The Bagenalstown Area Steering Group (BASG) was formed in 2019, now named The Bagenalstown Area Community Development Group (BACDG). BACDG collaborates & has some shared committee members with BIG, so both groups complement & resonate with each other. It is a community based, voluntary organisation which focuses on community development, sustainable impacts and providing inclusive social and cultural opportunities. We develop and promote community activities and improvements.
Community is at the heart of what we do. With every action undertaken we aim to improve or support the community of Bagenalstown. We are dedicated to ensure that the work we do values, respects and helps the lives of the community we serve. We strive to ensure the work we do is inclusive, impacting the community in a positive way. We aim to promote community development and wellbeing. The BACDG has implemented a number of successful projects. Some of our recent successes include the following:
- Development of community allotments; a high quality, universally accessible allotments. There is an overall vision for the community allotments and when the project is complete, it will include additional raised beds, improved polytunnel systems, a wormery, a community orchard with local fruit trees and bushes. It will also be used as a horticulture training space.
- We have provided a 10 week beginners gardening workshop for members of the community, which due to its success, has been extended for a further 6 weeks. Members of the community are learning so much in terms of growing and horticulture and are all in a position to share their knowledge with the younger generation.
Pollinator annual and perennials were purchased as plant plugs and planted on, some to be used in the beginners gardening course by creating hanging baskets, some to be planted around our town and others to be distributed during the Bagenalstown in Bloom festival weekend.
- A Riverside Wildlife Project. We have been working with LA Waters and a local Artist to provide beautiful artwork of six wildlife animals, birds and insects found along the river. These artworks will be displayed along the riverwalk on aesthetically pleasing signs. It will encourage people (from and visiting Bagenalstown) to walk the beautiful riverwalk and search for these magnificent wildlife.
- The committee have a vision for a public Story Telling Trail in Bagenalstown through the artform mosaic, which will involve a series of mosaic art pieces strategically located around the town which will showcase and highlight Bagenalstown and tell a unique story of the community, its heritage, culture and local environment. The BACDG have been successful in sourcing funding for the first art mosaic piece of this story telling trail. It will be a phased project that will showcase our home town in its best light.
The committee have been working hard on “Bagenalstown in Bloom”, a festival to take place in Bagenalstown over the June Bank Holiday weekend. It will see the community of Bagenalstown in an abundance of floral displays, all pollinator friendly plants, a fantastic floral experience. Throughout the weekend, the community will experience flower arranging workshops, flower displays, hanging basket workshops, distribution of pollinator friendly plants, demonstrations on local craft, craft fair, yarn bombing, walking tours of the local BEAM gardens (which are part of the Carlow Garden Trail) live music, launching of the unique social enterprise ran river trip boat, Bád Keppel. The committee has worked hard to deliver all of these elements. As far back as Oct. 2021, we started to distribute Allium bulbs, reused pots, instructions & peat free compost, supported by the Community Department at Carlow County Council. The plan is to give the community of Bagenalstown an abundance of flowers, for a fantastic floral experience on the June Bank Holiday Weekend 2022. Working together as a community for this positive project, the five Bagenalstown schools (+Ballinkillen & Newtown N.S.s), Bagenalstown Youth Service, BEAM, The Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre & The Scouts grew bulbs in pots which will come into bloom for the June bank holiday. Hopefully, Bagenalstown will be completely in bloom for the June Bank Holiday weekend, which would be a positive, visually impactful community project.
- The committee worked with other agencies and groups in the area to advocate for and support the application for a Creative Places Coordinator for Bagenalstown. The application was successful and resulted in a three year contracted full time coordinator with a significant budget which has the potential to impact in a sustainable, meaningful way on the town.
The committee gives a huge commitment of their time, energy and passions to the BACDG. The positive impacts of this work is hugely valued and has resulted in projects and community impacts that simply would never have happened without them.
Bagenalstown Gardening Club (for adults) started on Wednesday 2nd March from 6pm-8pm for 10 weeks. Location: (The new) Bagenalstown Community Gardens, (Behind the) Parochial House, Railway Road, Bagenalstown, R21 TD61.
Bagenalstown Area Steering Group (BASG), now BACDG supported by the Community Department Carlow County Council & Carlow Education and Training Board organised this gardening course delivered on site by Dee Sewell MCI Hort of www.greensideup.ie. The group grew vegetables and flowers from seed in the new raised beds, learned about composting and rainwater harvesting, soil and sustainable gardening practices in general and much more. It is hoped that the knowledge gained will filter through to other groups within the Bagenalstown area and generate an interest in urban gardening. Thanks to Fiona Dunne, Facilitator at Community Education Carlow, Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board and Tutor Dee Sewell. Community Education Funding was secured to enable the Beginners Gardening Course (@BASG) CE 9 Course to be completed.
