Local Community Supports

At Teach na nDaoine FRC, we are dedicated to fostering community development and providing essential support services for families and local residents. Our mission is to empower local residents and individuals, strengthen connections, and create a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive.

Community Alert

Community Alert is a community safety programme that emphasises a partnership approach to crime prevention within local rural and suburban areas.

Teach na nDaoine FRC and the local residents subcommittee work in partnership with An Garda Síóchána, Muintir na Tíre, Monaghan County Council and other relevant agencies & organisations in supporting and empowering the local community to come together through a variety of community development services that help improve quality of life and therefore reduce opportunities for crime to take place.

Environmental Work

Teach na nDaoine FRC carry out environmental works within the local Mullaghmatt Cortolvin area such as:

Litter picking & litter control
Planting trees & hedging
Horticultural work & grass cutting
Keeping pathways clear & clean
Salting pathways in winter
General maintenance of the centre and the local area

Mullaghmatt & Cortolvin Community Garden

The community garden was established in 2014 and its aim is to provide the local community and groups with a self-sufficient, sustainable garden and educational opportunities in biodiversity. The garden provides different areas which may benefit the varying needs of the local community, such as mental and physical health, social inclusion etc., while at the same time working with nature to enhance biodiversity. The garden comprises of the following areas:

Raised beds
Cottage garden
Peaceful meditation space
Outdoor kitchen
Polytunnel
Storage space
Woodland garden
Edible hedge
Espalier orchard
Screen planting
Children’s area
Herb garden
Rose garden
Rockery garden
Outdoor classroom
Picnic area
Rainwater harvesting

Biodiversity Garden

At present we are working on a decorative biodiversity garden at the entrance to the community garden, this will include gabion walls, and planting.

We work collaboratively with local groups and organisations to provide training, courses and education such as:

Community Hearts project
Biodiversity projects in partnership with Tidy Towns
Projects with Monaghan County Council
Woodwork courses with CMETB
Garden courses with CMETB
Youth group projects
Workshops with Women’s collective, Grow it yourself (GIY), etc.

Future projects in the garden include:

Building permanent compost bays
Creating a reception area with office
Creating a sensory garden
Enhancing outdoor kitchen

Biodiversity Activities

Our biodiversity activities include:

– Implementing our biodiversity plan

– Composting workshop for local community

– Distribution of composting bins to local community

– Introduction to Biodiversity workshop for local community

– Distribution of pollinator plants to Teach na bPáistí childcare

– Distribution of bird and bat boxes to Teach na bPaistí childcare

– Creating five urban orchards in local community

– Planting approx. 100 metres of native hedgerow

– Erecting 8 community composting bins

– Community garden

– Establishing a biodiversity garden

– Planting of wildflowers and pollinator friendly plants in local community.

– Youth summer camp garden activities

– Youth group environmental projects

– Workshops and projects with Monaghan County Council

– Hosting of the launch of Monaghan library and GIY seed swap & distribution as part of the get Ireland growing initiative

– Partnering with Monaghan Tidy Towns on biodiversity projects

Plans For The future

– Create a pollinator friendly garden beside the community garden

– Place bird boxes, bat boxes and squirrel boxes in the local community

– Further planting

– Further community workshops

– Further youth programmes

– Continue to work in partnership with our local Authority, Monaghan Tidy Towns and other organisation in our community.

Mullaghmatt & Cortolvin Community Garden Benefits

Mullaghmatt Cortolvin Community Garden aims to provide the local community & groups with a self sufficient and sustainable garden and educational opportunities in biodiversity.

In the garden we have planted apple trees along the fencing to encourage pollinating insects. There are raised beds and some of them are planted with wild flower mixes. There is a children’s area which is used by children attending our summer camps and local youth groups, where they companion plant vegetables and flowers to enhance biodiversity. In this area there is also a bug hotel. Native hedges have been planted to create wildlife corridors. Throughout the garden there are bird boxes to encourage local birds to inhabit the garden.

Other projects carried out by the community garden members include; planting of a living willow fence, orchard (cherry and apple trees) and raised beds and planters at Teach na bPáistí. All projects are carried out in partnership with Teach na nDaoine FRC along with members & groups from the local community.

Work is continuing in the garden and several projects are currently underway including a herb garden, shrub and flower gardens and further fruit bush and tree planting.

Watch the video down below to learn more!