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.
You may have noticed the Tidy Districts’ Team out planting bulbs over the last few weeks. These amazing ladies are planting over 50kg (i.e. a serious amount of bulbs) around our area. There is going to be a riot of colour here come the Spring time. Daffodils, tulips, crocuses, snowdrops etc. etc.
We were awarded Runners Up in this year’s Tidy Districts Competition! Well done to our fantastic Tidy Districts’ Team, and to everyone who came out and helped during the year. We’ve won a prize for 3 out of the last 4 years. Not bad, not bad at all.
You can read more about it on the DLR website. While the competition is primarily an anti-litter and anti-graffiti competition, it has evolved over the years and now considers biodiversity, ecological projects and community engagement. This year, a new climate change category was added. This category seeks to encourage and reward positive climate action. So if anyone has any ideas please let us know.
The more observant of you would have noticed the “Nature Wildlife Area, Do Not Cut or Spray” notices that were put up on the grassed area on Goatstown Road, opposite Trimbleston, last year. Well the Council’s plan is to reduce grass cutting in this area (and other areas in DLR County) to just twice per year. To allow wild plants and flowers to grow, which should optimise conditions for pollinators.
Well it seems a mistake was made and the grass was just recently cut! Despite them not supposed to be cutting it until June!
The Council recently sent some further information about this initiative. You can read their leaflet here. You can also find more information on the DLRCoCo website:
www.dlrcoco.ie/en/heritage/biodiversity/nature-wildlife-areas
Do any of these match your ambitions?
< Make a difference in your community
< Help your Tidy Town’s programme
< Protect our environment
< Meet like-minded people
< Save money and have fun
If so, you’re in luck! DLRCoCo are running a Master Composter course. It is free, and will answer any questions you ever had about composting but were afraid to ask.
You can find out all you need to know here, in this leaflet. Please let us know if you decide to go by emailing us at roebuckresidents@gmail.com.
Click here to open and read DLRCoCo’s Environmental Awareness Spring Newsletter. We will be in touch with residents soon about our own Roebuck Spring Clean.
You may have noticed the little signs around the area asking people not to cut the grass because daffodils have been planted. The Tidy Districts Team planted hundreds of bulbs around the area before Christmas. We’re hoping for a glorious display over the coming weeks. Thanks again to this very small group for the amazing work they do in our area. If anyone would like to help them out by offering a bit of time every now and then, they’d be delighted. A nice area benefits us all afterall.
You may have also noticed the Council has been active recently removing some of the less attractive trees from the verges. Trees that are well past their prime. We have been in discussions for a while now with the Parks Department regarding improving the amount, and the condition, of the trees in the area. More trees have been planted this season, and will continue to be planted over the coming few years.
The Tidy Districts’ Team has been hard at work around the area. Some lovely plants for the winter months and also plenty of bulbs for a beautiful Spring display. Bee-friendly lavender planted at the Larchfield Road/Goatstown Road junction, with some grasses to follow. Winter bedding on the Green, and 200 daffodils will be ‘fluttering and dancing in the breeze’ in a surprise location within a few short months.
The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted this sign on the grassed area on Goatstown Road, beside the turn onto Larchfield Road. Opposite Trimbleston. DLRCoCo are trialing “Nature Wildlife Areas” around the area. You can read more about it here: www.dlrcoco.ie/en/heritage/biodiversity/Nature-Wildlife-areas
This means they will be cutting the grass approximately twice a year in order to encourage pollinators. This initiative goes along with their recent decision to stop using pesticides in order to create a more nature-friendly environment in our county.
www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news-public-notices/development-integrated-weed-control-plan-may-2018