April News & Events
Daily Local News in brief.
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Charity Donation Nominations Close
26 Registered Charities nominated by the Public were received and will go through to May's Public Vote for shares in Cllr Alan Lawes' €15,000 Discretionary Fund 2021.
Navan Outreach
4 homeless people in Navan were last night supported with food and essentials by Johnstown Tidy Town's Support Service.
Food Collection and Tribute.
Staff at O Briens, Old Johnstown Village, are making a collection of nonperishable foods for donation to the needy this weekend.
Drop off:
Saturday 4-8pm
Sunday 3-6pm
They have decided to do this in late memory of Peter Byrne (First Anniversary) who was a champion fundraiser for the Community.
House Burglary
Navan Gardaí are investigating a burglary which occurred in the Bailis Downs estate between 1-2pm today.
If anyone was in the area at this time and noticed anything suspicious, please contact Navan Garda station on 046 9036100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Your chance to help make a difference
North Bank Boyne Path Closed
News is spreading that the access routes leading to the River Boyne north bank path, on the Blackcastle Demesne side, have been closed off. The land all along the north bank is private property, hence we've not previously mentioned the trail.
The area recently closed off is in addition to the sections of the riverside path leading from Flower Hill and also opposite Rowley's Lock which have both been shut for a considerable period of time, and both have clear Private Property signs.
Fishermen do have certain access but during lock down it has offered local people the opportunity to exercise and experience the River's natural beauty.
Hopefully, the Council will intervene to reach a deal with the landowner to allow public access and cover Public Liability Insurance. It is also hoped that with the latest housing development that there will be access to this magnificent natural feature in the near future.
School Supports Seeds
St Stephen's National School offered support to Johnstown Tidy Towns with space to germinate their 500+ sunflowers seeds.
Students will water the seedlings until it's time to plan them at the the end of May and create the Johnstown Sunflower Trail
Youth Sports Return
This week see's all major sporting clubs return to play with many youths eagerly participating.
With hundreds of clubs there are too many to show here so find your local club's online information in our sports club guide and see what is planned for them.
Sunflower Trail Grows
Initially starting off with eight suggested sites to create a sunflower trail through Johnstown could now potentially triple in size. New suggested locations from the public could result in an 8km summer trail.
The Johnstown Tidy Towns group are now looking into funding options to make this happen.
Activities with something for everyone.
Food Hampers Continue
For over 12mths the Johnstown Tidy Towns volunteers have continued to support families in food poverty with weekly food hampers.
Contact them if you would like to help them make deliveries every Saturday to the local community.
2nd Use For Spent Compost.
The JTT ask you for your old used compost.
'No matter what you use as plant pots if you want to maintain healthy happy plants you either need to re-pot them into bigger pots every year or to at least replace one-third of the existing compost.
BUT don't throw the spent compost away, WE NEED IT !!!!
Message us and we'll use it around the bases of public trees as a mulch to help stop the temptation for people to use weedkillers.'
Budding Young Gardners
1st year students at Colaiste Na Mi Secondary School reinvigorated the front of the school with an array of plants and flowers.
We don't yet know what we have around us.
Go Purple Day
The An Garda Síochána Event in aid of Men's Aid Ireland & Meath Women's Refuge encourages you to wear something purple to create awareness of domestic violence and we would love if you could support them in any small way you can.
Please Donate Here
Vaccination Centre Opens Today
The Navan Vaccine Centre opens today by APPOINTMENT ONLY at Simonstown GAA Location Map.
Putting things into Perspective!
Students of Coláiste Na Mí Secondary School shared some of their playful work with perspective during photography class.
Eat, Sleep, Work and BUY locally
Bank Holiday Weekend Fun
Navan Adventure Centre announce a line up of family fun events operating inline with Covid restrictions.
Outdoor Performance Space
Cllr Eddie Fennessy proposed for there to be a bandstand or outdoor auditorium performance space for Blackwater Park.
Perhaps something less formal, and more spontaneous, could allow performances in the Johnstown People's Park in a Covid Free future?
Charity Donation Nominations
As of today 23 nominations have been received to go through to May's Public Vote for shares in Cllr Alan Lawes' €15,000 Discretionary Fund 2021.
Check to see the Registered Charities entered and if there is one missing that is close to your heart then nominate them before 9pm April 29th.
A wonderful trail is closer than you thought.
Potential New Roundabout for Johnstown.
Cllr Emer Tóibín reports that Meath County Council are designing a mini roundabout for the busy junction opposite Cois Glaisin linking Johnstown Village with Metges Rd.
This may reduce traffic congestion and stop the Cois Glaisín estate being used as a shortcut.
Burglary
Navan Gardaí are investigating a burglary which occurred in the Balreask New area April 20th approximately 1.55pm.
Meath Crime Prevention report that 'Three to four males were disturbed coming out of the property with a safe. They left in a black coloured Audi car with partial registration 132 ** going towards the Dublin Road at Kilcarn Bridge.'
'Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses or Dash Cam footage that members of the public may have.'
'If anyone was in the area at this time and noticed anything suspicious, please contact Navan Garda station on 046 9036100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.'
Johnstown Sunflower Trail
Johnstown Tidy Towns are proposing to host a series of summer sunflower displays connected via a trail through the neighbourhood and are asking for your help to find locations.
Take a stroll along the Boyne
Pride of Place 2021
The Meath County Council 2021 Pride of Place competition is now open for applications. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 5.00pm Friday, 28th May 2021
Prizes range from €75 to €600 and you could get an award at both Municipal District and County levels.
Duped
Johnstown Tidy Towns brought to our attention the marketing con that is duping gardeners, who are keen to help Irish biodiversity, into spreading not only non native species but flowers that are not 'Wild'.
Read the article produced by Pollinators.ie and be careful what you sow in your gardens.
Seeking Local Charities
We are seeking nominations of Registered Charities based and operating within the Navan Municipal District. Those nominated will enter May's Public Vote where 5 will receive equal shares in Cllr Alan Lawes' €15,000 Meath County Council Councilors Discretionary Fund 2021.
See the link to view details of how to nominate a charity.
Explore Navan on 2 wheels.
Bus Stop Works
Meath County Council announce that approximately 50 Bus Stops along the N1 and N2 bus route will receive better signage, shelters, trip information and wheelchair access.
Familiar Sight
It's the end of first week that all students returned to classrooms and it's back to the old ways of Johnstown's road traffic.
Natural Weed Mat
Johnstown Tidy Towns are seeking your old spent compost, send them a message if you have some.
Spent compost is a great mulch to retain ground moisture and suppress weeds around trees, plants and even signposts.
It's a free alternative to using weedkiller. 📝Read this months article about "What's wrong with using Weedkiller?"
Give your free time a goal.
"She…..Inspires & Belongs in Sport"
FREE interactive webinar on Thursday 15th April @ 7.30pm-9pm!
This webinar is designed to showcase the very best leaders who through their own actions provide inspiration to us on a daily basis! The evening promises to be fun & interesting and will allow for participant interaction with the speakers.
To register see: https://eventmaster.ie/event/RWGJsL5h76
Exam Revision
Students can get the most from their exam preparations by reading Joe McCormack's advice 'Six of my Best ACE Revision Signposts'.
Wildlife Care
Ireland's only wildlife hospital, which opened recently behind the Tara Na Rí pub in Garlow Cross, asks the well intentioned public to NOT bring them animals that are not injured or abandoned.
Read their newspaper article in the Irish Examiner which explains more.
If you're not feeling Ok then Help is there.
Disappointing Find
Despite their best efforts to remove litter from our streets and trails the constant flow of litter persists. It is disappointing since these are the streets hundreds walk daily and litter is a blight to everyones enjoyment.
Please take litter home with you and offer to help by collecting it as you walk.
Return to Play
Inline with Current Covid restrictions some outdoor sports are permitted from 26th April.
See the Sports Club Guide to discover what individual clubs might be planning.
#WildAboutSwifts
Navan is home to almost 60 swift nests but BirdWatch Ireland reports a 40% drop in the number of swift colonies nationwide since 2008.
If you'd like to learn more Wild About Navan are hosting a free webinar with Lynda Huxley 7.30pm Wednesday 14th April.
We'll be watching it on the family TV screen and looking for tips on how we can see swifts in our neighbourhood.
Feed them and they'll enliven your garden.
Go & Explore
County Meath is now open to us for travel and so we take a look back at places you can visit.
When you've got to go WHERE are you going to go?
Now that Covid Restrictions have relaxed to allow movement across the County you're only limited by ...... finding a toilet!
With hotels, restaurants and bars still closed we're heavily reliant on finding public toilets and just in time a website has appeared that does exactly that.
Check out www.pee.ie and save yourself some issues.
Tulip Ring
Many of the Johnstown Tidy Towns Spring Bulbs have appeared. Students returning to the Johnstown Campus will see the tulip ring on the roundabout.
If you've ideas and the energy then contact Johnstown Tidy Towns about developing this area into a feature.
New April Articles Published
For the second year running Councillor Alan Lawes is asking the public to nominate Navan area registered charities. Put to public vote 5 will receive equal shares of his €15,000 Council Discretionary Fund, 2021.
It's never good to hear of local trees being felled and it is a reminder to cherish those we see around us. Since no one really knows what we actually have In our neighborhood we seek Your Help to record and protect them.
Find out how you can Help Map Our Trees.
We continue our investigation into Navan's interesting features with another sculpture that reveals more than we expected.
Last month we discovered an insight into County Meath but this month it is literally all about 'Navan'.
This was a fair question asked on one of our social media postings so we summarise the issues.
Playing a vital role in nature with properties that people have exploited for centuries the dandelion is far from being a useless weed.
We offer 5 reasons why you should change your mind about these plants being unwanted weeds.
Back to the News
What's it going to BEE?
Johnstown Tidy Towns have made good use of unwanted garden soil by creating a wildflower strip at the corner of the Johnstown People's Park.
They've asked for anyone with surplus soil or waste 'used' compost to get in touch.
Return to Play
If you want your child to join Walterstown GFC will open their gates to welcome children back on April 26th.
Further information on their website www.walterstown.com
REMEMBER not to bring any single use plastic bottles AND to take your litter home with you!
Social Media Workshop
The Meath PPN will be holding a workshop on social media 21st April 2021 from 10am to 12pm for all members.
Find a route through our Neighbourhood
Community Groups Clean Up
170 groups registered with the Meath County Council's Green KM Initiative.
This weeks Meath Chronicle has a special feature highlighting the work being undertaken across the county by several groups including our own Johnstown Tidy Towns.
UPDATE: Temporary Closure of Ludlow Street.
Closure has been deferred from 12th April and will now be from 7.00am on Monday, 19 April 2021 to Tuesday, 31 August 2021 to facilitate works as part of Navan Town Scheme (Navan 2030).
Socially Distant Littering!
The Athlumney Riverside Trail should be filling with Spring flowers but the sight of heavy littering greets your eyes.
A large number of wrappers and plastic bottles are being dropped along the raised trail paths but it's nothing compared to the glass bottles and beer cans strewn through the 'meeting' areas near the river.
Please leave nature as it was intended - Litter Free.
Playground and lit loop walk
River Boyne Path
Today it snowed and then the sun came back out but the Ramparts area remains very popular with walkers.
Navan Cycling Initiative have published their submission in response to The Boyne Greenway and Navigation Restoration Scheme Consultation.
"At a time when the demand for outdoor amenities is at an all-time high, the Boyne Greenway has the potential to deliver significant sustainable and social health and well-being benefits to the communities in the region."
'Egg'celent Donation
The Team at Smith's SuperValu donated their staff easter eggs to charity this year. The business matched the donation and Johnstown Tidy Towns will be distributing these to the homeless and those families in food poverty within the coming days.
Easter Donations
Chocolate eggs were amongst this weeks food hampers donated by the public and local business and distributed by Johnstown Tidy Towns to families in food poverty within County Meath.
Village Traffic Calming.
Cllr Emer Tóibín informed us that work is to begin to create speed tables, or ramps, to slow traffic through Old Johnstown Village.
Concern for the Environment
The recent social media public backlash at the tree felling on the River Boyne and the request to allow treated factory water to flow into it has caught everyone's attention about concern for the environment. It might come as a shock to discover that ''85% of Irish land-based habitats and ecosystems are in poor condition with marine ecosystems also in a very bad way''.
Bird Watch Ireland are supporting the call to restore nature and for a strong new law to make nature restoration legally binding.
Walk In Test Centre Opens
Navan currently has one of the highest Covid-19 incidence rates in Ireland. The temporary Walk In Test Centre opens today.
Dates: April 1st to 5th
Times: 11am - 7pm
Location: Navan O'Mahonys GAA C15 V383
HSE.ie states:
You can use the COVID-19 walk-in test service if do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and you:
are aged 16 years and over
live within 15km of the walk-in test centre
have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 6 months
If you have News, Reviews or suggestions for Articles and Local Guides then we'd love to hear from you.
What's On
See if there's something happening for you.
👫 Everyday
Clean Up
Volunteers should contact Johnstown Tidy Towns for bags, gloves and pickers to work as 'Household Pods' within their local area.
👫 Saturday's
Food Hampers
Every Saturday from 11:30am volunteers are needed to help provide an essential service to distribute food parcels to many households in need within the Navan Neighbourhood.
Offer your time via Johnstown Tidy Towns.
🚧 19th April to 31st August
Temporary Closure of Ludlow Street.
Closure from 7.00am on Monday, 19 April 2021 to Tuesday, 31 August 2021 to facilitate works as part of Navan Town Scheme (Navan 2030).
👫 26th April
Return to Play
Inline with Current Covid restrictions some outdoor sports are permitted from 26th April.
See the Sports Club Guide to discover what individual clubs might be planning.