Students from the Environmental Society in Dublin City University volunteered to clean up the banks of the Tolka river within the grounds of the Holy Faith Convent in Glasnevin.
Armed with litter pickers, gloves and refuse sacks, students combed the banks, delved in to the mounds of bramble, picked their way through the ground ivy for over two hours. This area, is badly littered with beer bottles, cans, cigarette butts, crisps wrappers etc, left behind by those who come on to the property to fish and to ‘hang out’ in the warmer evenings. The whole area had become very unsightly when viewed from the opposite bank within the National Botanical Gardens.
The biggest challenge was getting the bags from the Palm Walk up to the gate, especially the six sacks of beer bottles alone. The rubbish was separated to facilitate recycling by Dublin City Council. Thank God for the good old, Toyoto Yaris, the beast of burden of the Holy Faith Sisters, Irish Region. With precision timing the bags were dropped at the gate as the Council van arrived to collect it. No bin charges incurred.
The highlight of any student’s day is always free food, so following an unannounced visit to the Margaret Aylward Centre for Faith and Dialogue, the group headed in to the convent where the community provided lunch. The soup and sandwiches were greatly appreciated but it was the bread pudding and custard that really topped off the day! Given there is a student who works part-time with An Taisce in the group it was an ideal opportunity to show off the old part of the house which dates from the 1750s, have a quick visit to the Archives and Chapel before heading back up to the Campus.
Many thanks to the Glasnevin community and Brenda for their wonderful hospitality, it was a great day. Some of the students will assist Dublin City Council at the Bloom festival in trying to get the visitors to recycle their waste. Most people are good at separating waste at home, the challenge is to bring the practice to the market place.
And from us, the Holy Faiths, many thanks to the students and to Sr Susan who coordinated the operation!
