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 Camac River and it's environs, 

and improve the environment.


The last Camac River Cleanup was on Saturday 11 September 2021 - for details see below 


However, the next official River Clean Up will be on 
Saturday 09 October 2021,
depending on the COVID-19 restrictions in place at that time.
We meet at 09.45 at the Clondalkin Sports and Leisure Centre first car park nearest to the Old Nangor Road entrance -  the Eircode is D22 E283.
Watch this space for confirmation.
This website was last updated on
12/September/2021.

Tom Boggins Memories

Have a look at our Pictures and Memories page to read Tom Boggin's Memories of his childhood in Clondalkin.  Tom is now living in Dannevirke New Zealand.  He has written many poems about Clondalkin, and a book entitled "The Little Boy in the Glossy White Boots'.  More information is available on his Facebook Page - search for Tom Boggins living in Dannevirke New Zealand, or follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007661627838 

Heritage Week 2021.

Friends of the Camac were actively involved in the local events for National Heritage Week 2021, which, this year, was held from 14 to 21 August. 
 Go to our Events page for some images from the week.

River Cleanup Saturday 11 September 2021 - sorting rubbish pays dividends.

On Saturday 11/09/2021 our 7 volunteers collected a total of 10 bags of rubbish consisting of 5 bags of general waste, 4 bags of plastic bottles and cans (which will be donated to Round Towers GAA for re-cycling), and 1/2 bag of glass bottles (which were re-cycled in the Mills Centre Bring Centre).

So that just left 5 bags of general waste for SDCC to collect. The picture shows the volunteers who gave of their time on Saturday. A big Thank You to them all.

The next scheduled River clean up will be on the secind Saturday of October, which falls on 9th October.

Flood Prevention

Floods on 06 July 2021.

Here are some of Kevin Keogh's pictures of the flooding following heavy rains on 06 July 2021. It clearly shows the spillway (overflow) near the pedestrian entrance at the Fonthill Road Bridge, and the water flooding the drainage ditch between Cherrywood and the GAA fields, and where it nears the bridge at the Horses Drink. This overflow is operating exactly as it was designed to to, and diverts some water away from the Sandy Hole and wetlands area. The surplus water re-enters the river at the Horses Drink bridge.

3 men and a boat, er, a canoe actually

Thanks to Vincent O'Sullivan for his help.

Our Safety Officer, Kevin Keogh, enlisted the help of his neighbour Vincent O'Sullivan and his canoe to help clear the litter and other items washed downstream and lodged in the trees on the Big Pond.  The pictures show the Before, During, and After images. Vincent is a member of the Celbridge Paddlers Group and more information on their activities can be found on their website which is www.celbridgepaddlers.ie.  
The Third Man mentioned in the title was Patrick Ging, who helped sort and bag the rubbish collected by Vincent. SDCC plan to cut back some of the trees which are causing log jams to the flow of the river this coming autumn.

WETLAND PHOTO WINNERS APRIL 2021

The Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee and Wetland Surveys Ireland are delighted to announce the winners of the World Wetlands Day Photo Competition for the month of April.

For more information check out - http://irishwetlands.ie/the-world-wetlands-day-photo-competition/

Congratulations to Tommy Keogh, who won 2nd place for his "calming and charismatic photo of Clondalkin Park wetland, Co. Dublin".

Dublin Bus Award

Great News! - Here is the text of a message received from Dublin Bus, telling us that we have been awarded €1,000 from their Community Spirit Award fund.

"I am pleased to inform you that your organisation has been awarded €1000 under the 2020 Dublin Bus Community Spirit Awards.
I have attached a digital winners certificate and I would be delighted if you could share this across your social media channels to announce that The Friends of the Camac has been awarded in recognition and support of your work in the local community. Can you please tag @dublinbusnews in your social posts and use #DBCommunitySpirit.
This funding is made available to you subject to the terms and conditions applicable to the Dublin Bus Community Spirit Awards."

This award will go a long way in helping us to continue our work on the Camac river and it's riverine environment.

The Summer 2021 newsletter is out now.

Did you know??
That we issue quarterly Newsletters and you can get an electronic version by sending us an e-mail with
"Yes" in the subject line to friendsofthecamac@hotmail.com
OR
Click on the Download button below.
Summer 2021 Newsletter.pdf


My Favourite Season Art Competition

The results are in!
We have added the list of winning entries to our Events page with pictures of the winners being presented with their prizes. Well done all!

The Camac Connections Booklet has been published

Camac Connections Booklet -

Click on this link to view and download

https://indd.adobe.com/view/d91e039d-f6f7-4c12-b528-4a844bcb1d06


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.

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.

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.

Our Sponsors - Thank You!!

As a voluntary group we depend on help, both physical in the form of boots on the ground during our clean up days (2ndSaturday of the month) and on other special projects – like wildflower planting, hedgerow maintenance and so on, and also with financial assistance to help us purchase and maintain our equipment, and cover our running costs, printing costs of the quarterly newsletters, calendar, insurance and other costs. Contact with other groups to share ideas and knowledge is also vital, and we have received a lot of invaluable advice and guidance from a large number of individuals and organisations.

In that regard we would like to say a big “Thank You” to all those individuals and groups who have helped, and continue to help, us in our efforts.

Firstly to the people of Clondalkin for their ongoing support and encouragement, and then the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), South Dublin County Council (SDCC), South Dublin Partnership, Professor Ken Whelan, Trituras Environmental Limited, Local representatives, especially the local County Councillors, Inland Fisheries Ireland, An Garda Siochana, Tower Credit Union, Bank of Ireland branch Clondalkin, Supervalu Tidy Towns, Clondalkin Tidy Towns, Clondalkin Mens Shed, Clondalkin Partnership, Clondalkin Civil Defence, Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce, Bawnogue Enterprise Centre, Bat Conservation Ireland, The Marist Brothers of Moyle Park College, Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcain, Clondalkin Leisure Centre, St Joseph's BNS, Killinarden Angling Initiative, Kilmainham and Inchicore Heritage Centre, TESCO Clondalkin, PD Visual, Four Districts Woodland Group, Ted Keane, Brendan Kneafsey, Paddy Barrett, the Ging Family, the Colley Family, the Kavanagh Family, Gaelscoil na Camoige. Paul Kavanagh, Brian McElroy Funeral Directors, Dublin Bus, Keane's Tyres Saggart, Round Towers GAA Club, CPM Sports and Social Club.

Go raibh mile mile math agaibh go leir

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