An Gairdín Beo
An Gairdín Beo
An Gairdín Beo is a two-acre community garden in the centre of Carlow Town. The ethos is based on valuing diversity, sustainability, organic methods and indigenous species. The overall vision of the garden is of a space where people connect more with nature, with the growing and making of food, and with each other.
History
In the autumn of 2014 the Sisters of Mercy from St Leo's Convent contacted several groups and individuals in county Carlow, inviting them to a meeting to discuss the possibility of a community garden being created in land adjacent to the convent. There was huge interest in the overgrown two acre site and three sub committees of volunteers were formed to move the idea into action. In 2015 a Board of Directors was created and An Gairdín Beo applied to be a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status, with a 20 year lease being agreed with the Sisters.
Structure
Three groups work collaboratively to take care of the garden
The Board of Directors hold the governance responsibilities of the organisation and are responsible for protecting the ethos of the garden, for its company and legal requirements and for its financial sustainability.
The Garden Committee meet on a monthly basis to discuss, plan and organise the ongoing development activities of the garden. This is a collaborative group who bring a range of expertise and interests. It has five sub-groups: Finance and funding, Development, Growing, TLC (Therapeutic Garden) and Governance. This structure allows the work to progress in a co-ordinated but flexible way and can draw on external expertise when required.
The Volunteers are the heart of the garden activity. They include regulars such as Tús and CE Workers (3) and volunteers who are recruited through the Carlow Volunteer Centre.
Benefits
Visitors come to the garden for a wide variety of reasons:
- To enjoy the nature and the green space
- To grow food and other plants
- To take part in organised events or activities
- To reacquaint themselves with school-day spaces and places
- To meet and chat
- To contribute ideas
- To book the newly refurbished Community Building
An Gairdín Beo on KCLR
As part of National Volunteering Week, Carlow Volunteer Centre arranged for KCLR to visit some of the Volunteer Involving Organisations and speak with volunteers and organisers. Listen to Una Ni Mhaoldhomhnaigh's interviews below, and hear about the experiences of those involved.
How Carlow Volunteers Can Help Out
If you are interested in volunteering out at An Gairdín Beo, you can call into or ring our office, or apply using the link below. Wednesday is the usual day for volunteers to get some work done in the garden.
parkrun Carlow
parkrun Carlow
parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. In Carlow the 5 kilometre course is at the Barrow Track, over the river from Carlow Town Park, and is a mixture of tarmac paths and trail paths which takes place every Saturday morning.
parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along. parkrun is free and you only need to register once whether walking, jogging, running, volunteering or a combination.
Benefits of parkrun
Studies have shown the benefits of parkrun, but they can easily be summed up:
- It helps your physical fitness
- It gets you outdoors, into the fresh air and helps you reconnect with nature.
- It builds a sense of community and togetherness amongst all those involved.
- It provides a nice routine and some structure, which can be helpful when everything else is hectic and unpredictable.
Park Run on KCLR
As part of National Volunteering Week, Carlow Volunteer Centre arranged for KCLR to visit some of the Volunteer Involving Organisations and speak with volunteers and organisers. Listen to Una Ni Mhaoldhomhnaigh's interviews below, and hear about the experiences of those involved.
How Carlow Volunteers Can Help Out
Volunteers are essential to helping parkrun go smoothly, and they fulfil a number of important roles- they marshal the route to help anyone that needs assistance and keep everyone track, they scan ID barcodes to track who is attending and their finishing times and they hand out finishing tokens upon completion of the run. Many of the volunteers will regularly attend parkrun as participants as well, with a rotation of those available meaning volunteering is only required every four to six weeks.
Unum Volunteers and Tidy Towns at St. Mary's Cemetery
Unum Volunteers and Tidy Towns at St. Mary's Cemetery
Volunteers from Unum Carlow partnered with Carlow Tidy Towns to carry out a clean up in St. Mary's Cemetery in Carlow Town. Thank you to all involved in improving an important location in the town.
International Women's Day 2025
International Women's Day 2025
International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, honuors the achievements of women across all aspects of life - social, economic, cultural, and political - while also advocating for gender equality.
What are the aims of IWD?
IWD can mean different things to various groups, yet the overarching aims of IWD are to:
- Celebrate women’s achievements through recognising and appreciating the contributions of women in various fields, highlighting their influence and successes throughout history and in the present day.
- Raise awareness of gender inequality through shining a light on persistent issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education and opportunities.
- Mobilise action for equality through encouraging individuals, communities, and organisations to take steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for women.
- Donate and fundraise for women-focused charities, and elevate the visibility of their work.
- Foster solidarity among people of all genders in support of women’s rights and gender parity worldwide.
How the Carlow Volunteer Centre Recognised the Day
Here at the Carlow Volunteer Centre we decided the best way to recognise International Women's Day was to celebrate a great local woman, Sister Mary. She was instrumental in the development of An Gairdin Beo, the wonderful community resource in the heart of Carlow Town. She has been a force for action and improvement in Carlow, helping foster a strong sense of community and volunteering that we all continue to benefit from, and will long into the future.
