Lord Mayor’s Tree planting speech

Ballymun Recovery Speech

I am very honoured to be here in Poppintree Park to plant this tree which honours people in recovery from addiction.

For many years, and particularly since the first Ballymun Recovery in 2019, I have witnessed the broad range of ways in which messages of hope, reducing stigma and making recovery visible are paramount to the work that is undertaken in Ballymun. This is by people in recovery and their families, the community, children in youth services, those in education, businesses, residents and public representatives.

To plant the tress in this park is very symbolic of the individuality of each life and the growth and strength that comes with recovery.

The park has also been a location for many years of the events of Ballymun Recovery over the last four years. By planting this tree and reading the words on the plaque, I, alongside the Ballymun Recovery group, hope that this will provide the encouragement and support to convey that Ballymun is a community that supports recovery and that they are not alone in their journey.