At Kilteevan Tidy Towns we continue to learn about Biodiversity in order to know how best to protect it. Now that the weather is getting a little milder, we are continuing our journey to learn about our Moths.  There are around 1,500 moth species in Ireland so identification is an exciting challenge. Michael Bell of Nature Learn was an inspiring mentor as we began to learn.

We are working with Moths Ireland on this project and have a  licence for our work, All records are submitted to The National Biodiversity Data Centre.   Our thanks to the National Parks at Wildlife Service for supporting us on this journey.

 We identified 10 species . Our photos show two beautiful, distinctive species 

Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria

Streamer Anticlea derivata.

Following our Annual General Meeting the following committee members were elected for 2023/ 2024.

Eileen Fahey – Chairperson ,Marguerite Croghan – Secretary, Hugh Brennan-Treasurer. Lena Coyle ,Fiona Kilmartin, David Gibbons

Mattie Murphy ,Gertie Murphy, Caitriona Dolan, Ned Gilligan, Ray Clabby, Fiona Coen

Barney Donlon. Patricia Hughes, Amy Coen, Michael Fahey.

And of course our Junior Tidy Towns/ Kilteevan National School are key members of our committee and share our vision. 

At the meeting there was slide show  which reviewed the work of Tidy Towns in the community for the past 8 years, This highlighted the major improvements and developnments carried out group in Kilteevan.

The Chairperson thaked the following for their support 

The volunteers in the community who committed to take on specific  jobs 

Staff in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

 Laura Connolly and Chris Peppiatt National Park and Wildlife Service constantly giving their time and expertise

Staff of the Peatlands Management Unit Wexford

Roscommon Co Council : John Mockler, Neal Geraghty, Nollaig Feeney, Annette Donlon

Emer Dowd, Sarah Scott, Áine Butler, Rhona Mc Grath

Conor Ruane Local Authority Water Programme

Paul Healy, Roscommon People

Christina Mc Hugh, Roscommon Herald

Fiona Dunne FD Design, Pat Hoey Roscommon Signs,

Emmet Featherstone Keenprint .

Mark Feeley for ensuring a Gulliver Story, that will never be forgotten

The remains of the Lilliput Turf Machine  is a very fine relic of the social, economic and cultural history of Kilteevan. This machine was purchased by Jonnie and Paddy Dolan in 1965 from H.G. Shnitzer,Edenderry. The machine cost IR£5,000 (the equivalent of over €‎100,000 today) and was transported to Kilteevan in pieces and put together by Johnnie, Paddy and Eamon Connor in Carrowmore Bog. The first turf was cut on a fine day in March 1965 but was halted the following day due to unseasonably heavy snowfall.

The machine was powered by a Ford diesel engine and had a main frame, supported on power-driven caterpillar tracks. A multi-bucket digger boom at one side of the machine was inclined at a 45-degree angle when in the working position, with the forward side of the bucket cutting as the turf machine advanced. The buckets discharged the turf through the macerator unit onto a plate chain, marking it into sod lengths and then onto the spreader arm. The turf was then discharged onto the turf bank.

The first operators of the machine were Johnnie Dolan and Eamon Connor and in subsequent years both Paddy and Tom Dolan spent many a long day working on the machine with, what Tom recalls as, “great days but plenty of hardship”. The machine was the only one of its kind in the area and cut turf for many people in the locality and beyond. It was finally retired on this spot in 1997 by Tom Dolan.

In December 2020 Tom Dolan and Eamon Conor officially reopened this road with their grandchildren

WHAT WE COULD SEE IN 2020   

WHAT WE UNCOVERED

  18th December 2020, Tommy Dolan and Eamon Connor  former owners of the Lilliput officially opened Lilliput Way, Cloonlarge:Loop 

Tommy and Eamon stand at the Tidy Towns new sign Our Evolving Relationship with Peatlands

OCTOBER 2022- following a generous donation by a community member, Kilteevan Tidy Towns Volunteers gave lthe Lilliput a major facelift.