Kieran Foley
Tidy Towns stalwarts Stradbally and Lismore both achieved further success at this year’s Tidy Towns Awards. The County Waterford locations secured over 350 marks each – scooping a Gold Medal and €900.
Ennis in County Clare was named Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre and claimed the top prize ahead of 847 entries across the country.
The announcement was made at a scaled-back event held in the RDS on Friday last, with a small number of representatives present from this year’s entries. The event was streamed live to thousands of TidyTowns volunteers around the country who were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.
Some of the other big winners on the day included: Geashill, Co. Offaly (Ireland’s Tidiest Village), Abbeyleix, Co. Laois (Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town), and Cobh, Co. Cork (Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town).
Speaking after the awards ceremony, Minister for Rural & Community Development Heather Humphreys said: “I want to congratulate Ennis and all of the other deserving prize-winners. It has not been easy for TidyTowns groups during what has been an unprecedented period. Like all sections of society, the pandemic has prohibited us from participating in the things we enjoy within our own communities. I want to commend the hundreds of groups and thousands of volunteers who, in the face of adversity, put their community first and continued to make their areas better places to live and work and to visit, all the while, adhering to social distancing and public health guidelines. For that, on my own behalf and that of the Government, I want to say Thank You.”
On the day, Minister Humphreys also announced a special allocation of €1.5 million in funding to support the work of individual TidyTowns committees around the country to assist them in their continued efforts to enhance their towns and villages.
This is the fifth consecutive year that funding has been provided to support these committees and brings the total allocated since 2017 to €6.7 million.
The Minister also thanked SuperValu, the competition’s sponsor, adding: “I want to congratulate SuperValu who celebrate their 30th anniversary of partnership with TidyTowns and sponsorship of the competition. The competition continues to attract new entrants and new awards and it is getting stronger every year. SuperValu continue to show fantastic support for the competition through their financial sponsorship, their commitment to improving and growing the competition and through the dedicated support at a local level provided to TidyTowns groups by their network of local retailers.”
Lismore, which won the overall award in 2004, continues to win gold.
WATERFORD RESULTS
Category A
Ballymacarbry 348
Fenor 318
Lemybrien 239
Clonea-Power 236
Category B
Stradbally 351
Ardmore 349
Villierstown 320
Clashmore 319
Cappoquin 312
Kilmacthomas 298
Ballyduff Upper 285
Cheekpoint 275
Tallow 264
Category C
Lismore 352
Dunmore East 309
Portlaw 286
Category E
Dungarvan 338
Category F
Tramore 335
SOUTH KILKENNY RESULTS
Category A
Tullahought 345
Windgap 292
Listerlin 215
Category B
Inistioge 350
Category C
Glenmore 253
Mooncoin 200
