I’m Hugh Treacy of Gorey Transition town and a friend and I are trying to get allotments in Gorey, Co. Wexford. I saw Tara’s invitation to this event, (a month late, I’m afraid), but we are trying to get allotments started and we are in a similar position, I believe, to your own when you were starting out.

We are concentrating on convincing Wexford County Council to develop one of their own sites as allotments for Gorey. The site is a little over half an acre and has been carved out of a larger field that was used for the construction of an affordable housing scheme by the council. The site is perfect for allotments or a community garden as it is walled on three sides with the last side being road frontage. It is within walking distance of the main street in Gorey and has 200 tons of clean topsoil piled at one end.

As I see from your own posts that Cork County Council provided the site for your allotments, perhaps you could give me a few pointers in how to approach my council and get them onside for this project? Any advice you could give me would be very welcome.

All the best, Hugh.