Each year a ‘Spring Clean’ event is carried out in the environs of Lawrencetown. It is carried out in the twenty or so townlands that make up the hinterland of Lawrencetown village. The aim of the spring clean is to rid our community of any litter or rubbish deposited through the year by inconsiderate passers-by.
Traditionally 60 to 70 local people of all ages form smaller groups, which disperse to target specific clusters of townlands. Waste for disposal and waste for recycling are collected separately and brought to one central location for onward processing. The event is supported both by Galway County Council and An Taisce, who together provide bags, gloves, pick-up, high vis vests and a skip. Insurance cover is also provided by An Taisce.
At the heart of the ‘Spring Clean’ are the local volunteers. The event fosters a great sense of community spirit and pride. The work takes place in a relaxed sociable manner and the numbers participating and working effectively demonstrate what is best about community volunteerism.
We have seen a reduction in the amount of litter we collect year on year as we have now rid the community of residual waste which had built up over the years. As society becomes more environmentally responsible, we hope to see littering become less prevalent in our locality.
The ‘Spring Clean’ is usually carried out on Good Friday. It is followed a few weeks later by a ‘Clean Up’ day in the village itself where the focus is on painting, planting, cleaning and weeding.
We thank our local volunteers who support this event so well each year and we hope to see you at our next event!