What’s On

Eco Notes January 2026

New Year resolutions

As 2026 rolls in, are we all going to make grandiose New Year resolutions, many of which (if not most) will fade away into obscurity all too soon? There are some resolutions that would be really good to make – and to adhere to. As a start, we could reduce the amount of waste we produce, across all spheres of our lives. This has immediate knock-on benefits. For example, a reduction in food waste reduces the volumes of emissions and materials, as energy is needed in food production and materials in packaging. Where food is sourced locally, fewer air miles are involved and, often, less packaging. Using up food in the fridge and vegetable rack before buying more can save much waste. Finishing food containers completely, instead of binning half jars saves waste (and money); squeeze out tubes carefully, it is surprising how much can lurk inside – think tomato puree, toothpaste etc. We can buy what is actually needed as opposed to buying in excess. Clothes are a prime example – where goods are purchased on-line, many people opt to buy several sizes and will return those that do not fit. However, nearly all these items are discarded by the on-line company, because they cannot be sold as new. A total waste. Electronic goods and toys are frequently bought in astonishingly large volumes. Black Friday, Christmas, birthdays induce in many a frenzy of shopping, without stopping to think are the goods really needed? Celebrations with family and friends do not have to cost the earth (literally).

A WINTER’S TALE – A Christmas Celebration!

A WINTER’S TALE – A Christmas Celebration!Join us for a magical evening of festive music, song, and readings in the historical and evocative setting of Nun’s Cross Church, Ashford, on Friday, 5th December at 8:00 p.m.This special Christmas celebration features international soprano Niamh Murray and acclaimed concert pianist and organist Ronan Murray, performing a selection of seasonal favourites to lift the heart and stir the spirit.They will be joined by the Choir of Christ Church Bray, under the direction of the distinguished Tatiana Konina – international organist, pianist, and choral conductor – together with our own Revd Jack Kinkead, rector of Killiskey Parish and occasional performer with Opera Ireland.We are also delighted to welcome a wonderful lineup of guests:The well-known actor Mark Lambert (Film, TV, and Broadway stage)Award-winning Irish theatre actor-director and performer Daniel J. HealyHusband and wife duo Darragh and Justine Baumann, will share festive readings from A Christmas Carol, The Snow Queen, The Chronicles of Narnia and J. M. Synge’s The Passing.Tickets (€25) are available:
• Online via Eventbrite (scan the QR code at the top of the poster), or
• Locally from the Ashford Charity Shop
Complimentary refreshments will be served during the interval in the adjacent school, and Raffle tickets will be available before the concert and during the interval.

All proceeds from A Winter’s Tale support the Nun’s Cross Church Restoration Fund (2023–2028).

The Memorial Tree & Messenger Doves
Once again, our Memorial Tree and “Messenger” Doves will be available for anyone wishing to remember a loved one this Christmas. Each dove will be dedicated to someone dear no longer with us, or those receiving ongoing care, especially cancer care. All names will be included in our Carol Service on Sunday, 28th December.

Donations for our Messenger Doves (minimum €2) will go
entirely to Wicklow Hospice and Wicklow Cancer Support.

 

 

Messages and donations can be submitted:

• In person at the Ashford Charity Shop
• At any 11.15 a.m. Sunday service in Nun’s Cross Church (from now until Sunday, 28th December)
• At the Christmas Concert on December 5th• Or online using the QR Code provided here.
Let’s celebrate the season together with music, laughter, remembrance and goodwill. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Eco Notes October 2025

Planting in your garden

As autumn draws in, many people invest in their gardens, planting bulbs that will reward them with a colourful display the following spring. Daffodils, such beautiful harbingers of spring, are not actually very attractive to pollinators, so selecting a variety of other bulbs as well is a good idea (e.g. grape hyacinth, wood anemone snake’s head fritillary, camassia, star of Bethlehem, allium, autumn crocus, snowdrop, winter aconite, crocus). Early flowering bulbs provide food that is invaluable for early flying pollinators; on warm, sunny spring days, crocus flowers, for example, positively buzz with bumblebees in particular (these bees also feed avidly on catkins of our native willow). When it comes to buying other garden plants, be sure NOT to purchase invasive species. Despite legislation, many garden centres are still supplying some incredibly invasive plants, which cause untold damage if they escape into the wild. One only has to visit Devil’s Glen to see how laurel had spread widely – steps have been taken to remove it, but it is a huge and slow undertaking. Likewise, the common rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum spreads rapidly. Both of these species smother the ground so that native ground flora is outcompeted. Furthermore, rhododendron flowers are toxic to honeybees (who produce ‘mad honey’), though bumblebees are apparently unaffected. Other species that many will have seen being controlled include Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed. Some “pretty” small invasives include flowers such as the hottentot fig – all displace our native species and deprive our native pollinators of food. Please do not be tempted to buy illegal invasives. Equally, do not be tempted to bring home cuttings or seeds of “beautiful” plants you may see abroad.

June 2024

June often sees the brightening of ditches and village and townscapes, with cascades of both native and domestic flowers dotting the roadsides. Flowering plants can be expensive to buy, with many being imported from overseas. To reduce the cost, both to one’s pocket and the environment (in terms of air miles and the possibility of importing plant diseases), it is a good idea to sow flower seeds oneself. It is immensely satisfying to observe the first leaves burst out of the ground and, within a matter of weeks, turn into a brilliant display of colour. Of course, if you don’t have the time or inclination to sow seeds, many garden centres supply a great variety of seedlings and these can be potted on (buy Irish plants where possible). For those who enjoy having cut flowers in the house, sweet pea, as one example, is easy to grow and goes on flowering for weeks, provided the flowers are cut regularly. Towards the end of the season, seeds can be let form and these can be saved for sowing the next year. This is better than buying imported cut flowers. Growing pollinator friendly flowers is a bonus for wildlife too. Enjoy!