 Yes, for this Thursday afternoon, now you might have noticed some changes in Rath Mullen if you're there recently because there's a community art project which is very eye-catching and it was led by volunteer artist Emma Grace who's from Kilmoughquennon, helped by another volunteer, Cassie Lyons from Bunkranna and others helped as well, we'll find out in just a second, but the project was made using recycled wood and paints and bottle tops and other materials as well and it's a good help also from Morphe Construction but Emma is here anyhow in the studio to tell us a wee bit more about this. Emma, thanks for coming in, first of all. Thank you, John, for having me. Tell us how it came about, first of all. So I was actually approached by the Donnie Gull Volunteer Center and looking for some help in Rath Mullen with the Tidy Towns group in facilitating this art project which was focusing on one-use plastics and biodiversity. So I came in, I met with Hazel and then a few other people within the community as well and we came together and it started kicked off straight away. We did some small boards out, were put up first at the end of July with the National School there, they had a summer program running. So we had some nice volunteers from there that came in and then we had another group came in at the beginning of August, end of July for this much larger mural on the other side of the cohort there. And they've been ranging between nine and 13 years old and helping us but we've also had some young adults and older adults helping from the community and surrounding areas too. So in a way you started off small and then went big. Exactly, yes. And it's just been growing since then. We've spent quite a few weeks sorting bottle caps that the community came or had gathered together. And so we'll be hopefully applying those over the weekend. Why are bottle caps such a thing? Because it takes so long to basically degrade and so we wanna just focus on highlighting the fact that they're landing in our landfills and they take, I think it's about 20 or 25 years for them to degrade. So why not try to find alternatives or put extra use to them in creative projects? So... Okay, so the focus of this was about having a cleaner community and about keeping the place not just tidy but it's about and making sure that our rubbish and refuge doesn't end up in the ocean. Our oceans as well as our lands because we're affecting both land life as well as ocean life but specifically in Rathmoolan ocean life because we have the beautiful sea there and we wanna keep it as beautiful as possible. And a lot of help from Morphe Construction because you were able to use that they had an existing hoarding there and then you were able to use that. Good effect. Yeah, it's been fantastic, the support by them. So at first I thought it was just the one wall but they've kindly allowed us to use as much as we want of their walls so it's been brightening up the place, lovely. So yeah, you helped to do a bit of organizing and add some structure to it but you did a lot of small hands helping you as well. We did, yes, quite a few. I think we've had about 10 to 15 in total of kids ranging from nine to 13 years old. And it's great then because you mean they're obviously getting the message along the way with all the work that you're doing but also then just been able to see the finished product and it's up there every time that they're passing it's there and they go, I played a part in that. The passion and enthusiasm from them has just been fantastic and having their family members come over and showing them what they've been painting and their involvement, it's just, it's priceless and they'll have that to hold on to forever. So being a part of this, the project will be up for roughly two to two and a half years but possibly longer depending on construction. So yeah. Okay, so for anyone that's in Rath Mullen and the coming months or years and check it out. Well, you can't really miss them but worth checking out. Something else that's worth checking out in Rath Mullen are all the streets and the streetscapes and the properties because sometimes you could drive through Rath Mullen and not fully appreciate what's around you. There's actually a very good booklet now if you're interested in getting your hands on this and it's an award-winning booklet and again, the Tidy Towns Committee very much behind this. It's called Look Again, an apt title, Heritage at the Doorstep. Hazel Russell, no stranger to us here at Highland, financial controller for many's a long year. I was keeping us all right for the longest time but Hazel, very active in the community in Rath Mullen. Well, I'd say the greater Rath Mullen area but anyhow, active behind the scenes with us as well. It's turned out great, Hazel. It's fabulous, isn't it? We're very, very proud of it, John. Yeah, and it's sort of snowballed for us too. It's a bit like the art, you know, because Rath Mullen has beautiful buildings all around the town but people forget about them. They're used to them, they drive through them. Can you take them for granted? Exactly. And Tidy Towns is not just about litter and litter picking and it's about pride of place and where you're from and looking after it and it ties in very well with the art because we just take such pride in what we've got trying to keep it and preserve it. And part of this booklet is to try and bring it out there and make it more aware of what we've actually got on our doorstep and take care of it. Well, you know what, it's only when you flick through the booklet that you realise just the wealth heritage. That's only a synopsis of what really is in it, yeah? Not everything is in here. But it gives you an idea of the wealth of great heritage that there is in Rath Mullen. And okay, there's, which you might describe as, you know, ordinary buildings that you'd pass by but there's a history to them and it's outlined in here. But then, you know, well-known places as well, a bit like, I'm thinking about, you know, the Abbey Graveyard and I'm just flicking through and there's one here, there's a page dedicated to the water hydrant, the old pump. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And people would pass it every day that we can think nothing of it. Don't even see it. You know, they're just so used to having it there. There's another one there of the sewer cover which was a commemoration for the, let's see if I can find it now, which is pretty close to the water pump that's on the road. People wouldn't even realize it's there unless you look down. And then when you realize what's, you know, what the history is. The Flight of the Earls, yeah. You know, it's commemorating the Flight of the Earls and it's on the sewer cover, yeah. And you walk over it every day of the week and drive over it and you don't see it. And there's like the old Coast Guard Station, for instance, and the sheds, even the sheds attached to that history and heritage, the old rectory, the boat house down at the pier, obviously. Yeah, it's beautiful at the minute, yeah. Yeah. But I must say, we... That modern house, there's just so much. So much, yeah. We were encouraged to do this through a Bourne-Beault project, which we heard about last October, November. And we had Mootid doing this last year, but then with COVID, sort of fell, by the way, said we had the photographs taken. And then when we did the Bourne-Beault project, which was five, two-hour sessions online, all through the winter, they encouraged us then and taught us how to go out and look at things and learn about diversity, what was in our past, what have we got in our landscape, what can we do, and take action to try and preserve it and everything. So we've been working on that all through since last December. And then we compiled the booklet, we got funding from them towards this. We compiled the booklet and they adjudicated everything that was done because they did it with five different communities throughout Ireland. And we rewarded a heritage booklet. We were absolutely delighted to win an award because it was one of innovative and it just got so much in it, you know? Deservedly so, and it's really striking, but it's really informative. That's the important thing, I suppose. And most of the buildings, most of the town, dates back to when? Oh, now you've put me, 1900s, 1800s, yeah. I think the 19th century. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, and various parts of that century, and some before and some since, but all outlined there with it, or many of them, I should say, because you couldn't include it. Many of them, because there's lots, lots more that we could have included, but, you know, so it's something that you could keep on your coffee table, pick it up, look at it, read it. Tourists are very fond of it and people coming in to do the walking tours and just walk around town and see it on the map where they are. And certainly, it would be for locals, for people who live in the town, just to get a better appreciation of it, but also for visitors, because you could easily spend half a day walking around the town with the booklet and go, oh, yeah, that's what that's about. Yeah, there's a map in it, as well, to show you where they all are within the town so you can pursue it as you go. Where's it available? It's in the post office at the moment, and it was in Artsy, as well, but they've just closed now for the winter. You know, the craft shop down at the pier. Oh, yeah, the pier, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay. And Emma, just going back to you. Any other plans? So, this weekend, I'm actually the coordinator here in Letter Kenny for Team Hope Shoebox Appeal. So, we're launching this weekend our shoebox appeal. So, if anyone's available between 11 and 12, please drop into the Donegal Volunteer Center and hear more about this opportunity. And that's located where? That's located here on Mountaintop by Brulab. Just down the road, yeah. Just down the road. And the air code is F92X5EF. So, I hope to see you on Saturday. Donegal Volunteer Center, down there beside the Irish Wind Shoe Association. Okay, and remind us again just about the shoebox appeal, what's involved, what's on every year. Yeah, so this is on every year. We get items donated and fill up a shoebox that are donated to kids who may not necessarily receive a Christmas gift. So, we're looking for people to help with gift fillers, wrapping boxes, collecting boxes from schools. Also, we'll be loading up lorries. So, people who might not wanna do the wrapping side but wanna help with heavy lifting, we'll be looking for volunteers for that as well. But, the boxes is to bring a bit of joy to people who may not necessarily have the opportunity at the Christmas times. Okay, so that's Saturday? Yeah, this Saturday at 11 o'clock at the Donegal Volunteer Center here in Letter County. Okay, and he helped greatly appreciate it. Yes. He has a lot of good things happening in the community and I'm surprised that they're going back but a lot of good things happening in Rathmullin in the community. What is the title, Rathmullin the way forward? Yes. And when I started getting the emails years ago now, I said, there's a community on the move, there's a community that's organized. We are actually, and we have a great community spirit in Rathmullin. We have a lot of associations and different facets but we're coming together more now and working for the future and trying to get a plan going for the better for the time because we rely on tourism. We've nothing much else happening. So, we really have to all keep working together and putting ourselves out there. Well, the booklet is a good example of what can be achieved. It's called Luke Again, Heritage at the Doorstep. Seek it out, available at the post office at the moment in Rathmullin, hopefully elsewhere beyond that. Emma and Hazel, thank you both. Thank you, John. Thank you, John.