By Gillian McVeigh
gillian@monaghanpost.com

The County Monaghan tidy towns book was launched in the Íontas Centre, Castleblayney on Wednesday last, 14 May ahead of the clean up effort from the residents of Castleblayney.

The book was launched by Mayor of County Monaghan, Gary Carville. Castleblayney locals Pat Merrick and Carmel Redmond, who are Chairman and Secretary of the Tidy Towns committee, have been working tirelessly over the past number of months to ensure that Castleblayney is looking its best.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Castleblayney, Gary Carville said:

“I have long been in awe of the selfless spirit of Co.Monaghan’s volunteers – none more so than those who work on environmental projects. I am very thankful therefore to the tremendous work which is done by the voluntary groups of Co. Monaghan, those work in a very real way saves the Council money.”

“For a Council such as Monaghan County Council, where we have little cash to spare from year to year, the support of voluntary groups is vital, and ensures that we can get best use out of the funds that we have.”

Mayor Carville continued:

“The Council recognises that maintaining our towns and villages is a partnership between those charged with looking after them and those who live there. As are the members of this Network, the Council is dedicated to improving the environment in which we all live, and we recognise the importance of co-operation to achieve what none of us could hope to do alone. I hope that this Handbook will provide guidance and support to groups, and thus play its part in ensuring that we continue to enjoy a very successful partnership between Council and community as guardians of the environment.”

Mayor Carville has also been getting involved in the clean up operation in his hometown of Castleblayney.

“One way in which members of the community could assist us all more is in the area of vigilance. A few weeks ago, I was out with the Castleblayney Tidy Towns here on their Spring Clean in the town and some of us went down to the Black Island – a beautiful scenic part of our heritage and our environment here in the town and county,” Mayor Carville continued. “We had to clean up, several messes, the remains of fires, the remnants of parties and lots of other things besides. Yes, we must be vigilant and report such sightings and the behaviour which give rise to them.”