BE4ES Ballymore Eustace for Environmental Sustainability

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BE4ES Ballymore Eustace for Environmental Sustainability

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Ballymore Eustace Environmental Group (BE4ES) aims to provide info on environmental sustainability 🌿

BE4ES is a resource through which the local community can both access and input information relating to the Environment and Sustainability locally and globally. BE4ES will support local organisations, schools and businesses in their efforts to be environmentally sustainable. Members of the local community are encouraged to get involved and submit information that would be useful to the community in general on these topics. BE4ES will keep the community informed about 2 important current projects in Ballymore Eustace namely the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and the Sustainability Energy Community (SEC). BE4ES will provide general and local information on Climate Change and Climate Action, Environmental Sustainability, Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, Repair, Anti-litter campaigns and Home Composting. BE4ES will also facilitate the setting up of Recycling initiatives, and provide information through talks/webinars/posts on what facilities are available in the Kildare County Council area for Recycling. BE4ES will facilitate seed/plant/produce swaps as the opportunity arises. Connections with other similar groups locally, regionally and nationally will be developed to prevent duplication of ideas and effort.

05/11/2026

Sew to reduce waste! Run by greenthread.ie for Wicklow County Council.

Where: Blessington Library
Date: 21st November
Time: 2-4pm

Free (registration essential)

Blessington Allotments Campaign
Go Greener with Grangecon
Kilcullen Community 4 Climate Action
Wicklow County Council Library Service
Blessington Community Diary
Blessington Town Team
Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns
Ballymore Eustace News
Kildare PPN

02/11/2026

So we’ve reached the end of another Himalayan Balsam Campaign and thankfully can report that it was a very successful and satisfying one. After the past 2 years of comprehensive work there was a significant reduction in HB appearing, so much so, that most of the time was spent looking for it! It’s difficult to ascertain whether, the floods in the spring washed away a lot of the seed that might have germinated, or the dry hot summer impeded growth. Whatever the circumstances, it was so heartening to see the village river banks dominated by a diverse, native undergrowth. We spent 50 hours as opposed to 160 in 2025, and a total of 507 plants were controlled in total. This a a fantastic result which we believe is due to diligently removing every plant and going out regularly, throughout the growing season, to make sure no plants escaped.

Downstream with aid of the *CWDF Grant from River Basin Management Service (formerly LAWPRO) the area controlled in 2025 was revisited and a further 1.9km was newly controlled. This is a combined distance of ~7km over the 2 years of funding with the emphasis on complete removal to optimise reduction in regrowth.

Thanks to Dr Jan-Robert Baars, AQUENS, Ruth Gaj McKeever, River Basin Management Service and Dr Méabh Boylan, Biodiversity Officer, Kildare Co Co. Dave Butler for buoyancy aids, our sister group Tidy Towns and the CDA for their support of this Campaign over the past few years. Thanks to the landowners for their help and cooperation with the Campaign ensuring continuity and consistency as the work expands downstream.

Finally to our amazing group of wonderful volunteers 👏 a number of whom barely missed a session in the past 3 years. YOU’ve made it the success it is.

*CWDF from the River Basin Management Service is funded by the Dept of Housing, Rural Development and Heritage.

ieie

29/10/2026

⭐️10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT⭐️

On 13th August a number of BEE Group volunteers, from the Himalayan Balsam (HB) Campaign here in Ballymore Eustace, were filmed tackling HB at Carnalway Bridge as part of a documentary being filmed for RTEs science programme 10 Things To Know About. The resulting clip will be aired on Wednesday 18th November at 8.30 on RTE One in Episode 3. This is a really interesting programme formatted to give viewers particular facts about the featured topics in easy to remember short bites.

The success of our HB project has garnered a lot of attention and allowed us to share the knowledge gained from our 3 years tackling HB over which time it has reduced significantly. I will post about this years Campaign soon.

RTE approached us after the producers saw the beautiful short film made by Juanita Browne in 2025 on the Campaign here in Ballymore Eustace. Juanitas film was funded by Kildare County Council and the National Biodiversity Data Centre and if you haven’t seen it yet it’s on their websites.

Thanks to the team at New Decade TV, RTE and of course our dedicated volunteers who deserve a bit of spotlight for their work over the past few years. Also it was a very warm day in August and we appreciate everyone patience.

Enjoy the Show

10thingstoknowabout
River Basin Management Serviceie
Kildare County Council

Go Greener with Grangecon

Kildare Greens

25/09/2026

🫛🥒LAST PRODUCE/PLANT SHARE IN THE SQUARE FOR 2026 🍒 🌼
📍 Market Square
⏰ 11-1pm
📅 Saturday, 26th September

Last week again we had lots to share, including Carrots🥕, apples 🍏, pears 🍐, leeks, and lots of plants including Sedum and other succulents for the rockery, Geraniums, Grasses. So come along tomorrow as we finish for this year.

So this will be the last Share In The Square for 2026. Thanks to all who contributed, whether bringing the fruits 🍎 (and veggies 🌽) of their labours or their very welcome company and contributions.

Special thanks to Joe O’Sullivan for always showing up rain ☔️ or shine ✨ and being the friendly and informative face of the operation.

See you all April 2027 bye 👋 for now.

refillz Go Greener with Grangecon

blessingtonallotments

18/09/2026

🍐🍋‍🟩PRODUCE/PLANT SHARE IN THE SQUARE 🌼
📍 Market Square
⏰ 11-1pm
📅 Saturday, 19th September

Another bountiful couple of hours in the Square last Saturday. Apples 🍎 so loads of apple tarts, Carrots, 🥕 Leaks, Courgettes, Cucumbers 🥒 Rhubarb, Beetroots 🫜 to name some.

Remember it’s Free To Take and Free to Give - help to reduce food waste and sharing what’s grown with your neighbours.

Learning to grow some of our own will help to boost food security and empower communities making them less reliant on imports and reducing carbon emissions.

All welcome - please bring along some bags to take your items home.

refillz Go Greener with Grangecon

blessingtonallotments

15/09/2026

🧵✨ Clothing Repairs & Upcycling Course ✨♻️ Hosted by BEE Group

📅 Start Date: 23rd September (Wednesday)
⏰ Time: 7-9 PM
📆 Duration: 8 weekly sessions (skipping 28th October for mid term, thus running until 18th November)
📍 Venue: Resource Centre, Ballymore Eustace
💰 Cost: FREE!!!

👗 Bring along items of clothing in need of repair to learn how to do just that or maybe you would like to upcycle something?

👜 No sewing machine required, but feel free to bring one if you would like to learn on your own machine.

✂️ Learn to use a sewing machine and also hand sewing techniques.

🧷 Course will be run by a tutor employed by KWETB

⚠️ Limited to 10 places, hence commitment needed for the full duration of the course. If there are more than 10 applicants, names will be chosen from a hat.

📲 Interested? Contact Fiona Breslin on 📞 087 9956085 before Thursday 17th September.

Tag a friend who’d love this! 💛♻️

11/09/2026

🍅 PRODUCE/PLANT SHARE IN THE SQUARE 🌼
📍 Market Square
⏰ 11-1pm
📅 Saturday, 12th September

After a great start last week the BEE Group Produce and Plant Share continues this week. We received donations of plums 🫛green beans, pears and damsons Also Beetroots 🫜 and of course lots of Apples🍎 The goods news is everything was cleared nothing was left👍👍

So come on in to the Square and meet your neighbours, pick up some nice locally grown produce and some tips if you’re interested to grow your own. If you’ve got something to share you are most welcome.

Free to Give and Free to Take as usual. Help avoid food waste.

refillz Go Greener with Grangecon

blessingtonallotments

07/09/2026

Join Green Thread at Blessington Library for a beginner-friendly sewing workshop. The session will begin with a short presentation on textile consumption and waste, followed by a practical introduction to machine sewing.

Participants will learn basic sewing skills and create something from scratch to take home. No previous sewing experience is needed, and all materials will be provided.

This workshop is for adults, and spaces are limited.

📅Saturday 19th September , 2-4pm
📍Blessington Library

To book:

Call: 045 891740
Email: [email protected]

04/09/2026

A Late Summer Visit to Blessington Wood with The Native Woodland Trust...

There's always something new to discover at Blessington Wood Nature Reserve, Co. Wicklow.

As we gear up for our next volunteer day on Saturday 5th September, we spent an afternoon exploring some of the reserve's incredible habitats. Within a relatively small area, the site contains mixed broadleaf woodland, dry flower-rich grassy banks, marshland, lakeshore habitat and sandy cliffs, creating a haven for wildlife. The reserve also supports species including Red Squirrel, Leisler's Bat, Common Snipe and the nationally scarce Dingy Skipper butterfly.

Walking along the shoreline of the Poulaphouca Reservoir, we reached the marsh where Daubenton's bats have been recorded foraging over sheltered water. Sometimes known as the "water bat", Daubenton's skims low over ponds, lakes and rivers, using its large feet to sn**ch insects directly from the water's surface. One of its favourite food sources is the mayfly.

Mayflies are among the oldest winged insects on Earth, with ancestors predating the dinosaurs. Most of their lives are spent underwater as nymphs, sometimes for several years, before emerging as adults that may live for only a day or two. Their presence is often a sign of good water quality, making them an important part of healthy freshwater ecosystems.

Also flowering beautifully in the marsh was Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), a striking late-summer wildflower and an important nectar source for pollinators when many other flowers are beginning to fade.

🌰🌳 Join us on Saturday 5th September for hazel seed collection and invasive buddleia removal as we help conserve and expand the native woodland at Blessington
County Wicklow Public Participation Network Wicklow Volunteer Centre Wicklow County Council Wicklow Heritage

Biodiversity Ireland ie
Kildare County Council
Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns
Go Greener with Grangecon
County Kildare Leader Partnership
Kilcullen Community 4 Climate Action
Kildare Greens
Kildare Community Stories
Kildare PPN
The Native Woodland Trust
Ballymore Eustace News

03/09/2026

🍅 PRODUCE/PLANT SHARE IN THE SQUARE 🌼
📍 Market Square
⏰ 11-1pm
📅 Saturday, 5th September

🎉👏 It’s Back! Every Saturday (weather permitting) for September and October - or till supplies run out.

It’s been a good year for growing and there is lots of fruit 🍋‍🟩 🍇 and vegetables for Sharing. Loads of apples 🍎 again this year and we will have cucumbers🥒 and I’m sure tomatoes. Also Pears🍐and Beetroots are maturing nicely.

So come along and take some locally grown produce or if you have some to spare, and don’t want to waste anything, this is an ideal opportunity to move it on.

Remember it’s Free To Take and Free to Give - all in the interests of avoiding food waste and sharing both produce and knowledge with your neighbours.
Knowing how to grow your own will help to boost food security and empower the community to become more resilient going forward.

Also this is the time when plants can be split (now that we’ve had some rain) so gardeners may have some plants to share.

All welcome - please bring along some bags to take your items home.

refillz Go Greener with Grangecon

blessingtonallotments
Kildare Greens

Address

Village Centre
Ballymore Eustace
000000

Website

http://www.ballymoreeustaceenvgrp.com/, https://linktr.ee/bmeenvgrp

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