Cavan Town wins Tidy Town's County Award

Ennis in Co. Clare selected as winner of Ireland’s Tidiest Town for 2021

Cavan Town has been named as the tidiest town in the county, scooping the overall County Award at this year's SuperValu TidyTowns competition.

Cavan Town won the county award with 336 points, and receiving a prize worth €1,000.

Redhills (327 points) was meanwhile was Highly Commended, receiving €800; and Loch Gowna (315) was commended, with a prize of €500.

Minister Heather Humphreys announced the winners, with Ennis in Co. Clare selected as winner of Ireland’s Tidiest Town for 2021.

Glaslough in neighbouring Co Monaghan was named as the inaugural winner of the Young Persons in TidyTowns Award.

The announcements were made at a scaled-back event held in the RDS today with a small number of representatives present from this year’s entries to the Competition.

The event was streamed live to thousands of TidyTowns volunteers around the country who were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.

The SuperValu TidyTowns competition has been in existence since 1958 and Ennis, was judged to be the best from a number of 847 entries to the competition this year.

The announcement was greeted with much celebration and excitement at today’s awards ceremony at The RDS in Dublin.

On hand to announce the results of the 2021 competition with Minister Humphreys, T.D., was Mr. Ray Kelly, Marketing Director of SuperValu, the competition’s sponsor for the 30th year.

Speaking after the awards ceremony, Minister Humphreys said: “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.”

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 said: “The sense of belonging and pride of place that is achieved by being part of a TidyTowns group creates a wonderful welcoming atmosphere for both residents and visitors alike.

“Given the challenges faced by TidyTowns groups during the pandemic and the way in which they moved to an online entry process, I am delighted to be able to announce that I have secured funding of €1.5 million to directly support the TidyTowns committees who, through their efforts, bring out the best in their towns and villages.

“In total, 1,022 TidyTowns groups across the country will be eligible to benefit from this investment.”