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River Suir exhibition gets people talking and walking.

A River Suir exhibition has proven a big hit with local communities. Clonmel library has been the centre of activity over the past week with an engaging exhibition on the River Suir. Visitors ranging from casual pedestrians to organised school trips have been able to experience the River Suir through the ages. The exhibition has grown to include an overview of the Suir Island Masterplan together with information on the Water Framework Directive. These elements compliment the heritage and wildlife features on display. The exhibition allows people to visualise the future of the river in its natural and historic place alongside Clonmel and the surrounding landscape, and this story is brought to life by Shay Hurley local historian and River Suir enthusiast. According to Shay “there has been huge demand from local schools and the school children have really engaged with the exhibits and workshops, using their hands and their imagination”.

Over the week, the creative process was in full spin as the school kids under Shay’s supportive guidance immersed themselves in river imagining and interactive workshops. Working with tissue on the floor the kids laid out a river shape incorporating the dynamic elements of movement and flow just as a natural river grows and moves through a landscape such as the Suir Valley, from source to sea. This allowed the kids to visualise the river and its catchment area and illustrates that all things happening in the catchment potentially affect the river water quality and how it flows.

Stories were written on this paper river capturing the imaginations and experiences of all involved, bringing the children closer to their heritage and the Suir. The school children were also treated to a river side walk known as “The Willow Walk’ which takes participants across the bridge to Suir Island which includes Willow Island, to experience the sights, sounds and wonder of the river. Unlike Lord of the Rings, the children don’t need to travel to Elf kingdom of Rivendale to see great wonders of nature and history, it’s all on their doorstep on Suir Island and the majestic River Suir.

The exhibition is open to the public and will run up to Saturday 2^nd December. For school or group bookings phone Shay Hurley on 087-9568576.

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EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.