Athlone Tidy Towns committee has announce the results of the estate and gardens awards for 2021.
This occasion in the Athlone Tidy Towns calendar is a social event, but due to Covid-19 restrictions, the formal hosting of an awards ceremony could not take place.
However, the appointed independent adjudicators inspected all the entrants for this year’s competition noting that the maintenance and cleanliness standard of the relevant estates and gardens was exceptional, and congratulated all the entrants for their endeavours.
The awards, which have been sponsored in part by Athlone-Moate Municipal District and the Athlone Tidy Towns committee, will be issued to the following winners in the form of vouchers for the local garden centres.
Small Gardens
1st - Joseph and Ann Duke, Clonbrusk
2nd - Maura Burke, 1 Willow Green
3rd - Peggy Kelly, 14 Willow Drive
The following also were commended on their garden entry:
Jason Dowling, Meadowbrook, Anne Marie Devery, Cypress Gardens and Rachel Burke, Willow Drive.
Medium Gardens
1st - Marlyn O Rourke 19 Auburn Heights
2nd - Michael Scanlon, 1 Garrycastle
3rd - Anthony Lennon, 12 Garrycastle
The following were also commended on their garden entry:
Ned Dowling Ashfield Altown, George and Mary Ledwith, Moydrum
Large Gardens
1st - Margie Stankard, Cartrontroy
2nd - David Costello, Creggan,
3rd - Violet English , Cartrontroy
The following also were commended on their garden entry:
Kathleen O Connor, Garrycastle and Sean Maloney, Garrrycastle
Best Garden for Bio-Diversity
Brian Curley, 101 Meadowbrook
Medium Estates
1st - Church Hills
2nd - Cartron Drive
The following were commended for their estate entry:
St Josephs Villas, Talbot Avenue and Highfield Court/Arcadia Crescent.
Beechpark was highly commended by the Tidy Towns committee for the care of their very large green area.
Large Estate
1st - Woodville
2nd - Hillcourt
3rd - Garrycastle/Altown
The following were also commended on their estate entry:
Cypress Gardens and Oakdale Baylough
Best Estate for Biodiversity was awarded to Hillcourt
“Once again, our committee has come through a difficult year due to the Covid-19 restrictions and thankfully through the great efforts of the many hardworking residents associations in both sides of Athlone, it helped us achieve the Gold Medal standard in the National Tidy Towns competition.
“In addition to the National Tidy Towns Competition, where we are aiming to maintain the Gold Medal award, the Tidy Towns committee is planning an extensive programme in the coming year. We will also be an entrant for the All-Ireland Best Kept Large Town competition in summer 2022 and all the above garden and estate entrants will play a part in presenting Athlone in good light and help the town to do well in these national competitions,” Mr Gerry Johnson, Athlone Tidy Towns chairperson,
