Gold Medal Award For Kilrush For Second Year Running

The prestigious award was announced by Mr. John Gormley, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government at an awards ceremony in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin. The competition this year celebrated its 50th Anniversary.

This year’s overall winner Westport, Co Mayo achieved 303 marks. Kilrush scored 290 marks, an increase of 7 marks on last year’s result, to beat off competition from all over Ireland and claim the accolade. Kilrush was awarded a Bronze Medal in Category D of the Tidy Towns Competition in 2003 and 2004 while it received a Silver Medal in the same category in 2005 and 2006.

"Retaining the gold medal is a massive achievement for everybody involved", stated Cllr Liam O’Looney, Mayor of Kilrush.

He added that the award marks the culmination of months of hard work by local volunteers and members of the Kilrush Tidy Town’s Committee to improve the appearance of Kilrush.

Mayor O’Looney continued, "I would like to particularly acknowledge Kilrush Tidy Towns Committee and the FAS participants who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to improve the appearance of Kilrush. The volunteers have toiled throughout the summer in various public areas to create and maintain flowerbeds, keep streets tidy cut grass and pick up litter. This award further enhances the status of Kilrush as a growing and prosperous town."

According to Murt Collins, Chairperson of the Kilrush Tidy Towns Committee, "Key to our progress in the Tidy Towns scheme has been the partnership approach that we adopted some years ago. There is a broad range of groups and organisations now involved in promoting and enhancing the appearance of the town including the local Tidy Towns Committee, FAS schemes, outdoor and clerical staff from Kilrush Town Council, the local business sector, and the community of Kilrush."

Mr. John Corry, Kilrush Town Clerk explained that taking part in the Tidy Towns Competition has impacted positively on the appearance of the town.

"In recent years, Kilrush has been scoring consistently high in the areas of Overall Developmental Approach, The Built Environment, Landscaping, Wildlife and Natural Amenities, Litter Control, Tidiness, Residential Areas and General Impression. This improved appearance has been observed and commented upon by the many thousands of visitors to the town each year. This can only have positive consequences for the town’s image and future growth", he explained.

The Tidy Towns competition is a national competition organised by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The competition involves participating towns being rated on all aspects of their local environment. The Tidy Towns competition has now been running in Ireland for 50 years and each year attracts more than 700 local communities.

-ENDS-

Mark Dunphy
Dunphy Public Relations
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