We had our own Bloom in Springfield …

Mullingar Shamrocks Healthy Green and Inclusive GAA Club had its own Bloom or if you prefer Chelsea Flower Show moment on Friday morning last thanks to the enthusiasm of our Healthy Club/Green Club officer Joan Ormsby and her volunteer helpers. . The group planted up over 400 plants into 100 + window boxes for the HSE Staff Health and Wellbeing Initiative, one that brings massive joy to staff. The attached pictures provide a flavour of what’s involved. .

These plants are all pollinator biodiversity friendly so we're helping the bees butterflies and insects as well as brightening up peoples wellbeing. The volunteers know they've been involved in a worthy project and it’s fantastic these volunteers (older and very young indeed) gave so willingly of their time and efforts.

The youngest contributor of the day Finn Franzoni filled window boxes by the score during the two hours; Lisa Heavey also rolled up the sleeves and in her usual great positive spirit dug right in. Our Minor League footballers, John Shaw and Conor Heffernan and his brother Liam from the Under-15 team along with James Ryan also contributed.

If this wasn't an inclusive healthy and green exercise then one doesn’t know what is. It took just 2 hours to plant up 420 plants into 105 boxes. Thanks to Slanemore Garden Centre's Pat Leavy for the delivery of the raw materials and to Davy Coyne for organising the function rooms tables for the group to work on.

We leave the final words to Joan Ormsby "ní neart go cur le chéile" - many hands make light work so búla bos go léir. “I'm so grateful”.