www.fotc.ie

About us - who we are, what we do...

Welcome to www.fotc.ie

This is the website of Friends of the Camac, a voluntary group who meet regularly 

to clean the river, and improve the environment.


The last Camac River Cleanup was on Saturday 03 October 2020.  Details below. 


The next River clean scheduled for Saturday, 07 November 2020 

has been postponed - see below.  


Dear Friends,

As we are in Level 5 Lockdown, public health guidelines are advising the postponement of community clean-ups for the moment.   South Dublin County Council are asking groups like ourselves to hold-off doing such activities at the minute, therefore we are postponing the clean-up scheduled for Saturday 7th November.


However, the guidance is that if one or two people want to meet up themselves, in a safe way, to pick up litter, then this would be alright.

 

Please note that any such activity would NOT come under 

the auspices of Friends of the Camac. 


However, we would encourage anyone doing this to wear suitable clothing, be aware of health and safety, and, of course, keep away from the water's edge. 


Keep well everyone, and we will be in touch soon with a rescheduled date for the next Friends of the Camac activity!

Kindest regards
Maria O'Connor
Hon. Secretary

Last Updated

This website was Last Updated on 28/10/2020.

Donations of surplus tools.

A kind benefactor gifted us with some gardening and similar tools, most of which we pressed into service at our clean up days and other projects.  However, as we had more than we needed we passed on some of the surplus tools to other local voluntary organisations, Clondalkin Mens Shed, Clondalkin Tidy Towns and today (17/101/2020) to Clondalkin Global Garden.

My Favourite Season Art Competition

We are delighted to announce the 2020 Friends of the Camac Children's Art Competition! This year's theme is 'My Favourite Season', so email us in your photos, drawings, paintings or other artworks by end of November and you could win:
  • 25euro to top up your phone or spend how you like!
  • Award certificate
  • Your artwork published in the Friends of the Camac Winter newsletter, and on our website www.fotc.ie
  • You and your teacher photographed at the award presentation and the photo will appear in our newsletter and website!
So, get snapping and painting, or just get out there in nature and share the results with us! Have fun, and good luck. We look forward to hearing from you.

Good Luck!!

About us

River Cleanup - Saturday 03 October 2020

THE DATE FOR NEXT RIVER CLEAN UP IS
TO BE CONFIRMED.

On Saturday 03 October we had 13 Volunteers for our monthly River Cleanup. This cleanup concentrated on the Community Centre and adjoining fields. 

We collected 1/2 bag of glass bottles which was recycled at The Mills Centre Bottle Bank, and 4 bags of plastic bottles and drinks cans which were recycled to Round owners GAA club. So that's 4 1/2 bags of material re-cycled instead of going to landfill.

Additionally we had 3 bags of general waste, 3 traffic cones, 2 scooters, 1 hubcap (but no partridge in a pear tree!!), which was all that was left for SDCC to collect.

Some pictures are below and you can see more on our website which is www.fotc.ie Our next cleanup is schedules for the first Saturday in November 7th - to be confirmed.


Welcome to www.fotc.ie

This is the website of Friends of the Camac, a voluntary group who meet regularly to clean the river, and improve the environment.

Our Mission Statement

Protecting, preserving and enhancing the Camac River in Clondalkin; it’s heritage, wildlife and ecosystems; for present and future generations.

White Clawed Crayfish

This image is of a native White Clawed Crayfish, a species which occurs in the Camac and is endangered due to a virus.
Careful cleaning of fishing gear and clothing can prevent it's demise.


Catching and removing Crayfish from the river is an offence under the Wildlife legislation.

Pictures from the 9th Lock Clean Up

Volunteers from Friends of the Camac (FOTC) participated in Saturday 19 September 2020 World Clean Up Day event on the Grand Canal from the Ninth Lock to Grange Castle organised by Clondalkin Partnership and supported by South Dublin County Council (SDCC).

Ninth Lock Cleanup Sat 19/09/20

Heritage Week Newsletter - page 1

As you know we publish seasonal Newsletters to keep you up to date with events past and planned.

Click Download for the

Heritage Week 2020 newsletter



Heritage Week 2020 Newsletter.pdf

Insects and Fish

Thanks to Prof. Jan-Robert Baars from the UCD School of Biology and Environment Science for the use of the images below.

Left to right - a type of Mayfly, Ephemera danica, Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma Nymphula, Trout taking insect from the water surface.

Both the adult insects and their larval stages provide food for fish in the pools and river courses.

LAWPRO Competition

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!


LAWPRO - the Local Authority Waters Programme - is an organisation with whom we are in contact for advice on the management of the river.  

They sponsored a Competition with "Stories from the Waterside" as it's theme.

Just to let you know that LAWPRO have published a collection of the stories (winners & runners up) submitted to the ‘Stories from the Waterside’ Competition.  The booklet is available to download here: http://watersandcommunities.ie/stories-from-the-waterside/


Líle Ní Annracháin Frost from Clondalkin entered a story, which was a runner up so it’s featured in the booklet.


Surveys

We arranged to have 2 surveys on the river, and they were carried out by Triturus Environmental Ltd.

They were generously funded by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPro).

1) Biodiversity Assessment of the River Camac, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin - December 2018.
2) Fisheries Assessment of the River Camac, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin - August 2019.

We have taken the advice and recommendations arising from these surveys into consideration while planning our programmes and working on the improvement of the river's water quality and on the nearby environment.

© 2019. All rights reserved