The Charlestown Organic Community Garden, is a little slice of horticultural heaven, in the heart of Charlestown, Co. Mayo.
The garden which was started in 2016, is located in Church Street, right next door to St James’s Church and the adjoining cemetery. With an eclectic group of members ranging from 15 to over 80, their aim is to allow each member to discover which aspect of gardening appeals most to them and give them free reign to ‘dig in and get their hands dirty’.
Local women Mary O’Donohue, aided by Serena Horkan, Noreen Kilroy and Megan McDonnell spend most of their time amongst the tomatoes, melons and peppers in the polytunnel. Each week the ladies ensure that the tomatoes are pinched out, caned, watered and fed, whilst ensuring the pumpkins and melons are beautifully trained for maximum fruit yield in autumn.
It is also here in the polytunnel that their flowers are grown from the seed, before being handed over to another local women, Kay McIntyre. Kay single-handedly designed and created the flower patch during the first lockdown of 2020. Paddy Casey (formerly of Church Street) is the man who created and maintains the wonderful lawn and border. This year Paddy planted several topiary shrubs (Thuja, Semperviruns, Berberis, conifers and laurels) which he will lovingly shape over the years to come.
Local artist, Sarah McCann is the colour and design specialist. Together with her, Jack McCann, son Aiden and members of Foroige Charlestown, she has ensured that the garden is alive with colour, thereby attracting bees and other pollinators into the garden.
German-born Marcus Posthumus is the man who can turn his hands to anything that needs to be done in the garden. He has helped to create the lawn, build the fence and erect the shelves in the garden shed. Along with his wife Lisa and their daughter Marie, they have their own vegetable bed in the garden, where they grow plants that are generally foraged in Ireland.
Charlestown Organic Community Garden thank all those who contributed to the “Go Fund Me” page last year. Due to Covid-19, they were unable to fundraise themselves and your generosity has allowed them to buy more plants and continue to beautify this magical garden. They also give a special “Thank You” to Brian and Margaret Poole, from Dublin who have not only become patrons/benefactors of the garden, but lifelong friends.
The garden is open to the members of the public on Wednesdays from 4.30pm and Saturdays from 1pm and all are welcome. (Written by Mary McIntyre Volunteer and Member of the Organic Garden).
The garden is a credit to the committee and very worthy of your support as they have created a little piece of heaven in a very appropriate setting which you must check out and visit as they continue to push the envelope and develop this special space in the months and years ahead.