Seven Trees for the Seven Signatories

Neil Blockley, Tidy Towns , Neily Mc Daid ,Tidy Towns , Charlie Grant , Tidy Towns, Fergal Doherty Area Engineer , Anne Mc Gowan , Chairperson Letterkenny Tidy Towns ,  Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Ciarán Brogan , Michael Mc Fadden , Town Engineer ,and David Donnelly Town Gardener at the Tree Planting Ceremony

Seven Trees for the Seven Signatories, a Tidy Towns Initiative was announced at the 2015 National Ploughing Championship by Mr Alan Kelly T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in collaboration with Minister Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Arts , Heritage and Gaeltacht.

Through this initiative , which is part of the 2016 programme , Seven Trees were gifted to Letterkenny as winner of the National Tidy Towns Competition 2015.The Seven Trees are to commemorate the Seven Signatories of the Irish  Proclamation : Thomas J.Clarke , Seán Mac Diarmada , Thomas Mac Donagh ,P. H. Pearse , Eamonn Ceannt , James Connolly and Joseph Plunkett.

Letterkenny ‘s Tree Planting Ceremony took place in the Town’s Ballymacool Park on Thursday March  10th during National Tree Week.

Fergal Doherty, Area Engineer with Cllr Ciarán Brogan, Cathaoirleach reading the plaque to mark the planting of seven trees for the seven signatories to commemorate the 1916 Rising.

The Mayor of Donegal, Cllr Ciarán Brogan joined the Chairperson of Letterkenny Tidy Towns, Anne Mc Gowan , members of the Tidy Towns Committee and staff of Donegal County Council in planting the Seven Oak Trees in a dedicated site in the Park.

Speaking at the Ceremony  Mayor Brogan, welcomed the Commemorative Planting gifted to Letterkenny  - Ireland ‘s Tidiest Town. He commended all those involved in making this happen and admired  the choice of site in the beautiful well cared for Ballymacool Park.

 Anne Mc Gowan, Chairperson of Letterkenny Tidy Towns, thanked Minister Alan Kelly and Minister Heather Humphries for the Initiative . She welcomed the beautiful Oak Trees and said they would contribute to the Biodiversity of Letterkenny and to the well being of the many people who used the Park. Anne expressed appreciation of the Town being included in the tree Planting Scheme which she said was further endorsement of Letterkenny.

She also thanked the Ministers for giving Letterkenny the opportunity to commemorate a very important event in  history and to remember the men who were so influential in the country’s past and present.

Anne thanked the Tidy Towns Committee. She had  special words of  thanks for  Donegal County Council Staff - Fergal Doherty, Engineer and Area Manager , Michael Mc Fadden Town Engineer , David Donnelly, Town Gardener and their Team for preparing a beautiful site and for placing a stylish information plaque to ensure the significance of the plantation.

Fergal Doherty , Area Engineer, thanked Letterkenny Tidy Towns Chairperson Anne Mc Gowan and the Tidy Towns Committee and acknowledged their work in bringing the National Title of Ireland  Tidiest Town to Letterkenny .He too welcomed the Seven Trees for the Seven Signatories Initiative. He commended all those who contributed to planting the Seven Oak Trees at the site in Ballymacool Park and hoped that as the Plantation established , grew and matured  it would be appreciated and enjoyed by many people now and into future generations.