NEW ROSS has received a major national award as a result of the hard work of a number of local organisations.
The town was declared overall winner of the Barrow Awards Scheme 2012 at a function in Carlow.
The scheme is an initiative run by Carlow Tourism with the support of Inland Waterways Association Ireland, Waterways Ireland and Local Authorities.
The aim of the scheme is to acknowledge and reward towns and villages along the Barrow for maintaining and enhancing the natural resources of the river and its adjoining riverbank.
The New Ross entry was a joint initiative between New Ross Tidy Towns, the Rising Tide Project, New Ross Sea Scouts, Rosbercon/Tullogher Action Association, New Ross Chamber, New Ross Boat Club, Shelbourne Game Protection Association Preservation Club, and volunteer artists Nancy Rochford-Flynn, Pavlina Kubelkova and Michael White.
The entry also received support from the JFK Trust, New Ross Town Council, and Wexford Co. Council.
The groups focused their attention on the area of riverbank running alongside of the Three Sisters Marina in New Ross. The work carried out was varied with some of the highlights being the Barrow river gods which were sculpted in four weeks by the three artists.
A spokesperson for the group commented on aspects of the work to the New Ross Echo.
“The understory adjacent to the river was cleared by members of the New Ross Boat Club so the river is visible on the approach to New Ross,” she said.
Arthur Kepple, from IWAI, commended all the entrants from across the five counties through which the Barrow flows and he praised “the monumental community effort exhibited in New Ross”.
Philo Whelan, from New Ross Tidy Towns, accepted the award on behalf of the winning entrants. She acknowledged and thanked the other local organisations who worked together to bring success to New Ross.
The group plans to build on this initial success next year and enter the competition again. Any group or individual in the area interested in getting involved is asked to contact Anthony Bailey (087-9101806) or Philo Whelan (087-2907843).
