this is officially the first time that they have been chosen. They hope to attract new members and volunteers to come on board to aid them in getting the village ready for inspection.
Retaining the heritage and natural beauty of the village is very important to our Tidy Towns committee. They are currently working on restoring what’s left of the demesne wall, which is all that remains of Summerhill House, circa 1730. Over the past several years they have planted at least 10,000 bulbs and landscaped their green village. The team are truly dedicated and committed to protecting the rich biodiversity that surrounds the village.
Not only do they aim to make the village look good but they also want to encourage more people to visit. They have “Completed an accessibility study and are proud to say the village is now wheelchair friendly”.
Having been given this fantastic opportunity, Summerhill Tidy Towns want to make the most of it. They “hope to attract new members who will come on board with fresh energy and ideas”. To get involved and show your support you can contact the team through their Facebook page ‘Summerhill Tidy Village’.