While Abbeyleix was named Ireland’s Tidiest Town for 2023, it was Dalkey in Category E who took first place in Dublin – and the group secured €1,000 as a Best Newcomer Award.
There was fierce competition in the markings, especially among the picturesque coastal towns but it was Dalkey who finished in first place with 374 points and a prized gold medal. Skerries finished in second place for the county with a silver, and Malahide finishing in third place for the county with a gold medal in Category G.
Raheny with 360 points secured a silver medal behind Dalkey in their category and ahead of Lucan on 354 points with a bronze award. Raheny was also awarded two bursaries of 1,000 each, as a national winner and as Large Town Regional Winner.
In Category C, Foxrock with 348 was slightly ahead of Ballyboughal on 345 ahead of Woodstown Village, Portrane, Tallaght and Galloping Green . In Category D, Donnybrook came out on top with 331 points, with Newcastle Lyons next on 324 and Finglas on 321, ahead of popular tourist spot, Temple Bar, followed by Rathcoole, Goatstown, Tymon North, Saggart and Clonsilla on 200 points. No medal standards were awarded in Categories B, C and D.
Shankhill achieved a gold medal and Ballymun were thrilled to be awarded a silver medal, as was Swords and Drimnagh which achieved an Endeavour Award. In Fingal, all towns increased their marks impressively so bualadh bos to all.
Baldoyle Tidy Towns were awarded €2,250 in receipt of a Village and Small Town category winner; €2,000 was awarded to Rush TTs in the Large Town and Urban Centre, with Balbriggan securing a Highly Recommended Certificate for Young People in Tidy Towns and €1,000, along with €500 for a Youth Award!
Tidy Towns volunteers are the lifeblood of so many communities, across urban, rural, coastal, small villages and large towns. Their work now is far more than litter picking, it involves landscaping and feature maintenance, beach cleans, biodiversity and sustainability projects and reports, funding application, community amenities, etc.
Many of the national awards went across the country: Geashill in Co Offaly was named Ireland’s Tidiest Village, Killarney was named as Ireland’s tidiest large town, with Cork named Ireland’s tidiest large urban centre. With Abbeyleix in Laois beating off competition from 886 other towns and villages to claim the title, which was announced at a ceremony in Croke Park in Dublin.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD presented the main winners last week and stated: “I offer my warmest congratulations to Abbeyleix and all of its TidyTowns volunteers for being crowned Ireland’s tidiest town for 2023.” She further thanked and acknowledged the huge contribution that thousands of TT volunteers make in Dublin and across the country.
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