Litter-free town hailed an an amazing achievement

The Killarney Looking Good/Tidy Towns Committee celebrating Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town Award in the national Tidy Towns Competition, front from left, Michael Gleeson, Kathleen Foley, Mayor of Killarney Cllr Brendan Cronin and Juliette Kelly with, at back from left, Angela McAllen, Matthew Farrell, John O’Mahony, John Ahern, Susan Murphy, Pádraig Treacy, Johnny McGuire, Cllr Niall Kelleher, Margaret Pigott and Donal Mangan.
Picture: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan

The magnificent work undertaken, week after week, by Killarney Municipal District Council’s outdoor crew was lauded when the striking sterling silver award received for being Ireland’s tidiest large town was unveiled for the first time to a delighted local audience.

It sparked a real celebratory mood at the presentation of prizes for this year’s Killarney Looking Good Awards which attracted a big turnout at the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Monday night.

Tidy Towns Committee Chairman, Michael Gleeson, Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin, and Municipal District Manager, Angela McAllen, praised the enormous contribution of supervisor Noel O’Leary and his outdoor crew who work tirelessly to keep Killarney looking its best all year round with great support from the management and elected representatives.

Saying it with flowers: Killarney Tidy Towns Committee Chairman, Michael Gleeson, congratulates Killarney Looking Good Competition stalwart Kathleen Foley on Killarney’s magnificent achievement.
Picture: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan

The Tidy Towns volunteers who embark on weekly clean-up duties during the course of the year and the Meitheal crew who tend to crucial projects in and around the national park were also thanked and congratulated for their enthusiasm and passion to present Killarney and its surrounds in the best possible light.

Killarney not only won the Ireland’s tidiest large town award this year but it also scooped the regional award for the south west, the county award for Kerry and a gold medal for excellence and the Tidy Towns adjudicators revealed that it was just one point behind overall winner Abbeyleix in Co Laois.

Michael Gleeson told the audience at the Killarney Looking Good Awards that the Tidy Towns judge cycled around the town for the crucial second round adjudication and the impression left was more than favourable.

Killarnry, you’re looking good – very good – for 2023

“The town was effectively litter-free on adjudication day, an amazing achievement given the footfall on any given day. Well done everyone,” the Tidy Towns report stated.

This year marked the return of the Killarney Looking Good Competition for the first time since the pandemic and it featured a new focus, new categories, new criteria and new sponsors – MD O’Shea & Sons and O’Mahony Media.

Over €5,000 in prizes was handed out at Monday night’s reception and delighted category winners, highly commended recipients and special award winners also received framed certificates to mark their achievements.

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