Tidy Towns (Ireland)

Summary

Tidy Towns (Irish: Bailte Slachtmhara) is an annual competition, first held in 1958, organised by the Department of Rural and Community Development in order to honour the tidiest and most attractive cities, towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland.[1] The competition is organised on a national basis, and entrants must complete modules including Overall Developmental Approach (5 Year Plan), The Built Environment, Landscaping, Wildlife & Natural Amenities, Litter Control, Tidiness, Waste Minimisation, Residential Areas, Roads and Streets & Back Areas.

Tidy Towns logo

The Competition is judged during the summer months (May to August) by an independent adjudicator, who issues each town with a written report complimenting positive development and actions and providing positive suggestions on how the community can improve their general surroundings.

This competition covers many aspects of environment and prizes are awarded to winners of all areas. Other than that, there's an overall winner which is named as "Ireland's Tidiest Town" which is announced at the end of competition every September.[2]

The 2020 competition was cancelled by Minister Michael Ring due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland for the first time in its history.[3]

Winners edit

 
Tidy Towns monument in Westport
 
Moynalty won Gold Medal in 2006. It would go on to win the 2013 Tidy Towns competition.
 
Sign commemorating Adare's 1976 victory.
 
Sign in Lismore, commemorating the 2004 win.
 
Glenties (Na Gleannta), County Donegal, the only town to win the overall award on five occasions.
Year Overall Winner Village Small Town Large Town Large Urban Centre
1958[4] Glenties Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded Not awarded
1959 Glenties (2)
1960 Glenties (3)
1961 Rathvilly
1962 Glenties (4)
1963 Rathvilly (2)
1964 Virginia, County Cavan
1965 Virginia, County Cavan (2)
1966 Ballyjamesduff
1967 Ballyjamesduff (2)
1968 Rathvilly (3)
1969 Tyrrellspass
1970 Malin
1971 Ballyconnell
1972 Trim
1973 Kiltegan
1974 Ballyconnell (2) & Trim (2)
1975 Kilsheelan
1976 Adare
1977 Multyfarnham
1978 Glaslough
1979 Kilsheelan (2)
1980 Newtowncashel
1981 Mountshannon
1982 Dunmanway
1983 Terryglass
1984 Trim Here are Ireland’s newly-crowned Tidy Towns (irishcentral.com)
1985 Kilkenny
1986 Kinsale
1987 Sneem
1988 Carlingford
1989 Ardagh, County Longford
1990 Malahide
1991 Malin (2)
1992 Ardmore, County Waterford
1993 Keadue
1994 Galbally, County Limerick
1995 Glenties (5)
1996 Ardagh, County Longford (2)
1997 Terryglass (2)
1998 Ardagh, County Longford (3)
1999 Clonakilty
2000 Kenmare
2001 Westport
2002 Castletown, County Laois Castletown, County Laois Lismore, County Waterford Ennis
2003 Keadue (2) Keadue Kenmare Westport
2004 Lismore, County Waterford Moynalty Lismore, County Waterford Westport
2005 Ennis Moynalty Lismore, County Waterford Ennis
2006 Westport (2) Birdhill Aughrim, County Wicklow Westport Ennis
2007 Aughrim, County Wicklow Birdhill Aughrim, County Wicklow Killarney Letterkenny
2008 Westport (3) Birdhill Kenmare Westport Ennis
2009 Emly Emly Aughrim, County Wicklow Westport Ennis
2010 Tallanstown Tallanstown Lismore, County Waterford Killarney Kilkenny
2011 Killarney Emly Lismore, County Waterford Killarney Kilkenny
2012[5] Abbeyshrule Abbeyshrule Clonakilty Westport Ennis
2013[6] Moynalty Moynalty Kenmare Killarney Ennis
2014 Kilkenny (2) Clonegal Kilrush Westport Kilkenny
2015 Letterkenny Clonegal Listowel Westport Letterkenny
2016[7] Skerries Birdhill Listowel Skerries Ennis
2017[8] Birdhill Birdhill Clonakilty Westport Ennis
2018[9] Listowel Glaslough Listowel Westport Ballincollig
2019[10] Glaslough (2) Glaslough Blackrock, County Louth Westport Ennis
2020[11] Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
2021[12] Ennis (2) Geashill Abbeyleix Cobh Ennis
2022[13] Trim (4) Rosscarbery Clonakilty Trim Ennis
2023[14] Abbeyleix Geashill Abbeyleix Killarney Ballincollig

Summary map edit

References edit

  1. ^ Towns, Ballincollig Tidy (26 October 2020). "TIDY TOWNS - HOW IT ALL BEGAN - Ballincollig Tidy Towns %". Ballincollig Tidy Towns. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Ireland's Tidiest Town Winner".
  3. ^ "Minister Ring confirms cancellation of 2020 TidyTowns". gov.ie. Department of Rural and Community Development. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Winner's list". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  5. ^ Hogan, Treacy (10 September 2012). "Co Longford's Abbeyshrule claims Tidy Town award for 2012". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  6. ^ "Town tidiest thanks to 6am sweeps". Irish Independent. 9 September 2013.
  7. ^ "2016 Tidy Town Winners". 26 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Revealed: These are Ireland's tidiest towns for 2017". Irish Independent. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  9. ^ "Listowel wins Tidy Towns top award for 2018". Irish Examiner. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Glaslough is the Ireland's Tidiest town for 2019". Retrieved 26 November 2019..
  11. ^ Lehane, Mícheál (21 April 2020). "Tidy Towns will not take place this summer". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  12. ^ Kane, Conor (12 November 2021). "Ennis in Co Clare named Ireland's tidiest town". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Here are Ireland's newly-crowned Tidy Towns". IrishCentral.com. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  14. ^ Fletcher, Laura (6 October 2023). "Abbeyleix named Ireland's Tidiest Town for 2023". RTÉ News.

External links edit

  • Tidy Towns website
  • The Tidy Towns of Ireland "Celebrating 50 years"
  • Donnybrook Tidy Towns Website