2017 National Tidy Towns Winners Announced
The 2017 National Tidy Towns winners announced yesterday at the awards ceremony in Dublin. The awards ceremony was held in the Helix Theatre in DCU and was recorded by RTE. The Awards ceremony was broadcast last night on Nationwide on RTE 1 at 7pm. Interest in the National Tidy Towns has been growing year on year. Last year there were 862 entries into the competition, which is now in its 59th year this year.
Overall Winner : Birdhill Co. Tipperary
Tidiest Large Urban Centre : Ennis Co Clear
Tidiest Large Town : Westport Co Mayo
Tidiest Small Town : Clonakilty Co Cork
Tidiest Village : Birdhill Co Tipperary
Swinford have been awarded 269 points, which is a massive increase of 11 points in this years competition. Swinford achieved 258 marks in last years competition. The tidy towns committee are delighted with this years result & report, as we’re sure you are too. Huge thanks to everyone that has helped out throughout the year. Great credit has to go to everyone in the Swinford community. There has been so much work done over the last few years. Every little bit helps, no matter how small, it really does make a huge difference. We are getting so many positive comments back from tourists and people who have been away from Swinford, that notice a huge improvement in the appearance of the town!
Not everybody has computer access so we would ask that you please share these results. You can also download a printer friendly version at the bottom of this page. We would ask all business’s to please display the results on your premises, thank you.
Adjudication Report
Community Involvement & Planning / Rannpháirtíocht an Phobail & Pleanáil:
Swinford is welcomed to the SuperValu Tidy town’s competition for 2017. Thank you for your application, copy of
your five year plan and supporting documentation. You committee of ten members and two junior members meet
regularly and have good support from volunteers who help out regularly. The Tidy Towns committee have a good
working relationship with the wider community and businesses who are welcome to attend meetings and offer
suggestions and help on activities being undertaken. You engage with relevant agencies and businesses who
offer support and assistance in the developing and enhancement of the town. Communication to the wider
community is through social media and through news reports. Well done to the schools on their achievements in
the Green School Initiative. Many projects have been supported by the schools and it is good to note that there is a
good working relationship with all members of the community. Your participation in the competition is important to
the Tidy Towns unit and it is positive to note since joining it has contributed to the overall enhancement of the town
and has created a greater sense of pride in the community. The five year plan you are working with and the
contribution of the Tidy Towns committee and the wider community will help to develop and enhance the town
further.
Built Environment and Streetscape / An Timpeallacht Thógtha agus Sráid-dreacha:
Good work has been completed in the town on various projects from footpaths to signage and the restoration of old
graveyards. The closure of Swinford Court house, part of the heritage of the town is a loss but it is good that the
County Council have taken the building over on behalf of the community and will be used for different activities in
the community. The Cultural Centre is impressive and has helped to maintain another part of the town’s heritage.
The Church stands supreme in an elevated site overlooking the town and is also unique with its famous windows,
and more famous with the Stations of the Cross by the same maker Harry Clarke. The well maintained grounds and
landscaping at the entrance were admired. The Garda station and secondary school were also admired. The VTOS
building could do with freshening and the enrolment sign could be more attractive. Swinford district hospital and the
willows enhanced this area of town. The handball area car park and colourful wall brightens up this busy area of
town. KIlconduff graveyard and the works completed to the road and footpath, has made this road more accessible
especially for walkers and also enhanced the graveyard. Phase one of walk connecting the heritage sites of the
town was also noted. This will not only provide a nice walking amenity but will also create an awareness of the
heritage sites of the town which should be displayed on a heritage information board for the community and visitors
to the town.
Landscaping and Open Spaces / Tírdhreachú agus Spásanna Oscailte:
The Dublin road entrance has excellent landscaping. The landscaping at the Church was also admired. Planting of native trees and hedging is encouraged and the monitoring of newly planted trees, checking stakes and ties until
they are established is important. Placing of planters on grass is not recommended. The planting at the ESB
station wall was bright and colourful.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities / Fiadhúlra, Gnáthóga agus Taitneamhachtaí Nádúrtha:
The planting of wildflowers is commended. The cleaning of the stream is also admired and an awareness and
appreciation of the wildlife of the area is encouraged by hosting walks with a wildlife expert. The swift project is also
appreciated and a survey of swift in the town is included in your five year plan which will be welcomed. Brabazon
wood is another fine amenity for the community. Well done to the scouts for their help in making and erecting bird
boxes. These boxes need to be monitored and their usage recorded, likewise the bat boxes need to be monitored.
Next year the results of these recordings should be included with your application. Many groups erect these boxes
and are not aware what species use them or if they are used at all. The treatment of Japanese knotweed is ongoing.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management / Bainistiú Acmhainní agus Dramhaíola Inbhuanaithe:
Good work has been achieved in this category. Groups get it hard to come to terms with the real meaning here that
it is reducing the amount of waste being produced by the community in the first place. This you are doing and
monitoring its success with the “Green your festival “ programme which is aimed at reducing the amount of waste
going to landfill. Recycling is good and this is also being well used. Tesco project of leftover fresh food, each day
given to charities is also a fantastic project on reducing food waste. Well done on the work you have done and the
results you are achieving.
Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair:
You certainly create awareness among the wider community with your participation in all the various litter actions.
You have the schools on board and the community to take part in national spring clean day, County Litter leagues
and regular picks and the results of all this hard work are visible in the town. Well done. Mutt-mitt campaign is also
being adhered to and is working well. The bottle banks visited were clean and tidy at Tesco and Corrib Oil. The
streetscape looks tidy as a result of no overhead wires blocking the skyline.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta:
Playgrounds are an important amenity for the children and parents to enjoy so their maintenance is important. The
residents associations are a good support to the Tidy Towns on maintaining their estates. Estates visited included
Rath Dubh which had nice landscaping at the entrance but the manholes on the road are dreadful for residents
using these roads on a daily basis. Other estates visited have good landscaping at entrances and splendid green
areas. The residents are commended for the presentation of their homes. Houses along the streetscape and along
approach roads were all good, with neat gardens and colourful floral displays brightening their facades.
Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí:
The adjudicator entered Swinford from the Dublin road entrance and was pleased on the superb presentation of
neat verges, a corridor of uncut grass for wildlife, wildflower planting and entrance signs nicely landscaped. This
gave a very good first impression on entering the town and the remaining entrance roads did not disappoint. The
footpath at Davitt place was noted and plans are in place for other footpaths needing repair to be included in the
councils plan. The murals help to brighten walls along the streetscape. Encroaching foliage should be cut back from
all signage.
Concluding Remarks:
Swinford is a town with a good plan for the future. You have done good work over all the categories for this year
and you are wished well in the future.
Printer Friendly Download
- First Choice Credit Union Sponsorship 2024 - November 6, 2024
- National Tidy Towns Awards 2024 - November 1, 2024
- Tesco Community Fund 2024 - June 12, 2024
Congratulations!!!!! Well done, improvement in every category!!!! The hard work done by all is evident and the town looks great! A special thank you for the work on the hilltop of the Kilconduff Cemetery where we have an ancestor, much appreciated!!