Clean-up volunteers give Limerick some TLC

Regiments in high-vis jackets swept across the highways and byways of Limerick city and county yesterday, leaving spick and span neighbourhoods in their wake.

For more than three hours, an estimated 15,500 men, women, and children removed about 150 tonnes of litter in the country’s biggest ever community-led effort of its kind.

On the dot of 10am, the Boherbuoy band led the attack to the sound of the Tenth Regiment marching tune.

While 13,500 registered to participate in Team Limerick Clean-up (TLC), the organisers estimated a further 2,000 came out for the second Good Friday onslaught on the unsightly.

And it all started over a cup of tea.

Rugby legend, Paul O’Connell recalled: “Myself, JP McManus, and Helen O’Donnell, who has been very involved in the tidy towns in Limerick, were toying with some project and we came up with this. Its beauty is its simplicity. It’s amazing that tackling litter can bring so many people together proving there is good in every bad situation.

“As well as removing a huge amount of litter, it creates an awareness among people, particularly children, about the importance of keeping your own area litter free.

“And it has the added bonus in new neighbourhoods and estates of enabling residents meet new neighbours in a community effort and then sit down afterwards for a well-earned cup of tea.”

JP McManus, whose benevolent fund sponsors the event, said Limerick has led the way with TLC.

“There are so many people involved in making this the success it is and there are a lot of logistics involved. We learned a lot from the first TLC last year. I hope this Good Friday event goes on for many years to come.

“The entire event is a huge community effort from the people of Limerick city and county and we want to thank each and every one of them for taking part,” he said.

More than 450 groups gathered in various locations and the operation was monitored by a control centre at the offices of Limerick City and County Council in Dooradoyle.

Council executive and TLC project manager, Paul Foley, said: “We have a team of 12 in the control centre liaising with all the groups and engaging with social media. When all the litter is collected, Mr Binman, who have 40 collection trucks out voluntarily will pick up litter bags at more than 400 locations. We estimate with the numbers taking part, TLC today will involve up to 30,000 work-hours removing up to 150 tonnes of litter, most of which will be recycled.

“The two main objectives of TLC is to make a positive statement about Limerick and make Limerick city and county a cleaner place. It also gives a fantastic bounce throughout the community,” Mr Foley said.

One group on the south side of Limerick was led by Gerry O’Connell who lives in St Joseph’s Street.

Gerry said: “Members of our resident’s association go out every week in our own area and on average we remove about 20 bags of rubbish weekly. We also do some outside painting for the elderly and we remove graffiti anytime it appears. This is very important as prompt action shows people we are active.”