“Catch & Grow: Eco-Friendly Rainwater Planters for the Community Hall”

Our project focuses on the installation of sustainable rainwater-fed planters at the new Ballyboughal Community Hall, a space rooted in the village’s heritage and community identity. The planters will demonstrate a simple, nature-based solution for managing rainwater while enhancing the surrounding environment of this vital new heritage hub in the heart of Ballyboughal.

The idea emerged from our commitment to blending environmental awareness with heritage values. Our group recognised an opportunity to promote traditional self-sufficiency—such as using natural resources wisely—through modern methods that benefit both people and the planet. By harvesting rainwater and using it to nourish native plants, the project connects environmental sustainability with the longstanding rural values of our village.

The planters will be placed around the hall and used as educational tools to demonstrate water conservation, biodiversity, and pollinator-friendly planting. In doing so, we aim to create a living link between the community’s future and its environmentally conscious past. Our project partners include local volunteers, gardening groups, and heritage enthusiasts, all of whom are contributing their time and knowledge.

As part of the project, we will share what we’ve learned through local events, social media, and community workshops. We hope this initiative will inspire other groups—both locally and beyond—to consider nature-based, heritage-conscious solutions for their own communities.

This small but meaningful project reflects our belief that heritage is not only something we preserve but something we live and grow with—sustainably, together.