PrintTidy Towns
On the 10th September 2007, Kilrush was awarded its first ever Gold Medal in Category D of the annual National Tidy Towns Competition. The prestigious award was announced by Mr. John Gormley, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government at a ceremony in Dublin Castle.
Kilrush scored 290 points, an increase of eight points on the 2006 result, to beat off competition from all over Ireland and claim the accolade. The Committee achieved 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.
Winning this gold medal is a massive achievement for Kilrush and a large amount of hard work has been put in by local volunteers, members of the Kilrush Tidy Town's Committee and the staff of Kilrush Town Council to improve the appearance of town.
Key to the success of Kilrush in the Tidy Towns scheme is the partnership approach that was 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, staff from Kilrush Town Council, the local Chamber of Commerce and the community of Kilrush.
Kilrush scored 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. The aim for the next year is not only to retain the Gold Medal but also to win Category D outright. This is a highly achievable goal if everyone does his or her part.
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 been running in Ireland for over 50 years and each year attracts more than 700 local communities.