THE 2009 Kilrush Tidy Towns Awards were presented at Looney’s Bar in John Street recently.
Awards were presented to home and garden owners, local business people and for floral displays in the town.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Kilrush Tidy Towns Committee chairman, Murt Collins said plans are being drawn up to ensure that Kilrush moves up the national tidy towns ladder.
The town has won three gold medals in the national tidy towns awards and finished just seven points behind Emly, the 2009 winners.
“We are commissioning a new tidy towns plan, which will be available in early 2010. We are working closely with the Heritage Council, the schools and a variety of other agencies and we are going to have several projects completed next year,” Mr Collins explained.
“We need a 100% commitment from everyone involved; the statutory agencies, the community and above all from the Tidy Towns Committee itself. You will be seeing a lot more of tidy towns people on the streets over the next few years,” Mr Collins predicted.
The committee chairman also appealed to local people to come on board and help out in the quest to win the national title.
“We don’t want just gardeners. Can you send emails, do out posters, organise a meeting, have a knowledge of birds or plant trees? Whatever skills you have will be invaluable to us. If you have the time and want to do something for your town, we will be only too delighted to have you as part of our team,” Mr Collins stressed.
The following were the winners of the respective awards:
Town house awards
Gerry Downes, The Glen
Mary Fortune, Fahy’s Road
Dr Tom and Kathleen Nolan, Toler Street
Connie, Maurice and Dinny Prendeville, Moore Street
Blunnie family, Burton Street
Jack and Geraldine Kelly, Vandeleur Street
Michael and Carmel Mahony, Pound Street.
House and garden awards
Kevin and Rebecca Clancy, Fahy’s Road
Ann King, Chapel Drive
Stephen O ‘Gorman, John Paul Estate
Paddy and Biddy Cleary, Monvana
Gerry and Helena Duffy, Shannon Heights
Tommy and Mary Scully, Chapel Drive.
Shop fronts
Potters Hand: Aishling Hamilton, Vandeleur Street
Kitty’s Fashions: Brenda McNamara, The Square
Embellish: Madeline Vaughan, The Square.
Floral displays
Martin Hedderman, Fahy’s Road
Olive and Flan Breen, Chapel Drive.
Special merit award
Bridin Griffin, Pound Street
Peter Marrinan, St Patrick’s Terrace.
Large building award
St Senan’s Church, Fr Michael Sheedy, Toler Street.
Angela Ryan Trophy (for overall best garden)
Teresa Lernihan, Cappa Cove.