Carmel O’Neill sent ECI this latest report:
During the last lockdown members of the Tidy Village groups for Blessington, Lacken and Valleymount did a biodiversity course online. Each participant was given a pack with posters outlining the seasonal flowers and bulbs that will provide food for our pollinators. It was decided to display these in the porch of our churches to highlight the role of Eco-Congregation and to promote Climate Justice. We included a message from the newsletter of Cardinal Napier, Archbishop of Durban “Pray for rain in Africa” as they fear that they are approaching day zero when all of the water supplies will have depleted. The display shows families pumping water for their vegetables from a water pump.
The recent fires, flooding and drought across the world has motivated us to include more prayer for all whose lives have been devastated by these disasters in our weekly masses and Holy Hour of adoration.
In 2018, Lacken Tidy Village group received funding to clear the Mass path used by the people living in the townlands of Blackrock and Lugnagun to go to mass, school and the local shop. Today the pathway takes leisure walkers from the centre of the village to the top of Lacken hill where they can access the many walks of the Wicklow Way. The Mass path project won 1st prize in the Wicklow County Council Sustainable tourism award for 2020.
The gravel pathways of Lacken Church were difficult to maintain during the summer months as the weeds gained control despite regular hoeing. We have adopted a zero pesticide policy since 2018.
Recently with the help of our caretaker we have cleared the gravel and placed a layer of membrane on the soil which is then covered by the gravel. This will make it much easier to pull the weeds by hand in the future.
