Variety Ireland are proud to announce the launch our very first Nature Garden at Dunmore Community School in Dunmore, Co Galway.
This garden which has been co-funded thanks to the generosity of the Irish people who donated to The Late Late Toy Show Appeal 2023, has been created to be a safe space where two classes of students with additional needs can escape to when life gets too much.
The garden was designed by leading landscape gardener Tommy Kearney from Co Roscommon who took meticulous care in creating a natural habitat that would benefit both students and local habitat.
The garden itself is situated on derelict land situated inside the school boundary which has been transform into a special place of nature which also provides shelter for local wildlife in a pesticide free environment.
As well as including a range of native Irish apples trees and shrubbery, plants and flowers, the garden also includes a bespoke “Insect Hotel” an enclosed Calming Sensory shelter as well as “Banjo their Bench Buddy” where students can sit and share their troubles and thoughts with Banjo without being judged.
Thanks to Ms O’Reilly and her team of talented students, together they were able to create a beautiful mural wall that blends in with the surrounding of the garden.
School Principal Mr Declan Quinn commented that this garden is an essential addition to their new special needs classrooms just completed in the school. Mr Quinn said “This garden comes just at the right time as they prepare to launch their new classrooms for children with additional learning needs. Thanks to Variety Ireland and The Late Late Toy Show Appeal 2023, our students now have access to their very own nature garden where they can sit and enjoy nature close up within safety of the school grounds. This not only benefits their own mental well-being but also connects them with the outdoors. A special thank you must also go to Tommy Kearney and students within the school who all played their part in creating a wonderful nature garden for students”
We at Variety Ireland have plans to roll these special nature gardens out to other special schools around Ireland in 2025 so please keep an eye out for next nature garden coming to a very special school in Dublin in the coming months.
We would like to thank the general public for their kind help in donating to The Late Late Toy Show 2023 along with the team at The Late Late Show and The Community Foundation for their support with this project which will benefit the local habitat and lots of children with additional needs for many years to come.
