Bank’s sale demand means last harvest for Galway community garden

The only community garden in South Galway is set to close after the project was given notice to quit – even before this year’s massive harvest of apples is ready to pick.

The Doorus Orchard Community Garden has been growing produce for the local market and providing an outlet for those with green fingers in Kinvara for a decade within the walled garden attached to Doorus House, which was operating as an An Oige youth hostel up until four years ago.

An Oige was bequeathed the property by the Ebrill family without conditions. With the downturn, the banks put pressure on the registered charity to dispose of assets and they put the property up for sale. They are currently considering an offer from the highest bidder and ordered the community gardeners out in April.

That deadline has been extended several times but a final eviction notice has now been set for June 30.

The 70 heritage Irish apple trees will not be ready to harvest until September at the earliest and the crop from the host of bushes bearing raspberries, black, red and white currants, rhubarb and gooseberries will be lost – in total the summer harvest reaps the project €1,000.

“For now, we’d like to have access for the rest of the season to harvest the crops as things move very slowly in real estate. It could be months before a deal is finally signed,” remarked garden manager Lynn O’Keeffe-Lascar.

“We’d also like to be able to negotiate with the new owners in case they are interested in working with us. If it’s to be run as a hospitality business, the garden is a real asset, we have it fully landscaped, and there’s an amount of community support for it.”

Marketing Manager for An Óige Roy Murray said the charity’s board and organisation recognised the work that the gardening group had been doing on the property, near Traught beach.

“This is why we waived any fee for using the property since 2004. However, the arrangement was always a temporary one. An Óige is under contractual obligation to our bankers, and as part of that commitment, we have reluctantly agreed to the sale of a number of hostels, Doorus among them,” he stated.

“It is unfortunate that the situation has come to this but our auctioneer advises us that there are many parties interested in the property and we are obligated to get the property ready for full vacant possession.”

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.