Volunteers are quietly transforming Foxford

For the past eight years, a group of volunteers has been working quietly behind the scenes to make Foxford a brighter and more welcoming place.

From colourful flower displays and picnic benches that encourage people to enjoy public spaces, to a community project celebrating the many nationalities that call the town home, the work of the Foxford Enhancement Group can be seen throughout the community.

But the group is not finished yet, with its next major ambition focused on improving access to the River Moy and creating a space for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

The Foxford Enhancement Group was established in 2018 by Liam Jones, while Mary Quinn and Bernie Dunne came on board as chairperson and secretary shortly after.

What began as a one-person initiative has grown into a dedicated volunteer group of 13 members, all working together to make Foxford a more welcoming and aesthetically pleasing place to live and visit.

The group's first projects were simple but impactful, installing benches along the banks of the River Moy and adding flower pots throughout the town to bring colour and nature to public spaces.

By 2022, members decided they wanted to create something that would not only brighten the town but would also represent the people who call Foxford home. They conducted a mini-census, inviting residents to share their nationality or heritage. The responses led to the installation of 38 national flags outside of the old National School on Chapel Road.

"They represent all the nationalities living in Foxford," Marion Ryder, Chairperson of the Enhancement Group, explained. "It was part of an inclusivity drive, wanting to represent everyone from our town."

The colourful display has since become one of the town's most recognisable features, celebrating Foxford's diversity while creating a welcoming focal point for residents and visitors alike.

Every few years, the flags need to be replaced due to wear and tear. Marion thanked Anne and Michael Maloney, Foxford Pharmacy, The Old Salt Café, and Blackrock Nursing Home for their continued support.

As the group grew, so too did its ambitions, with volunteers taking on a range of projects that have helped enhance public spaces throughout Foxford.

Teresa Barrett leads the planting programme, coordinating the flowers and planters that brighten streets across Foxford. The floral displays, including the flower-filled boats that are dotted around the town, bring colour to public spaces while also providing valuable habitats for bees and other pollinators.

The group has installed benches and picnic tables around the town, creating welcoming spaces where residents and visitors can stop, rest and enjoy their surroundings. More recently, a picnic bench was added along the Promenade, offering people a place to sit and take in views of the River Moy. Volunteers also installed a bike rack outside The Old Salt Café to encourage active travel.

Along the Pontoon Road, the group created a floral display and memorial bench in memory of the late Joe Ginty, who was a valued member of the Foxford Enhancement Group and a well-known and much-respected member of the local community.

Alongside improving public spaces, the group has also placed a growing focus on supporting nature and biodiversity throughout the town.

Volunteers have installed bird boxes and bug hotels, and flowers are sourced from local suppliers, with Teresa Barrett carefully selecting pollinator-friendly species.

"We are concentrating on biodiversity and trying to embrace nature, with the likes of bug hotels and those types of projects, and we always support our local area and businesses too," Marion explained.

Today, the group's work can be seen throughout Foxford, from colourful planting displays and public seating, to biodiversity projects that have quietly enhanced the town over the past number of years.

While members are proud of what has already been achieved, their attention has now turned to a larger project focused on one of Foxford's most important assets - the River Moy.

“We want to enhance the river bank, from north of the bridge towards Foxford. The pathway is in a terrible state, and it needs more seating,” Brenda Clarke, secretary of the group, said.

They hope to secure funding through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme to improve the walkway along the riverbank, creating a safer, more accessible space with improved seating, lighting and pathways.

For the group, the project is about far more than upgrading a walkway. They see the River Moy as central to Foxford's identity, having shaped the town's history, economy and tourism for generations.

“What is Foxford?” Brenda asked. “It’s Béal Easa, it’s the mouth of the waterfall. That’s one of the driving factors behind Foxford and how it all started in 1890, with Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard when she came to Foxford and saw the poverty and the lack of employment here.

“She decided, looking at the waterfall just under the bridge, to start the Woollen Mills here in Foxford, and so the story began.” 

Mother Morrogh-Bernard established the Woollen Mills in 1892, creating employment for generations of local families and helping shape the town that exists today.

Inspired by the power of the River Moy, she saw it not simply as a natural feature but as a resource that could transform a community.

More than a century later, members of the Enhancement Group believe the river remains one of Foxford's greatest resources, continuing to support tourism, angling and local businesses.

“I am passionate about that river because it means so much,” Brenda continued. “From a fishing perspective, for employment. I had the hotel for over 10 years here in Foxford, and we depended solely on fishing [tourism]. It’s the same for bed and breakfast owners too. 

“We need people to see the river, right now you can’t. That's why we are working on this project,” she said.

Their plans include placing additional seating along the riverbank, installing lighting to encourage people to use the walkway in the evenings, improving the existing pathway, and installing additional bins, including dog-fouling bins.

A key concern is the condition of the footpath, with cracks, erosion and the lack of railings creating accessibility challenges for pedestrians, wheelchair users and families with buggies.

“The footpath was put in 24 years ago, it's all broken, it's eroded, there are no railings either,” Marion said. “Our fear is that the area will become a wasteland.

“There are some wheelchair users in our town who can’t access the river bank because it's too dangerous,” she added.

“When you walk over the bridge, you can see there is never anyone sitting [along there]. We put it in a book library, but there's nowhere for people to sit and read. You need to put those things in place,” Brenda said.

Should funding be secured, the group says it is committed to maintaining the improvements, just as it already does with projects across the town. That commitment is already evident in the group's day-to-day work. Volunteers can be seen out every day, litter-picking around Foxford, helping to keep the town clean and well maintained.

A member of the group, Peter Carragher, also empties public bins that would otherwise remain full and has decorated many of them with photographs of dogs, adding a bit of character to the streetscape.

“If we didn’t have volunteers, litter would be everywhere,” Peter said. “It would be a total mess.” 

The group's efforts extend beyond litter picking. Member Bridget Stubbings has led an initiative to tackle dog fouling by installing signs along Station Road encouraging owners to clean up after their pets. She said the campaign had made a noticeable difference, as the group had previously counted up to 40 instances of dog fouling along the single stretch of road leading to the train station.

When asked why they volunteer, every member of the group who spoke with the Western People gave the same answer - because they care about Foxford.

The group is now hoping to attract more volunteers, particularly younger members of the community, to help continue the work that has transformed the town.

“That's the only reason. We do it because we care,” Marion said. “But it's very difficult to get young people on board, but I know there are young people in our town who care.” 

She explained that much of the work, from watering planters to carrying heavy buckets of water around the town, could be made easier with more volunteers lending a hand.

Members also spoke about the personal rewards of volunteering, describing the satisfaction of working together and seeing the difference their efforts make in the community. That shared sense of purpose has helped create a close-knit group with genuine pride in Foxford, and members share the goal of wanting to make the town a better place to live and visit.

The volunteers also appealed to residents and businesses to play their part in looking after the town, highlighting cigarette litter as an ongoing issue, particularly after busy weekends.

“We would encourage people who do have cigarette [bins] outside of their property to enforce that with their patrons, because the people who litter pick on a Monday morning the place is [littered] with butts,” Marion said.

Their message to the wider community is simple: take pride in Foxford.

Whether it is maintaining the area outside your home or business, cutting back weeds, or making small improvements, members believe everyone can play a part in keeping the town looking its best.

“We are doing the best with what we have, and we will keep doing it,” Marion said.

Looking ahead, the group's focus is on growing its volunteer base and securing funding for the River Moy project, while continuing the work that has gradually transformed Foxford over the past eight years.

The Foxford Enhancement Group will hold its annual bucket collection in the town on Saturday, September 5th, with funds raised supporting its work over the coming year.