Carndonagh Town Park
by Dairmuid Gavin Designs
The development of barrack hill has take several years to complete and for the first stage we proposed to focus on creating a special space for local children surrounded by a new park. What will make this space special is that it will be designed to engage children in different and more diverse ways than the traditional play area that features a few swings, a climbing frame, slide and roundabout. We want the children of Carndonagh to experience the delights of discovery, adventure, play and interaction and to develop their skills, improve their senses, test their powers and take independent steps.
Carndonagh Town Park, 2008/12
Commissioned by Donegal County Council under the Per Cent for Art Scheme in partnership with Community and Enterprise Section of Donegal County Council. The Landscape Architecture project covers 4 acres on Barrack Hill, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal. READ MORE
Biography of artist
Diarmuid Gavin
Diarmuid Gavin studied horticulture at the College of Amenity Horticulture in Glasnevin, Ireland. Gavin won an RDS Gold Award in 1991 and 1993, a bronze medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1995, a silver-gilt medal in 2004, and a silver-gilt medal in 2007.[3] He finally won a gold at Chelsea for "The Irish Sky Garden" in 2011, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, and the City of Cork. He is also a patron at Southport Flower Show.
In 2007, Diarmuid received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Art from Nottingham Trent University in recognition of his international reputation for contemporary garden designs. Television appearances. He has presented a number of BBC television programmes including Gardeners' World; Home Front with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and, in 2004, a Twofour and RHS production Gardens Through Time. RTÉ is currently screening the TV show "I want a Garden".
In May 2011 Gavin's "Irish Sky Garden" won the gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show. Diarmuid Gavin is the author of a number of bestselling gardening books including Diarmuid Gavin's Big Ideas and Outer Spaces.
www.diarmuidgavindesigns.co.uk
Donegal County Council Welcomes Diarmuid Gavin
Diarmuid Gavin Public Lecture in Carndonagh
Wednesday 20th February 2007
Dairmuid Gavin, celebrity gardener and landscape architect has teamed up with the Public Art Office and the Community and Enterprise Section of Donegal County Council to design and create one of the most imaginative and ambitious community spaces and play parks for Carndonagh, Co. Donegal. He arrives in Carndonagh next week to begin a period of consultations with the schools and local community. These sessions will form the design concepts for the Barrack Hill town park taking into consideration the thoughts of over 100 participants from the area.
The local community is also getting the chance to hear Diarmuid give an open lecture on the role of a garden designer/landscape architect, showing examples of creativity around the globe and a general talk on who he is, where he is coming from and what the motivations in his work are. The lecture will take place on Wednesday 20th February in The Àras, Carndonagh Community School at 8pm everyone welcome admission free
Further information is available by contacting Aideen Doherty Donegal County Council Malin Road Carndonagh 074 9373718
Press Release - Embargo 12th November 2007 -5pm
Dairmuid Gavin, celebrity gardener and landscape architect has teamed up with the Public Art Office and the Community and Enterprise Section of Donegal County Council to design and create one of the most imaginative and ambitious community spaces and play parks for Carndonagh, Co. Donegal
Donegal County Council has just signed a contract with Dairmuid Gavin to design one of the most imaginative and ambitious community spaces and play parks for Barrack Hill, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal.
As part of the Park there will be a new playground with soft ground and play equipment but it is well documented that when children reach 6 or so, they lose interest in the ‘formal playground’ and would prefer places that can inspire the imagination – places with changes in level, hiding places, trees and bushes and an environment which can test the limits of capabilities, climbing, rolling, digging and so on, places that can stimulate the senses – making music in the natural environment, quiet places, colours and shapes, dark and bright places. It is also documented that changes in the natural and built environment has resulted in a decreasingly child friendly environment, with less open spaces and places to explore. It is suggested that children and young people should be ideally be involved and facilitated in the planning and development of their own play spaces and activities. Donegal County Council’s Public Art Program has sought to address this by engaging Dairmuid Gavin and inviting him to come to Carndonagh early in 2008 and work directly with children, teenagers and older people in the design of their space. A set of designs will be presented by Dairmuid Gavin mid 2008 that when implemented should create one of the most innovative, ambitious community spaces and play parks in Ireland. According to Ms. Terre Duffy, Public Art Manager, ‘we see Dairmuid Gavin doing for play what Jamie Oliver did for school dinners’. This is a very special and unique project, one that aspires to international standards of innovation, imagination, excellence and value for money. The design element will be funded though Donegal County Council’s Public Art Program www.donegalpublicart.ie and the implementation will be funded by a range of funders.
For further information contact Ms. Terre Duffy, Public Art Manager for Donegal County Council on 074 9121 968 or Ms. Aideen Doherty, Area Manager Community & Enterprise Donegal County Council. 074 9373 718
