History of Sensory Walk
Following the 50th Anniversary of the dedication of this Grotto and the official opening of the William O’Brien Woodland Walk in 2015, the need for a pathway joining the Shrine and car park areas to the woodland walk became apparent. What began as a plan to put in a simple path across the lawn very quickly gained momentum until it became the Sensory Walk you see today.
Around the time the volunteers were thinking about this pathway, Wexford County Council announced their ‘Access for All’ competition. This prompted the group to consider a fully accessible path with flower beds along the route. After much research it was decided to enter the competition with our ‘Sensory Path’ idea, and the preparation paid off when the group were awarded second place in this competition. The prize money received would cover the cost of the groundwork, kerbing and tarmacadam for the path, so the group began the arduous task of sourcing hard landscaping materials, topsoil, plants etc.
The support from the community was great right from the start and work began in October 2015. Once the layout of the path was visible, the beds were planned and executed one section at a time. Simultaneously, work began on the central seated area which was a huge undertaking in itself.
Over the period from October 2015 to June 2018, the entire Sensory Pathway took shape and is well adorned with plants, sculptures etc. As well as the central seated area the project includes: three raised beds (fully accessible for people with mobility issues and at eye level for wheelchair users); a herb bed; a butterfly bed to attract butterflies and bees; a dedicated picnic area (with wheelchair accessible picnic tables); a living willow tunnel; a book exchange library; and a sound wall.
This work would have been impossible without the help and support received from the whole community. Some people donated materials or gave plants. Others gave of their time and expertise. Heavy machinery was made freely available whenever it was needed. Collections and fundraisers were superbly supported by the community. And of course, the band of volunteers who give so freely of their time every Saturday morning and Monday night were really vital and you wouldn’t see this amenity here today without their dedication.
In 2022 a new section of path was created from the picnic area back to the car park via the Butterfly Border, giving the visitor a different view of the main borders and shrine. This makes it a fully accessible looped walk which greatly enhances the visitor experience.
The sensory path is, of course, a garden. As gardens are always changing and need upkeep, work is on-going. There is always something new to experience here.
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