Town in Donegal scoops ‘Best Kept Large Town' at national competition - ‘A proud day for Buncrana'
Comber, Co Down and Rush, Co Dublin were also in the Best Kept Large Town category.
Naas, County Kildare was announced as the overall winner of the competition also scooping the prize for Best Kept Large Urban Centre category.
Ireland's Best Kept Town is an all-island competition in which some of the best towns in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition compete against their counterparts in Northern Ireland's Best Kept competition.
Donegal Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue congratulated the town's volunteers on the impressive win.
"Congratulations to Buncrana which has been named Ireland's Best Kept Large Town.
'Great credit goes to Buncrana Tidy Towns and all involved in the local community who work so hard to keep the Inishowen's biggest town looking so well at all times of the year.
'In 2024, Buncrana was crowned Donegal's tidiest town for the third successive year.'
Local Councillor Joy Beard said it is a proud day for Buncrana.
"Buncrana has been officially named the Best Kept Large Town in Ireland at the national awards ceremony in Dublin earlier today.
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'This award recognises the incredible dedication, teamwork, and community pride that makes our town shine – from local volunteers and tidy towns groups, to council workers, schools, businesses, and every resident who helps keep Buncrana clean, green, and welcoming,' said Cllr Beard.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, also congratulated the winners of 2025 Competition.
"I want to pay tribute to all the winners today in the Ireland's Best Kept Town competition, and Naas, Co Kildare for winning the overall title along with the title of Best Kept Large Urban Centre and Buncrana, Co Donegal, the winners of the Best Kept Large Town category.
'I also want to congratulate Donaghmore, Co Tyrone the winner of Ireland's Best Kept Village category and Royal Hillsborough, Co Down the winner of Ireland's Best Kept Small Town category.
'Now in its 30th year, Ireland's Best Kept Town Competition recognises the great pride people have in their own communities, both in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
"Investment in our communities through this wonderful competition reaps long-term rewards for all, as showcased by the winning groups here today. It is testament to how local volunteers take ownership of their local area and work to improve them, for now and into the future,' said Minister Calleary.
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Irish Times
19-07-2025
- Irish Times
Grown-up Gaeltacht: ‘The week I spent in Ring - the people I met, the culture - was the best thing I could have done'
Leah Foley had returned from a year in Canada , and was emerging from a significant break-up, when she decided it was time to 'revamp' her life. A second-level music teacher by training, the Co Clare woman found work in administration after graduating from college during the pandemic. Teaching jobs 'didn't exist then', she recalls. After several years in admin, she went to Canada. 'And then I came home to Lahinch and fell back in love with the place. My training was for post-primary but I always loved working with younger kids so I decided to do a master's in primary teaching.' To become a primary teacher, Foley needed to re-sit her Leaving Cert Irish exam. She spent nine months studying the language before taking the exam in June. However, before all this, and following the advice of her grandmother, she spent a week at the Coláiste na Rinne adult Irish language course in Co Waterford . 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'We want to help people learn the language but they're helping us as well. People always focus on the economic, and that's great, but more importantly it strengthens the language. The Irish language has survived here but it's still under pressure and people coming here creates a strong incentive to speak Irish.' 'There has been a lot of talk of an explosion of interest in Irish in recent years because of popular culture but I think it's been a long time coming. There's been a general shift in attitudes and then you have the changes in recent decades like Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4 and the Cailín Ciúin effect, with Irish language projects succeeding on the world stage. I think Covid also changed people's relationship to this country. A lot of the baggage has been removed.' 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Irish Examiner
28-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
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Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Irish Independent
Frustration at increase in littering in Enniscorthy in lead-up to Tidy Towns competition
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