Buncrana wins Tidy Towns county award for second year running

Buncrana has been named Donegal's tidiest town for the second year in a row.

Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative was awarded 369 points at the SuperValu Tidy Towns awards and pipped Letterkenny by a point to the county first award with Carraig Airt coming third. 

Carraig Airt was highly commended in the Gaeltacht awards while Ballyshannon came third in the Town Centre First Award, a new award that recognises efforts to address vacancy and dereliction.

Buncrana was named Large Town Regional Winners for the North West and West In The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan Awards and also received a gold medal along with Letterkenny. Carraig Airt, Malin, Glenties, Raphoe and Moville all received bronze medals and Muff received an endeavour award.

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A gold, silver or bronze medal is awarded to entrants with a score falling within a specified range of marks of the overall winner of the competition, which this year was Abbeyleix in Co Laois with 376 points.

In a social media post, Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative thanked all who helped, encouraged, gave donations and volunteered as well as  “those that came out with us and those that worked away quietly on their own” and “all our citizens who look after their streets, housing estates, patch”.

Thanks were also offered to local businesses and schools for their efforts.

“We are extremely proud of our town and all who reside in it. What a fantastic community we are.”

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD announced the awards at a ceremony at Croke Park in Dublin on Friday along with Ian Allen, managing director of SuperValu.

“As always, the standard of competition was extremely high this year in all categories, with 887 entries received overall,” she said.

“I want to pay tribute to all the winners today across all the various categories.  In particular, I want to recognise the vital role of Tidy Towns volunteers across the country who are working so hard all year round to ensure our communities are vibrant, sustainable places to live, work and visit. You are truly an inspiration, and the embodiment of everything that is good in our communities.”