Creating a Wild Garden at Dr Crokes GAA Club

Dr Crokes in Killarney were one of 90 GAA clubs recognised by the GAA for their work for sustainability this year under the Green Clubs programme. Eamonn Fitzgerald, Green Club Officer, tells us more.

 

By Eamonn Fitzgerald, Green Club Officer, Dr Crokes GAA, Killarney

 

As part of the GAA’s Green Club programme, Dr Crokes identified Energy as our first priority theme. The club embarked on an ambitious project of installing a air-to-heat system in the clubhouse. The efficiency and effectiveness of the new system is excellent. This project taught us an important lesson: climate change is staring us in the face and biodiversity is one of the ways forward, so we decided to tackle Biodiversity as our next Green Club priority theme.

Building our Green Team

The Green Team with Kerry Biodiversity Officer Eleanor Turner (centre front)

 

One of the central lessons I learned from a lifetime in education is to succeed in leading a project, you must find enthusiastic people to join your team. Enthusiasm, enlightenment, energy, caring and grá for the beauty surrounding us in Killarney were essential. Our Green Team was formed with a spirited group of 6, including former club players, and 2 specialists who were retired from the National Park. Most are mature in years and their experience is a blessing to be harnessed.

The Wild Garden project got underway. We prioritised a neglected waste area adjacent to the main club stand and identified several species of wildflowers already growing in the plot, many of which have significant value for pollinators:

Dandelions Oxeye Daisy
Common Daisy Plantain
Red Clover Vetch
Nipplewort Speedwell
Cranesbill Thistle
Knapweed Nettle
Cornsalad Wood Anemone
Furze Creeping Buttercup
Hairy Bittercress Ragwort
Great Mullein Foxglove

 

The wildflower meadow at Dr Crokes (Pic: Eamonn Fitzgerald)

 

Overcoming Obstacles

At first, the biggest pushback came from within the club itself. The Meitheal group does a fantastic job keeping the club grounds clean and tidy, and they wanted to ‘clean up this ugly wild area growing uglier by the day’. I understood their point of view, but I had to get them onside as the strimmers moved in. Discussions went well and the outcome was positive: let it be, for the bees.

We created new signage, left the Wild Meadow to grow naturally, identified wildflowers and picked two new trees to plant for biodiversity. One is the Wild Cherry, very attractive in spring with a profusion of white or pale pink flowers followed by small, tart cherries in autumn for various species of insects and birds.

The Meitheal was delighted to hear of plans to cut the area at the end of September, as advised by the specialists in our committee. We are educating adults but also the juveniles in hands-on participation. On September 28th during the Academy coaching of juveniles, we hand-mowed the Wild Garden with traditional scythes – a window to an Ireland of the past they knew nothing about.

Scything the meadow at Dr Crokes (Pic: Eamonn Fitzgerald)

 

Sowing Seeds for the Future

Each wildflower is dedicated to a young member of the club who will research all details, submit a report plus photos with her/his mobile camera, and get a certificate of recognition to be put on the club’s social media.

Education for all in this biodiversity project is the winner. Our specialists in the Green Club are exploring opportunities for biodiversity in other areas of the grounds. With the aid of the Green Club Grant, we have purchased 1500 crocus bulbs to flower in January 2025 providing food for bees and adding a big splash of colour. We have also purchased 2 more trees, and a scientific-based biodiversity plan will be prepared for 2025. Biodiversity will be important to Dr Crokes and the many visitors and spectators to our games.

 

 

The biodiversity projects will be opening the ‘windows of wonder’ for all, working on the wisdom of the old Irish proverb: ‘Is eol dúinn ainm an chrainn ach ní fios dúinn cé a chuir’. (We know the name of the tree, but we don’t know the hand that planted it).

Dr Crokes hands on the torch with enthusiasm to future generations in the club and extended community.

 

Eamonn Fitzgerald, Green Club Officer, Dr Crokes GAA, Killarney.

 

 

Find out more:

The GAA Green Club homepage

The GAA Green Club Toolkit

All-Ireland Pollinator Plan guideline: pollinator-friendly management of sports clubs

 

 

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