Chairperson : Máire George.
Secretary: Bernie Mullins
Treasurer: Eileen Murphy
Link to Reflections/1916 Garden
Link to Biodiversity Launch
9/12/17
Three lads helped Kathleen Abbey switch on the Christmas Lights in Ballon.
Cathal Bailey, Senan Finn and J.J. Bolger.
28/10/17
Feile Oiche Samhna Balana
A busy night with plenty of action orchestrated by dance director Maureen Culleton.
Thanks to Parents Association and to Spar for funding food and goodies.
23/10/17
Awards given by CCC Pride of Place
Ballon Improvement Group Joint Winners with Myshall Natural Heritage & Biodiversity Award
Ballon Improvement Group Litter Free Award
Ballon Hill Estate Joint 2nd Prize with Ashgrove Estate Fenagh Small Estates Municipal District of Muinebheag
9/10/17
See Maire’s photo summary via Facebook Link
26/9/17 Tidy Towns results for Ballon in pdf form
Click on link: 2017 County Carlow Ballon
20/9/17
Martina Jordan, Niamh Murphy from Carlow Partnership and Maire George Ballon Improvement Group.
30/8/17
Bank of Ireland Enterprising Towns Award
Today saw the presentation to the judges of this award held in the Enterprise Centre, The Community Hall and a walk around the village.
The three presenters gave a first class acount of all that makes Ballon such a good place to live. The judges were impressed and interested.
Some of the local businesses and groups displayed in the hall which, given short notice and a working day, was well represented.
Ballon should be proud to have such ambassadors in the community.
12/8/17
Group of 30 from Co. Kilkenny Tidy Towns visited village walkway ; school and Barracks gardens and Siopa Glas for a cuppa.
Presentation of Local Fruit to Bernadette, Environment Officer from Kilkenny County Council.
11/8/17
Artist Joseph Stafford, Cliona Mc Gagh , Mary Jordan and Maire George
at launch of Art and Nature workshops for Heritage week at Altamont Gardens on Tue 22nd at 11.00am
Joseph Stafford Artist, Mary Jordan The Forge, Carmel ,Sean and Ciaran Stafford.
5/8/17
Nature Walk in Ballon by MC Visual – Martin Cummins of Ballon
Get the booklet from Siopa Glas and have a great day with the kids learning about their village.
24/7/17
Kitty Dowling says it all. Love the hair too.
14/7/17
The Bishop pays a courtesy visit to Donald on Ballon Hill
6/7/17
MARY Jordan of the Forge Restaurant collecting a collection of organic vegetables from the School Community Garden in Ballon on Tuesday 4th July.
Great to have local produce from the Community garden served in the local Restaurant. Produce will be available at the Siopa Glas in Ballon over the next few weeks.
29/6/17
Bernie Mullins and Maire George pictured with the overall prize winners at Ballon School for the crazy container competition.
1st: Daniel and Liam Morahan.
2nd: Emer and Aine Deacon
3rd: Molly Maher.
Judges prize: Ross Cummins
Other Winners Below
17/6/17
On the 14th June a fun cycle for 4th year around the new Nature’s Way tour around the village.
There is an 8 page booklet available from Siopa which is very interesting and an ideal project for the children to follow during the holidays.
11/6/17
7/6/17
Here is a picture from our School – Community GIY Garden. Picture shows the first green vegetables picked in the garden this season. Our first time to grow Brocholli and it proved to be a great choice grew fast and furious but does take up a big space for each maturing plant. Next came the Cabbage.
Very sucessful this time with the mature heads coming in not too fast. Members of the school gardening club took home samples to cook.
Next big day in the Organic Garden will be our Potato day. More on that later.
19/5/17
5/5/17
School/Community gardening club interviewed by KCLR
Hear the interview on this link
21/4/17
14/3/17
Pictured in the School wild habitat are members of the Green school committee
Patches of wild flowers were sown and some young oak tree saplings. The oaktrees were gown from acorns planted by some of the school children and their parents.
10/3/17
We have planted over 1,500 new native hedging plants around the village this last few weeks.
Pictured here is the Ballon Green School Committee ready to plant the native trees supplied by Carlow County Council with Maire George.
8/3/17
Ballon Improvement Group AGM 21st February 2017
In attendance was Councillor John Murphy, Chairperson of Carlow County Council
John said “ the group should be very proud of the great work done during the year and also on the great attendance at the meeting”
A vote of sympathy for Kathleen Percy was extended to the Percy family and to Breda Wray and the Coleman family on the untimely passing of Kathleen . Kathleen was much loved by staff and customers alike and was the heart of the Siopa Glas project . She worked as a volunteer since the shop opened in June 2012. May she rest in peace. Her passing has left a huge void.
A vote of sympathy was also extended to our secretary Bernie Mullins on the recent death of her mother Margaret Halvey May she rest in peace.
Secretary Bernie Mullins gave an account of all the work and projects carried out in 2016.
2016 was a very busy year.
Dúlra Bhalana Exploring Ballon’s Biodiversity was launched ion 17th May by Mr Michael Starlett Chairman of the Heritage Council of Ireland . The project received funding from the Heritage Council.
Machamh – Reflection The Ballon 1916 Commemoration Garden was officially opened on the 15th March 2016.
Thanks to all who were in anyway involved with the Siopa Glas Recycling project.
The Community Shop was the main fundraiser for Village enhancement during the year.
We would like to thank our Siopa Glas Volunteers and Tús workers.
Our Tidy Town marks increased by `12 points . Ballon took four awards in the Carlow Pride of Place Competition.
The school GIY project was very successful. A new outdoor classroom was installed in the Wild Habitat area at the back of the school.
Ballon Improvement Group funded the maintenance of the local Graveyard.
Thanks to Michael Martin maintaining our very good village website www.ballonvillage.ie.
Thanks to Eileen Murphy and Maire George for the work done on lengthy submissions during the year.
The same officers were returned for 2017.
Chairperson Máire George
Secretary Bernie Mullins
Treasurer Eileen Murphy
28/2/17
Tree week is all week FROM 3rd March.
If you would like to plant a native tree during tree week . Just call into Siopa Glas and collect one.
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Greener Home Hints
http://southernwasteregion.ie/sites/default/files/HH%20Booklet%20Final%20003%20(1).pdf
The link above will take you to the electronic copy of the recently published Greener Home Hints booklet.
1/2/17 – St. Brigets Day. First day of Spring
Maire George of Ballon’s Community and school organic garden.
Dee Sewell chairperson of Community Gardens Ireland.
Tim Madden of Forward Steps in Tullow.
Pictured receiving packets of heritage seeds.
All afiliated Community Gardens in the County were gives vegetable seeds and peatfree compost via Agenda 21 scheme through Carlow County Council.
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Here are a few pics of Operation Transformation at the bank ajacant to the Lecky Graveyard on the Dublin Rd.
BIG are lucky that the students from a horticultural course presently in progress at BALLON are assistiing us with our landscaping in the Village.
Plants include Holly, Guilder Rose, Hazel,
Field Maple, Spindle.