Ballinahown remains untouchable in the Tidy Towns competition, having picked up the top mark in Westmeath once again.
The south Westmeath village earned a total of 311 points out of a possible 450 - a mere nine points behind this year’s overall national winner, Kilkenny City.
The adjudicators particularly praised Ballinahown’s streetscape with its beautiful lampstands and street furniture, freshly painted buildings, and attractive craft centre. They were also impressed with the village’s Wilderness Walk and biodiversity programmes to increase awareness of the importance of wildlife.
Tyrrellspass was the runner-up in Westmeath, earning 288 points. The committee there was complimented on the overall appearance of a “garden village”, several attractive shopfronts, and the “magnificent” village green. Local schoolchildren were also congratulated on their achievement of a third Green Flag under the Green Schools Initiative.
Glasson received the next highest number of points, at 282. The “neatly presented” buildings were admired by the adjudicators, as were the village’s signature rose displays.
Athlone was the county’s tidiest town in the large town category, with 275 points to Mullingar’s 263. The adjudicators noted improvements in the appearance of derelict buildings on Connaught Street and Pearse Street, as well as attractive street furniture and shopfronts and well managed green areas.
Congratulations were also extended to the local national and secondary schools which were awarded Green Flag status, and to the residents associations involved in litter picking and maintenance of residential areas.
