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Repot your Shamrock and watch it grow!

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By Debby Looney, gardening expert

Seamair óg, or Shamrock, must surely be our featured plant this week.

Until last year, I had never taken much notice of Shamrock as a plant, however, in a fit of curiosity I bought little live Shamrock plants in a number of outlets to see what they would actually grow into.

We all know the religious story behind St Patrick and the little three leaved plant, but I was curious to know whether there is one specific plant which equates to Shamrock. After doing some research, I have concluded that it could have been any of a number of different plants which St Patrick held in his hand. The word Shamrock derives from the Irish ‘seamair' meaning clover, and ‘óg' meaning young. The most common clovers in this country would be white clover, Trifolium repens, and meadow trefoil, or Trifolium dubium. However, red clover, or Trifolium pratense, is also a contender! One of the oldest herbal books, Gerard's Herbal, published in 1597 identified Irish Shamrock to be meadow trefoil, while the Irish botanist, Caleb Threlkeld, identified it as white field clover in 1726.

MEADOW PLANTING

Whichever one St Patrick might have used, it is clear to me that the growers of Shamrock are still not in agreement which it was either! Out of 10 plants I bought last year, I have three meadow trefoil, which are the prettiest green, and flower yellow. These are ideal for meadow planting as insects love them. I have one red clover which grows to a height of 30cm and is ideal in ditches and wild areas. I have one Persian clover, a slightly soft, tall, hairy plant with carmine coloured flowers. This is often included in wildflower mixtures as it is pretty and has a long flowering season. It is the least hardy of these clovers. I ended up with two oxalis which are wood sorrel, and finally three white clover. White clover is an ideal companion plant to lawn grass and I would encourage anyone setting lawn seed to include it in their seed mix. White clover stays low and can be mown along with the grass. It has white flowers, which are a rich source of nectar. It is not particularly invasive, and will not take over the lawn. It does however benefit your grass greatly by ‘setting' nitrogen, thus making nitrogen available to the grass, making it richer, stronger and greener. This also means you do not need to fertilise your lawn as much.

So, if you have bought a pot of Shamrock, be sure to repot it and let it grow a little, then find it a nice spot in your garden, because, regardless of its historical accuracy, all Shamrock has great merit!

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Spa GAA and Kerry Parents & Friends secure energy grant funding

Spa GAA and the Kerry Parents & Friends Association are among the Kerry organisations to benefit from the SE Systems Community Fund Programme 2025. Both groups have been announced as […]

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Spa GAA and the Kerry Parents & Friends Association are among the Kerry organisations to benefit from the SE Systems Community Fund Programme 2025.

Both groups have been announced as successful applicants for the national energy grant funding scheme, which supports community and sports organisations in delivering sustainable, energy-efficient projects that help reduce running costs.
The fund, launched in 2022, provides financial assistance, technical resources, and expert guidance to not-for-profit organisations working to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
For Spa GAA, the funding will go towards a full insulation retrofit of the club’s Sports Hall and Clubhouse, as well as upgrading existing floodlights to new energy-efficient LED fittings. The project follows the installation of a Solar PV system earlier this year, continuing the club’s move toward greater energy conservation.
Speaking at the official funding announcement in Cork, James Cahill of Spa GAA thanked SE Systems “for supporting the power of sport and recreation to bring people together, promote healthy lifestyles and build connections in the community.”
Spa GAA has also been selected as one of three clubs nationally to feature in SE Systems’ print media campaign promoting the Community Fund.

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All eyes down as St Oliver’s hosts bumper bingo fundraiser

It will be All Eyes Down as the saying goes on October 23 as St Oliver’s Primary School hosts a bumper Bingo Fundraiser night. The event, which is being held […]

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It will be All Eyes Down as the saying goes on October 23 as St Oliver’s Primary School hosts a bumper Bingo Fundraiser night.

The event, which is being held to raise additional funds for the school’s Special Classes, will take place in the Killarney Racecourse in the Celtic Steps venue.

According to Colm Ó Súilleabháin, Principal of St Oliver’s, the idea for the fundraiser was the brainchild of Denise Hendey, a parent of one of the children in the Special Classes who approached the school wanting to assist with raising much-needed funds for the classes. “She has been utterly amazing with the amount of work and organisation she has put into this event, sourcing an incredible number of fantastic prizes for the raffle and spot prizes for the bingo winners” he said.
Continuing he said “We are so appreciative of the incredible support we have received from all the businesses who have sponsored some amazing prizes and made very generous donations in support of the event.”

St. Oliver’s has eight separate Special Classes, home to 62 children. All monies raised on the night will go towards purchasing additional resources for the classes.

The event will commence at 7pm with doors opening at 6pm. So be sure to come along to what is promised to be a fun-filled night with numerous opportunities to win some amazing prizes and hopefully if there is a ‘knock on the door’ or a ‘bang on the drum’ it will be on your bingo card!

Bingo books (€10) and raffle tickets (€5) are available to buy from the school office and will be available on the night. All welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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