What does it take to make Skerries one of the greenest places in Ireland? We are, after all, longlisted in the inaugural Irish Times Ireland’s Greenest Places competition!

Actually, that question is wrong – it should read: Who does it take to make Skerries one of the greenest places in Ireland?

And the answer is: Katie. Helen. Michael. Breda Sh. Breda N. Mary. Eamonn. Mags. John. Máire. Hans. Sara. Sabine. Charlie. Miriam. And those are only the ones who were actually around today to meet Mary Minehan, The Irish Times Features Editor and one of the Ireland’s Greenest Places judges. She was joined later on by photographer Alan Betson. And the aforementioned Skerries people met them in various locations for an extended show-and-tell…

And we realised: There is actually a lot in Skerries to give us hope in these uncertain times! Becoming active, doing something – together with dozens of others in our various groups – helps all of us. As Hans put it so eloquently (I paraphrase), doing something eco-friendly at home is all very well, but doing it with others and spreading the word can have a much, much bigger impact.

The groups include (but are not limited to): Sustainable Skerries, the Skerries Community Association, Skerries Cycling Initiative, Skerries Tidy Towns, the Skerries Community Garden, Skerries Autism Friendly Town, Skerries Sustainable Energy Community Initiative etc etc etc

And so we showed off our community centre with its Skerries Community Association wall design, biodiversity-friendly planters, water refill station, bike stands, mini bee garden, water butt, rainwater garden and of course the Skerries Eco Town wall. And we gave Mary a copy of the wonderful Skerries Eco Town Booklet. We talked about water management and climate policy and hope and bees.

We showed her the pollinator-friendly corridor, all the way from Skerries Mills to Ardgillan (and from Skerries Mills via the allotments to the South Strand). And the wonderful flower beds Tidy Towns are maintaining everywhere.

We stopped at the Kelly’s Bay Open Orchard and explained about our 150 fruit trees in 14 mini orchards. The pears are just one week or so away from being ripe, pity… and the plums are all gone… it still looked good!

We showed Mary and Alan (who joined us there) the beach toy library, talked some more about pollinators and met the Cycling Without Age Trishaw. Currachaí na Sceirí were mentioned and their litter-picking expeditions to the islands off our shore. And of course Foróige and the Skerries Men’s Shed, who both helped with the beach toy library.

We showed off Floraville and the sensory garden, that lovely oasis we owe Skerries Autism Friendly Town big thanks for. We explained about our work regarding consultations and submissions. About how we’re trying to reach people through our Instagram and YouTube channels.

We talked about the library and our hopes for repair cafés there in the future. And about the next big thing Skerries Tidy Towns are doing: The unveiling of a of a fabulous Mosaic in Floraville to celebrate the groundbreaking Supreme Court victory in December 1973, of Skerries woman Mary (May) McGee, which effectively legalized the sale and importation of contraceptives. What, you haven’t heard of that? It will be unveiled next Saturday, 30 August, 2 pm, and you’re all invited!

We probably mentioned more things than we should have in the 140 minutes The Irish Times spent with us… including all the Tidy Towns activities including their many cooperations with clubs and especially schools, a lot about active travel, more about pollinators (would you believe that we had The Irish Times actively hunting for the Large Carder Bee before the afternoon was over?!), the Community Garden, which we was looking really well (of course!).

And then it was way after 4 pm and we had to call it a day.

Will we be the greenest town in Ireland, according to The Irish Times? Maybe. Maybe not.

But we do think that we are making a difference, all these people who are active, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten half of the things we showed and mentioned and referred to. Such is life. It was fun – whatever the result, thank you for visiting, Alan and Mary! Actually, let me rephrase that: Even if we don’t win, thank you for visiting! But we would prefer to come first, to be honest...

And next for us? The 2025 Skerries Eco Festival, of course! Details will be shared soon!

Photographs: Hans Zomer, except for 2 by Breda Shankey (Trishaw pics)