Some lovely soothing photos of Friarsland Green, Mount Carmel Avenue, Goatstown Road and Fairy Land (a.k.a. Friarsland Green). Photos taken by the creative folks on The Tidy Districts Team.
Friarsland Green
Mount Carmel Avenue/ Rosemount
Wild Flowers, Goatstown Road
Fairy Land at Friarsland Green
The Lane
Hooray, some news that isn’t about planning stuff!
Friarsland Road Green:
Lots more progress has been made in the last few months on this space. A new balance beam/ kids bench along with bird boxes and apple trees have been added to the Green. Hopefully everyone will take an opportunity to include this spot on their walk and enjoy the area.
Lane Planters:
The last of the planters in the pedestrian lane has now been installed. The boxes are now in full bloom and we think they add some colour to the area. Thanks to the mystery artist who adds the colourful rocks, they bring a smile to our faces. Some mysterious seashells have also recently appeared.
Tidy-up Day:
The annual An Taisce Spring Clean day is provisionally scheduled for 17th April, however this is subject to change depending on government restrictions in place at the time. More details will be sent out closer to the time.
You might remember a long term resident of Friarsland Road sent us a list of the Birds of Roebuck. He has been back in touch to let us know that a new addition to the list is a Whooper Swan.
On Saturday 5th December eleven Whooper Swans passed through Belfield, flew over the mosque on Roebuck Road and over Roebuck Estate. Whooper Swan is a really good addition to the Roebuck List.
Friarsland Green
Since the summer the Tidy Districts team have been working on the green at the end of Friarsland Road. Huge amounts of brambles and weeds were cleared and new trees, flowers and bulbs were planted in the area. The council laid concrete for a bench which was purchased by the Residents’ Association. A bug hotel was made from repurposed crates. There is still some more work to be done with a new path to be added and some apple trees to be planted but we hope that everyone takes some time out and visits this great new addition to the area.
Flower Boxes
The pedestrian lane between Mount Carmel Road and Farmhill Drive also received a makeover over the last few weeks. A local father and son team hand crafted the flower boxes. They have been painted the same colour as the bench and flower pots on the green. They have been expertly potted up with a combination of donated plants and new flowers and bulbs. No doubt they will be a riot of colour come Spring.
Bulb Planting
A large number of bluebell bulbs were planted under the large tree on the green area of Goatstown Road. We are looking forward to Spring time when they will emerge.
Tidy Districts Award
Although the Tidy Districts competition did not go ahead this year, we did submit an application for review by an environmental consultant as part of DLRs community engagement during the year. The consultant was very impressed by all the work being carried out in the area. We have been awarded a grant of €350 to help with the cost of our 2021 entry into the competition.
Green at Farmhill Road/ Larchfield Road
There continues to be work carried out on this green in front of the shops. A large number of new logs were added which are being well used by young and old especially during the lockdown.
We submitted an observation to DLR Planning in respect of the current planning application for the temporary secondary school in the IGB site. We also made comments relating to the proposed final design which was part of the uploaded documentation for this application.
Planning Application Ref: D20A/0268
Can you still call it Leaving Cert weather if there is no Leaving Cert? Hope you are enjoying your long weekend in the sun.
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Water The Trees
The poor trees. If you have a new or young tree outside your, or your neighbour’s, house, please water it. They won’t survive this weather without help. Washing up water etc. is fine.
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IGB Schools – Planning
As we mentioned in the last email, the planning application for the secondary school is up online on the DLR Planning website. The final date for lodging any observation/objection is June 29th. We’ve put a post up on the website about all this. Included are details about the future “masterplan” of the site, and the proposed pedestrian access-ways etc.You can see the post here.
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Birds of Roebuck – Update
You might remember a couple of months ago a long term resident of Friarsland Road sent us a list of the Birds of Roebuck. He has been back in touch to let us know he got a great response from Roebuck and Taney, and has added a few new birds to the list. You can see the updated list here. The daughter of a Taney resident even reported that her mother saw Pheasant and Corncrake years ago! Thanks again to Kevin Cathcart for this very interesting diversion during these times.
Residents might also be interested in this article from Birdwatch Ireland that shows how to identify newly fledged birds that will be appearing in your gardens around now.
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Help the Council Improve Conditions for Pedestrians and Cyclists
Is there somewhere/something you think could be improved, from the point of view of pedestrians and/or cyclists? For example is there a location where it is dangerous to safely distance while passing other pedestrians when out walking? A dangerous junction for cyclists? Rat runs you’d like closed? Etc. If you have noticed something, or think of an area that could be improved, the Council wants to hear about it. Please fill out this form on the DLR website.
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Dundrum Village – One Way
Dundrum Village will become one way from about August onwards. The Council are being quite proactive across the county in trying to improve pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure in the wake of the pandemic. Blackrock Village will also become one way (see here). Here is a statement from the Infrastructure and Climate Change Department in DLR about Dundrum Village, no images/artist’s impression yet:”Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council plans to carry out temporary changes to the public realm and mobility interventions in Dundrum Village, including a temporary one-way traffic system on sections of Main St./Sandyford Road in the village and the reallocation of road space for the safety and benefit of pedestrians, cyclists and local businesses. The Council is working on this initiative with the technical and financial support of the National Transport Authority (NTA) […] The details of the plan are currently being worked on and we envisage that it will be finalised within the next 2 to 3 weeks and it is intended that the temporary changes will begin to be implemented in July 2020.“
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Cycle Lane Changes – Goatstown Road
The Council is also planning to make some cycle lane changes across the County. One of these changes is a plan to pilot a new form of protected cycle lanes on Goatstown Road. You can find more information about this here: https://twitter.com/ShayBrennan/status/1266368362117918722
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Apartments and Hotel Planned for The Goat
You’ve probably already heard about Charlie Chawke’s plan to apply for fast track planning permission for 290 apartments and a 50 bedroom hotel at The Goat. Bye bye donkeys and goats. There will be a lot of sad kids in the area. You can read more on the RTE website, and here on the Irish Times website.
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Free Webinar on Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC)DLR is hosting a free webinar on Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC) on Tuesday June 16th at 7pm. The purpose of this 40 minute information session is to introduce you to the Sustainable Energy Communities Network and to see what benefits and supports it can bring to your group and its members.
The event will be facilitated by Gavin Harte who is the SEAI Community Energy Mentor for Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. The SEC programme aims to drive energy efficiency and smart energy use nationwide, and is a key component of the National Climate Action Plan 2019-2024. Hear more about this exciting new initiative in DLR & change the way your community thinks about energy. Registration for the webinar closes at 5:00pm on Friday June 13th. To REGISTER, please click here.
If there is interest in this topic, we can set up a group in the Residents’ Association’s area, or in the greater Goatstown area. Please get in touch if you wish to help with this.
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Quick Note Regarding our Membership
Thank you to all who have already renewed or joined the Association by paying the €20 annual subscription. We’ve put Stripe on our website, so you can now pay online by card. You can also pay by EFT. (See https://www.roebuckresidents.com/pay-now/ for options.)
If you wish to pay your subscription in cash and don’t know who to give it to, please contact us for details of your nearest committee member. You can put the cash in an envelope with your name and address (house number & road).
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National Biodiveristy Week
Sorry we missed last weekend’s Backyard Bioblitz to celebrate National Biodiversity Week. Thanks to the resident who sent in an email about it, and apologies that we weren’t on the ball this time! However you can still find some kids’ activity sheets on their website.There is also lots of good stuff on the Biodiversity Ireland website for kids and adults alike. You can submit sightings, view information etc. There are also some really good identification booklets for trees, insects etc. in the Shop section. If any residents are interested in setting up a group to promote greater biodiversity in the area, please get in touch.
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Community Games
Thanks to another resident who sent in an email about the Community Games, again we weren’t quick enough to get an email out about it! (Apologies. Stern words were had…) The Community Games aren’t on this year, as you would suspect, but they did have a certain number of online games/competitions. However they didn’t give a lot of time, and the closing date was yesterday.
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Airfield Roebuck Residents’ Association Offer
Did you know that as a member of the Residents’ Association you get a special deal from Airfield when buying an Annual Pass? More details on this leaflet from them. They are now opening for Annual Pass holders on an appointment basis. The Farmers’ Market is also back up and running at the weekend, and they are doing some takeaway food options from the restaurant (highly recommend the BBQ takeaway, book in advance).
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Art on a Traffic Light Box
Fancy seeing your artwork on a traffic light junction box? DLR, partnering with Dublin Canvas, are extending their public art project to some locations in Dundrum. If you’d like to submit a design, you can find details here. Deadline is June 22nd.
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CEO’s Report on Pre-Draft Submissions for the New County Development Plan
You may remember we made a submission to the pre draft of the new County Development Plan for the DLR area. Well the CEO has now made her report on these submissions. You can see the CEO Report on the DLR website. It’s basically a list of comments by DLR on the submissions that were made, and it will go towards the next step in creating the new County Development Plan. You can also see the list of submissions that were made here. A couple that are interesting are the submissions made by the Department of Education, and by the Land Development Agency. (Search for A0134 and A0112 in the Ceo’s Report to find the CEO’s responses to these submissions.) The Department is asking the Council to do more to identify and protect future school sites, and to protect school land. This proactive planning is a new departure for the Department, and one that the Council will hopefully support. The Land Development Agency is asking the Council to remove or change the Institutional Objective. Remember the zoning type that applies to OLG, and also applies to the Central Mental Hospital site? The one about a minimum 25% open space among other things (see here, Section 2.1.3.5). So it will be very interesting to see what the Council does about all this. Will it remove or strengthen these protections? It is also worth nothing that the County Councillors will be voting on these matters. So if you have something to say about all this, contact your local Councillors and let them know what you think.
A lovely meditative slideshow. Thanks to the local resident who took these beautiful photos and suggested the slideshow. View fullscreen, with sound on, for the most calming effect.
We hope you’re all keeping well, and relatively sane. A few bits and pieces for you.
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The Birds of Roebuck (the feathered kind that is…)
A resident recently got in touch. Since moving in in 1975, he has kept a record of the birds seen in his garden and in other parts of Roebuck. If anyone can add to the list, we will be interested to know. Please get in touch if you can add any more (see previous post). It’s a lovely project for the times we’re in.
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Shopping Information
Greengrocer:Robbie’s (Kilmacud Road) are offering free delivery three times a week. You call them at least a day in advance to book a slot. Their number is: (01) 598 290.
Butchers:
Flemings (the butchers on Kilmacud Road) are offering free delivery for all orders over €30. They cover Dublin 18, Dublin 16 & Dublin 14. Delivered to your door and the packaging will have been wiped with sanitiser wipes. You can call them on (01) 296 7998.
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DLR PPN Online Hobby & Cultural Resources
A list put together by DLR PPN. http://dlrppn.ie/online-hobby-and-cultural-resources-you-might-like-to-explore/
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Volunteer by Transcribing at Home – Meitheal Dúchas.ie
Have a bit of time at the moment to do something very worthwhile? Do you know about the Schools’ Scheme that was run in the 1930’s by the Irish Folklore Commission? Between 1937 and 1939, primary school children from all over Ireland collected stories from their communities. It’s a fascinating collection, and work is ongoing transcribing it all. How it works is – you sign up, then get sent an image of a handwritten story (English or Irish, you choose) and you then type it out, and send it back to them.
You can sign up and find out more here.
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Donate – 7 Day Meal Pack
Flemings, the butchers on Kilmacud Road, have set up a 7 day meal pack service for vulnerable people in need. They are putting these packs together at cost price, €35. The way it works is people ring them, or call in, and donate that amount. The packs are delivered to those who need them. If you would like to donate towards a pack, or if you, or anyone you know, is in need of this service, please let them know. You can see more on their Facebook page.
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Emergency Service for Elderly Patients
Emergency department doctors in Dublin are now making house calls for elderly patients. Older people in the catchment of St Vincent’s and St Michael’s – stretching from Dublin city centre to north Wexford – can have an emergency department doctor or occupational therapist visit their home once they’ve been referred to the service by a GP, nursing home, or emergency services. Obviously many patients are reluctant to visit an emergency department at the moment. More information here.
A resident recently got in touch. Since moving in in 1975, he has kept a record of the birds seen in his garden and in other parts of Roebuck. If anyone can add to the list, we will be interested to know. Please get in touch at roebuckresidents@gmail.com if you can add any more, and we will put you in touch with him.
We have already heard of a sighting of a Jay and a Whitethroat, and the call of a Barn Owl, since he got in touch, so the number is already growing!
Hope you all had a nice weekend, as nice as possible anyway. Chocolate always makes things better we find, so hopefully you all got an egg or two to munch on.
Local Books
One of our members has let us know that he is very happy to loan and deliver books to anyone who is cocooned and short of reading material. Email us and we will put you in touch. He has thousands of books (Enid Blyton’s Famous Five to James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake) and will probably be able to find something of interest for you. In good weather he will leave a box of books at his gate from which people can borrow. We’d like to thank him for this very generous offer. A great service.
Easter Decoration Competition – Photos
We had a great response to our Easter Decoration competition, and the bunny judges were out on Saturday delivering the Easter egg prizes. We’ve put some photos of the beautifully decorated houses up on the website.
Other Photos
We’ve also put some other recent random photos from around the area up on the website too. Sure why not.
Banking Freephone Numbers
Banking freephone numbers have been set up for people cocooning. (Information taken from this Irish Times article.)
AIB: 1800 207 232
Bank of Ireland: 1800 946 146
KBC Bank: 1800 804 472
Permanent TSB: 1800 218 000
Ulster Bank Ireland: 1800 656 00
Planning
There is no sign of the IGB secondary school planning application drawings/details up on the DLR Planning website yet. According to the DLR website, the external scanning company they use is closed. The new emergency legislation means that the clock has been effectively stopped on the time period available to lodge an observation until April 21st. So that means there should be just under 5 weeks from that date to make an observation if you wish. Well unless things change again. More information regarding the changes to planning etc. can be found here.
DLR Biodiversity
DLRCoCo posted some biodiversity ideas and activities to do at home or in self isolation. The bird guide could be useful, and the mammal tunnel is an interesting idea. Although be prepared for what you might discover…
More here.
DLR Community Call Freephone Number
The DLR Community Call helpline now has a freephone number. 1800 804 535 or 01 271 3199. Both lines open from 8am – 8pm You can also email covidsupport@dlrcoco.ie
Please note: These numbers/email is not for ordinary Council services.
New Trees
You may have noticed some new trees in verges around the area. It looks like PJ from the Council was busy a few weeks ago putting in some new trees for us. (PJ sometimes works in mysterious ways, but we won’t hear a word against him.) If these new trees are outside your house (or the house of neighbours who might be cocooning), can you ensure they get regularly watered over the coming few months? If there’s a dry patch, they won’t survive.