Tallaght playground reborn as community garden

A former playground in Tallaght that was vandalised and removed almost a decade ago has been reborn as a community garden, a project led by local children that has now won a national award.

The Mac Uilliam playground was removed by South Dublin County Council after repeated vandalism, leaving children in the area without a safe place to play.

In response, the Tusla-funded Barnardos Lorien project engaged directly with local children, who said they were concerned they had nowhere suitable to gather or play.

Barnardos then advocated for the children’s wishes and plans were put in place to develop a community garden.

The children were involved from the outset, helping to design the space, deciding how it would be used and agreeing how it would be cared for into the future.

The Barnados Lorien Project supports children and families where parents are in addiction and recovery. It is funded by the HSE Addiction Services and the Tallaght Drugs and Alcohol Task Force.

Development of the Mac Uilliam Community Garden was supported by Tusla Participation Funding, along with contributions from The Late Late Toy Show, South Dublin County Council and the Bryan McGuinness Trust through the Barnardos fundraising team.

Since reopening, the garden has become an active community space. Children have helped organise events such as movie nights and shows, while also supporting Barnardos in keeping the area maintained, safe and welcoming.

The project has now received a Child and Youth Participation Award, one of just eight presented nationally.

The awards recognise initiatives that demonstrate strong child and youth involvement in decision-making, ensuring children’s voices are heard and have a real influence on outcomes.

Speaking about receiving the award, Barnardos Project Leader, Sarah Cummins said: “The Mac Uilliam Community Garden is a success because of the ongoing participation, determination and care that the local children and young people put into it.

“One of the local residents, Karen, who has taken an active role in planting activities with the children and also keeping an eye on the garden said how proud she is of the children as without them, it wouldn’t have been the success that it is.,” she added.

Applications for the awards were reviewed by a committee comprising representatives from Tusla, Gaisce, the Children’s Rights Alliance, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman and Hub na nÓg, and assessed under criteria including participation, influence and engagement.

Speaking on behalf of Tusla, National Manager of Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Amy Mulvihill said: “It is wonderful to see the Child and Youth Participation Awards reaching a variety of services that engage with children and young people.

“The award demonstrates that children and young people are being listened to, but more importantly that they are influencing decision making and having a meaningful impact on issues and decisions that are important to them.

“We look forward to working with more partners to further embed participation across the country in 2026.”