McManus fund boosts community clean-up efforts in Limerick

LIMERICK City Council’s 2011 environmental grants to local communities have been increased thanks to sponsorship by a charitable foundation.

Following the success of the inaugural €50,000 Community Challenge, which benefited entrants in the national Tidy Towns competition, additional funding is available to Limerick City Council to help local areas make an environmental difference.

The prize fund, which is worth €17,500, was applied for by 29 communities across Limerick, and 16 local areas were successful.

The JP McManus Charitable Foundation made the prize fund available after the huge success of the Community Challenge, which was won by Castletroy View earlier this month.

Funding from the foundation allowed a total of 62 grants to be awarded in 2011.

Judging was carried out by the charity’s Gerry Boland and was based on the communities’ achievements in 2011; how they were going to sustain their efforts and “before and after” photographs of their work.

Ballinacurra Weston Residents Alliance took the top honours and a prize of €5,000.

Second prize of €3,000 was awarded to Abundant Life Christian Church for their work, while Southville/Gurteen residents’ association and Log na gCapall residents’ association each received €1,500.

The Market Quarter area in Limerick city centre received a special prize of €1,000 for its environmental work.

Groups awarded €500 included: Mount Gerard Court residents’ association; Carrabullawn residents’ association; Roundwood residents’ association; The Meadows residents’ association; &Georgian Village residents’ association; Meadow Springs residents; Our Lady of Lourdes estate management; Na Piarsaigh GAA club and Summerville Rovers AFC.

“We at the foundation are particularly conscious of the need to encourage community participation and volunteerism within all sectors of the community,” said Mr Boland.

“Volunteerism creates a sense of community, responsibility and ownership. It can compensate for the lack of government-provided resources in these difficult times and it can also provide great satisfaction for those involved.”

Limerick City Council director of services, Caroline Curley, thanked the foundation.

“We are indebted for its support for our Community Challenge and for those who received environmental grants.”

“We were delighted with the entries we received and I want to particularly mention the Market Quarter group, which was the only entrant from Limerick city centre. We hope their success this year will encourage other city centre-based business communities,” Ms Curley said.