Glaslough, Co. Monaghan was today (30th September) named as Ireland’s Tidiest Town for 2019. The SuperValu TidyTowns competition is now entering its seventh decade and Glaslough was judged to be the best from a record number of 918 entries to the competition this year. The announcement was greeted with great celebration and excitement at today’s awards ceremony at The Helix in Dublin.
On hand to present the prizes were Mr. Michael Ring, T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development and Mr. Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu, the competition’s sponsor for the 28th year. The Helix was packed with representatives of TidyTowns groups from all over the country, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.
Speaking after the awards ceremony, Minister Ring said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Glaslough who are very deserving winners. Glaslough, who first entered the SuperValu TidyTowns competition in 1966, have great passion and pride in their community. They have been consistently achieving high standards in the competition at local, regional and European level. Today, all that commitment and dedication has paid off with the top prize being awarded to them. This is the second time that Glaslough has been awarded Ireland’s Tidiest Town, which is a remarkable achievement and shows that the commitment and enthusiasm of the TidyTowns committees continues to remain strong.
I want to congratulate Glaslough and all of the other deserving prize-winners announced today. The work of all those involved in the TidyTowns effort results in the attractive and welcoming towns and villages we see all over the country, and from which we all benefit. It is this passion and pride that has made our towns and villages not only attractive and welcoming for visitors, but have created a ‘sense of place’ for those who live, work and raise families there. That is why this competition has continued to flourish for more than 60 years.
Minister Ring also announced a special allocation of €1.4 million 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 third year in a row that Minister Ring has allocated this funding to support the work of the TidyTowns Committees.
The Minister said: “I am delighted to be able to announce that I am making available €1.4 million in order to directly support the TidyTowns committees who work so tirelessly to bring out the best in their towns and villages. All of the towns and villages involved in the competition across the country should benefit from this investment. Wherever you have active Tidy Towns committees, it gives the town a real sense of pride and engagement, and creates a great atmosphere for both residents and visitors alike.”
The Minister also thanked SuperValu, the competition’s sponsor. He said: “I want to pay tribute to SuperValu, who are now in their 28th year as sponsor and who continue to work with us to grow the competition. It is getting stronger every year with increased participation, an increased number of awards and a notable increase in the efforts of the communities involved.
SuperValu have shown fantastic support for the competition, not only through their financial sponsorship but also through the support provided to local TidyTowns groups by their network of local retailers.”
