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Micheál and Haulie Kerins on the new bench at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Town Park always looks its best when the sun shines, so it was apt that an organisation which has done so much to preserve the town’s most precious asset had fine weather to celebrate a milestone in its history.
The Save The Green committee was formed 50 years ago and members of the group were present for a ceremony at the old oak tree just inside the entrance to the Town Park yesterday evening for a ceremony to mark the anniversary.
Longtime member Tommy Collins was MC for the occasion and he recalled some of the major events in the organisation’s history and that of the Town Park.
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The focus especially fell on a “musical protest” held in 1973, when members organised a concert by the oak tree to protest against plans by the Council to construct a road through the Park, a proposal which would be unthinkable today.
The campaign extended from 1969 to 1973, with the concert organised and a trailer acted as a stage for many musicians from the town to perform upon.
Roisin Kerins and Lily Tangney at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
DJ Curtin was one of those performers and his friend Eddie Jennings spoke on his behalf, telling those present how much the famed singer loves the town and how DJ’s mother used to walk the Park five times a day.
The plans for the road were later rescinded thanks to the efforts of Save The Green and the people of the town.
There were other plans in 1979 to construct buildings in Foster’s Field, now known as Pearse Park, but these were also thwarted by the group and it was preserved for the wonderful space it is today and dedicated to the 1916 Rising patriot.
In recent years, they also collected over 10,000 signatures in a petition to halt plans for a road to be constructed at the back of Ivy Terrace (Neil Armstrong Way) and that proposal was also abandoned.
Jim Griffin making a presentation to Brendan and Lorna Enright at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Tommy recalled prominent members and champions of the Town Park, including Billy Mullins and Maeve O’Donnell, while also paying tribute to Con McCarthy and the husband and wife duo of Brendan and Lorna Enright who maintained the beauty of the Park so diligently for decades.
Eddie Reardon making a presentation to Con McCarthy at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Music at the event came from Tommy Collins’ daughter Aoife O’Donoghue, Mary Hogan, Tralee piper Denis O’Reilly and members of Ceoltóirí Choiste An Óir and Blennerville Scór group.
A lovely new bench, donated by the group, was also unveiled by Lily Tangney, Mayor of Tralee Jim Finucane and Róisín Kerins. The ceremony ended with Aoife O’Donoghue singing Amhrán na bhFiann.
It shudders to think what would have happened to the Town Park if it wasn’t for the efforts of this group throughout the years. Scroll down for photos…
In front; Gail and Lily Tangney, Lesley McCartney. Back; Blathnaid McCarthy, Robert Tangney and Evelyn Tangney at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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The audience at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
The musicians at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Tommy Collins speaking at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Aoife O’Donoghue singing at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Jim Finucane and Lily Tangney at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Eddie Riordan planting a Kerry flag at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Tommy Collins speaking at the Save The Green 50th anniversary celebration on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Can’t believe people have had to work so hard and for so long to preserve a resource as obviously necessary to a town as its park and green area. Shame on councillors and planners working against they’re own people