All roads lead to official’s back garden

Cork’s county engineer says he won’t mind people raising issues about potholes with him in his back garden because they’ll be contributing to a worthy cause.

Noel O’Keeffe owns one of seven gardens which will be opened tomorrow to the public in the Carrigtwohill area to raise €20,000 for Marymount Hospice.

Mr O’Keeffe said he had a number of friends who were suffering from cancer and saw a first cousin die from it in Marymount only a couple of months ago.

As chairman of the Carrigtwohill Flower and Garden Club, he is running the fundraiser which is being sponsored by the local Ballyseedy Home and Garden Centre.

He said: “I would certainly expect some people will raise issues about roads and if they’re important I’ll certainly entertain them. I’m quite approachable, you know.”

Mr O’Keeffe said people will be able to visit all the gardens for €10 and tickets can be purchased at each of them or from the local garden centre. The price includes complimentary tea/coffee and a 20% discount on purchases at the garden centre.

“There are a wide variety of gardens on show, from small suburban gardens to up to three acres of woodland garden owned by Wanfred and Carmel Waterman. Mine is a one-acre herbaceous garden with a pond that contains Koi and goldfish — that’s when the heron isn’t eating them,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

The garden trail will be officially opened at Ballyseedy at 9.30am by the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Tim Lombard (FG). The gardens will be open from 10am to 6pm on the day and signs will be erected on local roads to mark the garden trail.

Brochures available from the garden centre will also feature route maps.

“This is a very worthy cause and I hope as many people as possible come out and support it,” Mr Lombard said.