Westport gets Tidiest Town award

Westport was yesterday named Ireland's Tidiest Town. The Co Mayo town scored 295 points out of a possible 400, beating Aughrim in Co Wicklow by one point for the overall title.

Westport also won its category award for Ireland's Tidiest Large Town, while Aughrim triumphed in its category to become Ireland's Tidiest Small Town.

Other winners included Birdhill in Co Tipperary which was dubbed Ireland's Tidiest Village. Eyre Square in Galway City was awarded the National City Neighbourhoods Award.

A new award for Ireland's Tidiest Large Urban centre was presented to Ennis, Co Clare, while Clones Senior Mixed National School in Co Monaghan received a new schools prize for its "outstanding work on local environment issues in the community".

In winning the overall title Westport defeated more than 700 towns to bring the trophy and a cheque for €15,000 home to the town, which is currently hosting this year's annual "think-in" among members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.

Government sources indicated the confluence of events was purely coincidental.

In their assessment of Westport the judges said the town had developed further since its high showing last year, "galvanising community support and enlisting the support of many agencies".

The judges also congratulated the "meticulous maintenance of streetscape and landscape projects" which continued to raise standards.

The report said the built environment included two churches whose appearance played a major role in the town. Hotels were well presented and new housing and commercial ventures were attracting new life into the area off James's Street.

The Market Lane area was "a fine example of ongoing renewal", while the town boasted many interesting and attractive urban spaces.

The town was also praised for its wildlife and natural amenities. A heritage trail was very impressive as was a walk along the old railway line to the harbour. The restocking of the river Carrowbeg with brown trout was described as "a very positive approach".

The award for Galway's Eyre Square, the National City Neighbourhoods award, is something of a vindication for the controversial makeover of the city's famous square.

The national Tidy Towns Competition has been running since 1958. Originally established and organised by Bord Fáilte, it was taken over by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 11 years ago. SuperValu has been the national sponsor for the last 15 years and to date has invested about €5.5 million.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Batt O'Keeffe said he was delighted that Westport had won and added that changes introduced this year would make the competition more pertinent.

"For instance, the introduction of a new Large Urban Centre Award now better recognises those towns with populations of 25,000 and more, which perhaps considered themselves disadvantaged in the past. A new waste minimisation category has also been introduced".

National award winners

Regional winners
Dublin City & County Skerries, Co Dublin280
Midlands East Aughrim, Co Wicklow 294
North West Glenties, Co Donegal 293
Shannon Birdhill, Co Tipperary 291
South East Lismore, Co Waterford291
South West Killarney, Co Kerry 293
West Westport, Co Mayo 295

Best New Entry Awards
Category A Partry, Co Mayo 230
Category B Clogher, Co Mayo 223
Category C Rathdowney, Co Laois 218
Category D Blessington, Co Wicklow 186
Category G Ballymun, Dublin 11 214
Category H Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 219

Medal Winners

Gold medal award
Category A Birdhill, Co Tipperary 291
Moynalty, Co Meath 290
Newtowncashel, Co Longford 290
Category C Aughrim, Co Wicklow 294
Glenties, Co Donegal 293
Lismore, Co Waterford 291
Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow 286
Category D Clonakilty, Co Cork 286
Kenmare, Co Kerry 285
Category E Westport, Co Mayo 295
Skerries, Co Dublin 280
Category F Killarney, Co Kerry 293
Category G Ennis, Co Clare 288
Letterkenny, Co Donegal 287
Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny 284
Malahide, Co Dublin 276

Silver medal award
Category A Eyeries, Co Cork 289
Rathbarry, Co Cork 287
Keadue, Co Roscommon 285
Category B Stradbally, Co Waterford 288
Tallanstown, Co Louth 287
Knockbridge, Co Louth 286
Category D Kilrush, Co Clare 282
Kinsale, Co Cork 280
Category G Carlow Town, Co Carlow 271
Clonmel, Co Tipperary 268
Category H Dundalk, Co Louth 266

Bronze medal award
Category A Clonegal, Co Carlow 284
Dromod, Co Leitrim 280
Mountshannon, Co Clare 280
Terryglass, Co Tipperary 280
Category B Malin, Co Donegal 283
Castletown, Co Laois 281
Emly, Co Tipperary 280
Category C Adare, Co Limerick 277
Category D Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan 279
Category E Dungarvan, Co Waterford 269
Category G Tralee, Co Kerry 255

SUPERVALU ENDEAVOUR AWARD
Carlow, Hacketstown 213
Cavan, Bailieborough 165
Clare Newmarket-on-Fergus 233
Cork (S), Minane Bridge 196
Cork (W), Dunbeacon 187
Donegal, Donegal Town 235
Dublin (City), Chapelizod 232
Dublin (DR), Sandycove 221
Dublin (Fingal), Sutton 227
Dublin (South), Terenure 239
Galway, Creggs 208
Kerry, Moyvane 240
Kildare, Kildangan 221
Kilkenny, Dungarvan 209
Laois, Spink 206
Leitrim, Mohill 199
Limerick, Ardpatrick 270
Longford, Cullyfad 205
Louth, Drogheda 245
Mayo, Inishbiggle Island 204
Meath, Trim 251
Monaghan, Drum 202
Offaly, Ferbane 227
Roscommon, Lisacul 211
Sligo, Banada-Tourlestrane 202
Tipperary (N), Borrisokane 218
Tipperary (S), Cashel 228
Waterford, Dungarvan 269
Westmeath, Kinnegad 182
Wexford, Hollyfort 204
Wicklow, Newtownmountkennedy 205

BEST BRING BANK AWARD - Dublin City & County: Raheny Village; Midlands East: Newtowncashel, Co Longford; North West: Redhills, Co Cavan; Shannon: Mountcollins, Co Limerick; South East: Ballygarrett, Co Wexford; South West: Millstreet, Co Cork; West: Castlecoote, Co Roscommon; National Award: Millstreet, Co.. Cork

BEST SHOPFRONT AWARD: Dublin City & County: Out of the Blue, Skerries, Co Dublin; Midlands East: Athboy Credit Union, Athboy, Co Meath; North West: McNello & Co, Inniskeen, Co Monaghan; Shannon: Frawley's Pharmacy, Roscrea, Co Tipperary; South East: Fitzgerald's, Wexford Town, Co Wexford; South West: The White Room, Kenmare, Co Kerry; West: Mulrooney's Pharmacy, Mountbellew, Co Galway

National Award: The White Room, Kenmare, Co Kerry

LANDSCAPE AWARD: Dublin City & County: Coultry Park, Ballymun, Dublin; Midlands East: The Marshes Centre, Dundalk, Co Louth; North West Ballymote Town Park, Ballymote, Co Sligo; Shannon: Kilcommon Prayer Garden of Divine Mercy, Kilcommon, Co Tipperary; South East: Landscaping throughout Craanford, Co Wexford; South West: Casadh na Spride, Béal Átha na Ghaorthaoidh, Co Corcaí; West: King House Pleasure Grounds, Boyle, Co Roscommon

National Award: King House Pleasure Grounds, Boyle, Co Roscommon

SCHOOLS AWARDS: Dublin City & County: Portrane Boys' National School, Donabate, Co Dublin; Midlands East: Scoil Brighide Buach, Rochfortbridge, Mullingar, Co Westmeath; North West: Clones Senior Mixed National School, Clones, Co Monaghan; Shannon: Scoil Athain, Lisnagry, Co Limerick; South East: Gowran National School, Gowran, Co Kilkenny; South West: Mercy Convent School, Killarney, Co Kerry; West: Scoil Rath Aradh, Rahara Road, Athleague, Co Roscommon; National Award: Clones Senior Mixed National School, Clones, Co Monaghan

OTHER AWARDS: Urban Village Award: Applewood Village, Swords; Architectural Award: Civic Offices, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo; Promotion of Heritage Award: Pearce Road Cemetery, Sligo Town; Islands Award: Sherkin Island, Co Cork; Éadan Siopa Gaelach: Teach Tábhairne Uí Dhómhnaill, Sponsored by Foras Na Gaeilge Clashmore, Co Waterford; Sustainable Development Award: Carrickmacross Workhouse, Co Monaghan; Wildlife Award: Swan Park Riverside Walk, Buncrana, Co Donegal; Bilingual Award: Clonegal, Co Carlow; Gaeltacht Award:Carrig Airt, Co Dún na nGall; Waterside Award: Wetlands Park, Kiltimagh, Co Mayo

IRELAND'S BEST KEPT TOWNS 2007*: Category A - Birdhill, Co Tipperary. Category B - Tallanstown, Co Louth; Category C - Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow; Category D- Kilrush, Co Clare; Category E- Dungarvan, Co Waterford; Category F - Killarney, Co Kerry; Category G - Letterkenny, Co Donegal; Category H - Dundalk, Co. Louth. * The above towns have been selected to compete in the cross border competition 'Ireland's Best Kept Towns' and take on the winners of Northern Ireland's Best Kept Awards.

ENTENTE FLORALE 2007*: Category A, B, C, & D - Birdhill, Co Tipperary; Category E, F, G & H - Killarney, Co Kerry * The above towns have been selected to compete in the European wide 'Entente Florale' and represent Ireland against the best internationally.

NATIONAL CITY NEIGHBOURHOODS AWARDS* Best Residential Area: Suan, Galway; Best Urban Village: Ballybricken, Waterford; Best City Street: Eyre Square, Galway. National award: Eyre Square, Galwa. *This competition is confined to city areas and run in conjunction with TidyTowns. It has its own set of awards, some of which mirror TidyTowns, and while it may overlap, City Neighbourhoods reaches communities that do not as yet or cannot compete in TidyTowns.

CITY NEIGHBOURHOODS SPECIAL AWARDS
Best Shopfront: Eves Shopfront, Limerick; Best Landscaped Open Space: Bull Island, Dublin; Best Retail Building/Supermarket: Brown Thomas, Cork; Best Old Building: Civic Trust House, Cork; Best Modern Building: Ballymun Pool, Dublin; Best Civic Building: Galway Civic Museum, Galway; Best Local Park: Merrion Square, Dublin; Most Attractive Pedestrianised Area: Clarion Area, Cork; Best Buisiness Park/Industrial Estate: Crossagalla Business Park and Enterprise Centre, Limerick; Best Maintained Restaurant Forecourt: Woodfield House Hotel, Limerick.

Categories: the criteria

Tidiest village = population categories A & B
Tidiest small town = population categories C & D
Tidiest large town = population categories E & F
Tidiest large urban centre = population categories G & H
Population category A = under 200
Population category B = 201 - 1,000
Population category C = 1,001 -2,500
Population category D = 2,501 -5,000
Population category E = 5,001 - 10,000
Population category F = 10,001 - 15,000
Population category G = 15,001 - 25,000
Population category H = 25,001 and over

• To mark this year's competition, THE IRISH TIMES will publish a 48-page magazine on Saturday September 16th, covering the winning towns, the changing nature of the competition and the importance of community spirit and civic pride in our society.