Kildare village invited to compete in Ireland's Best Kept Towns - sole representative from Co Kildare to participate in national judgings

The small rural community of Ballymore Eustace is truly honoured and delighted to have been selected, the sole Co Kildare participant, to be invited, to compete in Ireland's Best Kept Towns (Small Towns section).

Viewers, this is NOT the national Tidy Towns’ competition. This is an All-Ireland competition, totally separate from the annual Tidy Towns as we know it. And Ballymore Eustace has been invited to compete in what is a very competitive and prestigious judging, where South of Ireland and Northern Ireland communities are in the mix to win Ireland’s Best Kept title!

A huge honour for the local TT groups and the community to be selected to represent the Republic of Ireland in this competition.

I’ve written so many articles across several media outlets in Co Kildare, lauding the work of the same few dedicated volunteers who do amazing work, and they do. That applies to TT volunteers across the county, big towns, villages, rural communities......

In Ballymore Eustace they not only maintain the River Walk, planters, features, and hanging baskets around the town, they keep the village litter free, picking up other people’s doggy-dumps, planning and planting in advance of the next season, prepping environmental reports, Tidy Towns submissions, communicating with Kildare County Council and pushing for road surface and foothpath repairs, addressing flooding issues, communicate re water releases by the ESB and safety for users of the River Liffey, etc, etc.

Throw in regular and massive clean ups on quiet laneways and illegal dumpings areas, liaising with the Community Development Association on the development of the 5k Tourist Walk……… They secured a few volunteers last year, but they really could do with more help, especially in advance of competing for this, Ireland’s Best Kept Town Competition.

I am always in awe of the huge volume of work carried out by TT volunteers across Ireland.

Joe Boland, Director of Services at Kildare County Council said:

“It is indeed a great honour for a town or village in Co Kildare to represent the country (ROI) in this prestigious All-Ireland Tidy Towns/Best Kept Towns Competition. It’s not an opportunity which comes along very often. Certainly, it’s a testament to the exceptional effort which has been made by the Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns Group, particularly in recent years which has seen them secure a very hard earned silver medal.

"For its part, Kildare County Council will continue to give them every support in their efforts. This achievement also reflects well on the Tidy Towns movement generally in the county which has been going from strength to strength.

"All the other groups in the county are also rooting for their Ballymore Eustace colleagues and, indeed, gave them such a warm round of applause at a recent meeting of the county Tidy Towns’ network”.

Mr Boland added: "The various departments in the Council, roads , parks/community and environment hosted a meeting with Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns group last Friday in order to assist them with their plans and with the joint objective of having Ballymore Eustace looking its best for the judging in May!".

Best Kept Awards v Ireland’s Best Kept Towns

Ireland's Best Kept Towns is run by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Ireland's Best Kept Towns award is where the top towns from NI Amenity Council's Best Kept Awards and the Department of the Environment's Tidy Towns Competition (ROI) compete with each other for the honour of being adjudged "Ireland's best".

John Carney, Tidy Towns unit at the Dept of Rural and Community Development confirmed Ballymore Eustace will compete in the Small Towns Category against Bantry, Co Cork; Hillsborough, Co Down and Randalstown, Co Antrrim.

There are a further three towns in Village Category; three in the Large Town Category and four in the large Urban Centres. But Ballymore Eustace is the sole invited Kildare participant this year.

Ballymore Eustace TT is calling on ALL residents living in or outside the village to help in the coming weeks. Please note, there is more emphasis on presentation of buildings and streetscapes than there is put into flowers and plants in this national competition. Tidiness and presentation is the key!

Anyone wanting to help, please contact Ben on [email protected], or Tommy on [email protected], or Eric on [email protected] Best wishes and congratulations were extended to Ballymore Eustace from Cllrs Carmel Kelly and Cllr Anne Breen, Naas MD.

Tomorrow, Saturday 30, at 12 noon, Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns and Fishing Club will be hosting a local Biodiversity Walk along the banks of the River Liffey. The event is FREE, do come along and discover the rich fauna and wildlife that lives along the river. All welcome.