Food from the Heart

Our volunteers collected food hampers lovingly assembled by Athboy's People Who Share Care Group for delivery to families living in food poverty in Co Meath. 

Competition Entry

We are thrilled to announce that our entry for the 2026 SuperValu Tidy Towns competition has officially been submitted! 📝✨

This year, we’ve taken a fresh look at our goals and have fully revised our 3-Year Strategic Plan. This roadmap will guide our efforts in enhancing local biodiversity, promoting sustainability, and making our neighborhood an even more vibrant place to live.

A massive thank you to all the volunteers and partners who have helped us get this far. We can't wait to share more of our upcoming projects with you all!

Calling all Johnstown Birdwatchers!

How many of these feathery neighbors have visited your garden in the last year? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, our local ecosystem is buzzing with life, and we want to see what you are seeing!

The Johnstown "Spotted" List:

How many can you tick off?

• The Bright Bunch: European Goldfinch, Eurasian Bluetit, Goldcrest, Eurasian Siskin.

• The Garden Classics: European Robin, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Eurasian Blackbird.

• The Bold & The Brave: Common Magpie, Hooded Crow, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove.

• The Hidden Gems: Eurasian Wren, Coal Tit, Redpoll, Dunnock, Song Thrush.

Pro-Tip: Become a Bird Detective

Stuck on a song or a flash of color? Download the Merlin Bird ID app. It’s like having a bird expert in your pocket—just record a sound or snap a photo to identify your visitor in seconds!

Take a Walk by the River...

If you’ve ventured down to the riverside lately, we bet you’ve seen even more species! Help us grow the Johnstown collection by adding your sightings in the comments below.

Read More

"No Mow May"

We're finally showing beauty previously buried in our estate lawns! We've seen daisies and dandelions but what about this?

This splash of pale lilac dancing in the breeze lately is the Cuckoo Flower (also known as Lady’s Smock), and it’s currently stealing the show in those estate lawns participating in No Mow May!

Why we love them:

The Name: Traditionally, these beauties bloom right when the first cuckoos start to call.

A Tiny Ecosystem: They are a vital food source for the Orange-tip butterfly. Keep an eye out for their bright orange wings fluttering nearby!

Johnstown Charm: Whether you’re walking the river paths or passing the local fields, their delicate "milkmaid" petals are a sure sign that warmer days are coming.

Join the Blossom Watch!

We want to see Johnstown through your lens. If you’ve snapped a photo of these wildflowers on your morning walk post it in the Facebook Page comments.

Tag your favorite walking spot in town.

Use #JohnstownInBloom #CuckooFlower #WildIreland #NoMowMay #NoMowLawn

Eco-Tip: As tempting as they are, please leave them for the pollinators to enjoy! They look much better in the ground (and in your photos) than in a vase.

Less in More

Doing absolutely nothing can be the best thing to do!

You will already know that a "perfect" green short cut grass lawn is basically a food desert for our pollinators?

Therefore this month, we’re locking up the mower for #NoMowMay.

By letting the wildflowers and "weeds" bloom, you’re providing a vital nectar buffet for bees, butterflies, and birds during a critical time of year.

How to join in:

• Step 1: Do absolutely nothing.

• Step 2: Watch the flowers grow.

• Step 3: Feel like an eco-warrior.

Let those dandelions shine!

#SaveTheBees #Biodiversity #SustainableLiving  #WildflowerMeadow #LetItGrow 

Grow Your Bird Feed

Do you want to know how to keep the birds visiting your garden if you take BirdWatch Ireland's advice and pause the bird feeders for the summer (May 1st – Oct 31st)?

The answer?

Go Native!

BirdWatch Ireland suggests that the best way to feed birds sustainably is to plant the food they naturally crave. Here are our planting suggestions for our feathered friends this season:

1. The "Berry Best" Trees & Shrubs 

These provide vital vitamins in late summer and autumn:

• Rowan (Mountain Ash): A favorite for Thrushes and even rare Waxwings. 

• Hawthorn & Blackthorn: These offer dense protection for nests and a massive crop of berries (haws and sloes).

• Holly: For a winter feast, plant a female Holly tree now (it will need a male tree nearby to fruit!).

2. Climbers: The Natural

High-Rise

• Ivy: Don't cut it back! Ivy is one of the most important plants in Ireland. Its flowers feed insects in autumn, and its berries are a crucial calorie source in late winter.

• Honeysuckle: Not only does it smell amazing, but its berries are a hit with Bullfinches and Warblers.

3. Let it Go to Seed!

Instead of dead-heading your flowers immediately, let them dry out.

• Sunflowers & Teasels: These are "natural bird feeders." Goldfinches love picking the seeds directly from the dried heads. 

• Dandelions & Thistles: These might be "weeds" to some, but they are essential snacks for local finches. 

4. The "Insect Buffet"

Most garden birds feed their chicks insects, not seeds. By planting native Irish wildflowers and reducing mowing (like #NoMowMay), you increase the caterpillar and beetle population—which is the ultimate high-protein baby food for nesting birds!

Tidy Towns Tip: Planting a native hedge is better for biodiversity than any fence. It provides a home, a highway, and a snack bar all in one!

What’s growing in your garden this summer? Post a photo

#TidyTowns #LivingLarder #NativePlanting #BirdWatchIreland #BiodiversityIreland #PollinatorPlan

Spring Clean

Marking the Calendar: When to Feed (and When to Stop)

As our Tidy Towns biodiversity projects grow, we want to make sure we're following the latest expert advice. While we love seeing birds in our gardens, BirdWatch Ireland has updated its guidance to help protect our local finches and garden birds from disease.

The Golden Rule: Feed Seasonally

MAY 1st – OCTOBER 31st: The "Feeder Break"

BirdWatch Ireland now strongly urges everyone to stop using bird feeders (seeds and peanuts) during these months.

Why? Trichomoniasis (a fatal bird disease) spreads much faster in the warmth.

Nature Provides: Summer and Autumn provide plenty of natural insects, seeds, and berries. Our birds don't need the extra help right now, and removing feeders prevents large groups of birds from gathering and spreading sickness.

NOVEMBER 1st – APRIL 30th: The Winter Kitchen

This is the critical window! When the frost hits and natural food disappears, your garden feeders become a lifeline. High-energy peanuts, sunflower seeds, and fat balls are perfect during these cold months.

What can I do during the Summer Break?

If you miss your feathered visitors between May and October, you can still help safely:

• Fresh Water is Priority: Keep those bird baths scrubbed and filled! This is the most helpful thing you can provide in the heat.

• Go Natural: Instead of a feeder, plant a "living larder." Sunflowers, Teasel, and berry-bearing bushes like Rowan or Hawthorn are the best way to feed birds without the risk of disease.

• Deep Clean: Use this summer "off-season" to give your feeders a serious soak in a mild disinfectant so they are sterile and ready for November 1st.

Let’s keep our local wildlife healthy and safe!

Full BirdWatch Ireland guidance: https://birdwatchireland.ie/.../feeding-your-garden-birds/

#tidytowns  #biodiversity

Poisoned Schools

Since 2021 our volunteers have prevented chemicsl poisons being used on Johnstown's main roads. 

Can you help our youngest members of the community be protected at school too? 

from Biodiversity in Schools 

SPRAYING AT SCHOOL SURVEY

We’re on a mission to have #pesticides banned in Irish schools.

These chemicals are catastrophic for #nature and their links to our children’s health are very concerning.

We think it is therefore totally inappropriate for them to be used on school grounds.

But, the first step is to gather the facts and we need your help.

We are asking you as teachers, parents, students and members of the community to ANONYMOUSLY register if a school IS or ISN'T using these sprays. You can register ANY school anonymously. Only then can we understand the scale of the problem.

Our Goals

Discover what we've got planned for the next 3 years.

Find Out More

Winter Lights

They added a sparkle well into the New Year. Thank you to the volunteers who've now put these lights into storage till November.

Any suggestions for next years display are more than welcome.

Crisp & Clear

The pavement weeds continue to grow through winter even though today was fairly crisp with frost.

Volunteers are keeping our streets very well presented, and without using poisonous chemicals.