Mill Brae Buncrana clean up

WORKING TOGETHER

Pupils from Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana have been busy on the banks of the Mill River, clearing invasive weeds to make way for more wildlife friendly planting. Brendan McLaughlin, the secretary of the Mill River Angling club was on hand to supervise the team and explains how the venture is a joint initiative.

“The Buncrana Tidy Towns Committee have been working closely with the Mill Angling Club to clear the encroaching ground elder and ivy from the banks. The Tidy Towns sponsorship has allowed us to buy plants and shrubs that will thrive along the riverbank and surrounding areas near the trees. We will be putting in Verbena, Buddleia, Sedum for ground cover, Echinacea, hardy shrubs such as Mahonia and aromatic plants like Rosemary and Salvia. These plants will be a great low maintenance cover for the area and have the added benefit of attracting insects and birds to the area.”

Of course, these plants will not plant themselves, so Luke, Kevin, Andrew and Paddy, all pupils from Scoil Mhuire have been working hard over a two-day period to get the area cleared so planting can begin. “The lads have been great,” says Brendan, “They have made a big difference in a short time and cleared all the pathways too. We have done a lot of work on the banks of the Mill river over the last year and this will improve access and also the look of the area.”