Killarney National Park is one of Ireland’s natural treasures. An unspoiled habitat of lakes, mountains and unique wildlife, the park attracts droves of tourists and visitors to the south-west year after year.

The abundance and diversity of the park’s plantlife is one of its key attractions. However, not everything that lurks beneath the park’s soil has its best interests at heart.

Invasive rhododendrons of the ponticum species were originally introduced to Ireland as a form of hunting cover.

With their glossy green leaves and violet flowers, rhododendrons make for an unlikely adversary. However, their unconstrained growth poses a massive risk to flora and fauna, threatening the park’s natural beauty and delicate ecosystems.

A novel approach

While Killarney National Park has been fighting a rear-guard action against rhododendrons for over 30 years, the sheer size of the 10,000-hectare park presents serious challenges.

A new initiative represents a novel approach: an attempt to harness the efforts of the whole community against this threat to one of Ireland’s finest sites of natural beauty.

Spearheaded by Haven pharmacist and local Killarney businessman Finbarr Kennelly, the initiative will see dozens of men’s sheds members from across Ireland descend upon the park to vanquish its unwanted visitors.

The volunteers will be trained in the approved “snip and spray” method, which has proven to be effective at restricting the regrowth of the invasive plants.

The initiative takes place under the auspices of the Killarney National Park Mountain Meitheal, which is sponsored by the trustees of Muckross House – the meitheal being an ancient Irish agricultural practice that brings rural communities together in common cause.

Heart of the community

Paul O’Neill of Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce says: “It is easy to see Killarney as a successful tourism town, but at its heart are communities of people who work together to protect and enhance the National Park.

This initiative brings those communities together on a national scale and we are delighted to extend our hospitality to men’s shed volunteers.”

Tim Calalane of the National Parks & Wildlife Service notes that around 74% of the vast park is under active management to prevent the reappearance of rhododendrons.

“While the men’s sheds’ involvement is a new venture,” says Tim, “we have a year-round student programme, two-week work camps in the summer, and annual contracts for areas of the park that aren’t suitable for volunteers.”

The venture is a truly collective effort. Keith Brennan, chair of Indepharm (trading as Haven Pharmacy) said: “We’ve been partnering with the men’s sheds since early 2017, and our member Finbarr Kennelly saw an excellent opportunity for us to come together and support Killarney National Park and the Killarney Chamber of Commerce on this initiative, which wouldn’t have been possible were it not for the generosity of Killarney Hotels and cooperation of the Chamber.”

Meanwhile, Irish Men’s Sheds Association CEO Barry Sheridan is delighted to see sheds at the centre of a community-based effort of national importance: “It’s an absolute pleasure for us to be involved. Men’s sheds are rooted in their local communities, but they also form a national network of like-minded men, spread throughout the entire island. Projects such as this show just how much men’s sheds members have to contribute to society at large.”

The clear-up will take place from 5 to 8 November, and we’ll bring Irish Country Living readers further coverage from the sharp end of the war on rhododendrons in the coming weeks. CL