A plaque in memory of Clare Murphy has been erected on Quarry Lane, Fermoy. The plaque overlooks a flower bed which was a concept developed by Clare and her good friend, Mary Falvey, to create something beautiful out of an unused space.
Clare and Mary had approached Fermoy Tidy Towns about creating a garden from an unused, wild area in Fermoy last year.
Clare, Mary, and Fermoy Tidy Towns were advised by Carmel’s Garden Centre in Kilworth about how best to go about the project and which plants would best suit the space.
Sadly, Clare passed away due to a brief illness before the garden could be completed.
In her absence, the garden space was completed and a slate plaque was erected over the new garden space by Mary Falvey and her daughter Heather.
Mary Falvey, who looked after Quarry Lane for many years along with Clare, spoke about how she became involved with Fermoy Tidy Towns and how Clare had helped her.
“It was Clare that taught me about flowers, I knew nothing,” Mary said.
The plaque erected in Clare’s memory has an inscription that reads: ‘Clare’s Garden Those we love can never be more than a thought away’.
The delicate slate plaque also features a robin perched on a branch. Speaking about this, Mary said: “Clare was always stone mad about robins, they were her favourite birds.”
TAKING THE LEAD
Fermoy Tidy Towns project manager Paul Kavanagh, spoke about the addition of the garden and plaque to Quarry Lane stating: “It’s a glowing tribute to Clare’s memory to complete the project,”.
“Quarry Lane was always kept to a very high standard, you’d hope that it would be looked after for generations,” Paul added.
Fermoy Tidy Towns Assistant Project Manager and committee member Ken Barry, spoke about the positive example Clare led by.
“Clare and Mary looked after that area in a magnificent manner,” Ken said.
“It’s important to try and get more volunteers and have people taking the lead in their own areas and the best example of that is Clare’s garden, It’s a sign of a neighbourhood that looked after itself”, he added.
BEAUTIFUL
Clare’s husband, and former councillor and mayor John Murphy, spoke to The Avondhu about the garden: “As a family, we really appreciate what’s been done for Clare”.
“She was a great woman for the flowers. That was her hobby, and our lane is beautiful at night, absolutely beautiful,” he added.
John also wanted to thank Paul Kavanagh for all the help and support that he and Fermoy Tidy Towns offered to the Quarry Lane community throughout the years.
