Ennis in Co Clare has claimed the top prize at the 2021 National Tidy Towns Awards.
It also won the tidiest large urban centre award, while Geashill in Co Offaly was named Ireland’s tidiest village, Abbeyleix in Co Laois was crowned Ireland’s tidiest small town and Cobh in Co Cork was named Ireland’s tidiest large town.
847 entries were submitted to the competition from Tidy Towns volunteer groups across the country.
The competition returned this year, after it was cancelled for the first time in 60 years in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a record number of special awards this year, Cobh in Co Cork also won the national prize for the Covid-19 community award, Rush in Co Dublin won the EPA circular economy award and Buncrana in Co Donegal was awarded the All-Ireland national pollinator plan award.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, presented the awards on Friday afternoon at the RDS, and also announced a €1.5 million fund to support the tidy towns groups in the lead up to next year’s competition.
