Mullingar Town Park achieves yet another Green Flag

"We had a nesting pair of swans here this year, who raised seven signets, there’s only four left but they are learning to fly at the moment. We also have a pair of waterhens residing here as well, so the pond is alive with wildlife," says Robbie Ryan, executive engineer with Westmeath County Council.

Robbie was speaking in Mullingar Town Park today, as it was announced that the park had won another Green Flag – in fact, Mullingar is the only park in Westmeath to have achieved the accolade, which benchmarks excellence in the management of green spaces that are open and free to the public.

"It’s the An Taisce Green Flag Award and there’s certain criteria that we have to meet, places for wildflower, non-use of pesticides, having open spaces for children to play, for people to sit, and space for wildlife to flourish," said Robbie.

John Bawle of Mullingar Tidy Towns agreed that it is an open space for all ages to enjoy.

"You see young and old mixing together in the beautiful surroundings we have here. You’re in the centre of nature – we’ve got wildflowers, apple trees, a bee hotel up in the corner there, access to playgrounds, the skatepark and Mullingar Swimming Pool, it has everything you want in a town park.

"Everyone works together to keep it clean, tidy, and safe. It’s a combination of Mullingar Tidy Towns, Westmeath County Council and other groups working together to improve what we have here in our town.

"It’s a pleasure to be here to see it this morning, the trees are in their autumn bloom, so I’d invite everyone to come and have a stroll here and see what the park has to offer."

More to follow in next week's edition of the Westmeath Examiner, out on Tuesday.