Birdhill scoops overall prize in Council's Environmental Awards
Monday 20th November, 2006 Birdhill Tidy Village Committee was awarded the overall prize in North Tipperary County Council's Tiobraid Álainn - Pride of Place Competition 2006 and was presented with a special award of €20,000 by Mayor Jim Ryan for their huge achievement in winning the national title of 'Tidiest Village' in Ireland.
At a special awards ceremony held in the Civic Offices, Nenagh, Birdhill Tidy Village Committee was presented with a further award of €600 and framed Certificate of Merit by Mayor Jim Ryan for taking the overall prize in the Council's Tiobraid Álainn- Pride of Place competition. This year's Environmental Awards Ceremony included Primary and Secondary schools, Tidy Towns and Villages groups, Burial ground committees and for the first time incorporated the Farm Environment Awards - organised by North Tipperary County Council in conjunction with Teagasc, Arrabawn Co-Op Nenagh and Centenary Co-Op Thurles.
A total prize fund of €32,900 was awarded on the night and North Tipperary County Council hopes the awards will encourage more communities who are making improvements year on year to improve their local environment.
"The Environmental Awards is a great competition, promoting good community spirit and an awareness of environmental issues at local level," said North Tipperary's Mayor Jim Ryan. "Without the hard work and dedication of these committees, schools and individuals within our communities, our local heritage and environment would be significantly depleted". He also commended the hard work of all the Tidy Towns and Villages groups throughout the county who have been going from strength to strength in the national Tidy Towns competition.
According to Áine Mc Carthy, the Council's Environmental Awareness Officer, the competition is a great opportunity for the local community. "We encourage all communities who are working hard all year at improving their local environment to enter the competition and get some recognition for their efforts" she said. "This is a great opportunity to reward local communities for their hard work throughout the year. We can only improve our environment if we all work in partnership with each other. "
Winners from the Council's Tiobraid Alainn-Pride of Place competition are nominated by the Council to go forward to the All Ireland Pride of Place Competition the following year. The Pride of Place aspect showcases specific initiatives which have a long lasting and positive impact such as development of community centres, the tackling of social inclusion, heritage and environmental issues, establishment of residents associations or provision of childcare facilities. The National Awards Ceremony for the 2006 Pride of Place was held in Tullow, County Carlow last month and North Tipperary County Council is very proud of the results achieved across the county.
Ballina on their first attempt were short listed in the Category for centres with a population of 1,000 - 2,000. Roscrea were again runners up in the very tough category of population of 2,000 - 10,000 with Clonakilty winning out on the night. Mayor Jim Ryan commended both groups "for the work they put in to preparing the presentation, the input from the communities when the judging was taking place and the information packs prepared for the judges".
The following awards were presented in the Tiobraid Álainn - Pride of Place Competition 2006:
Tidy Towns Category
Nenagh/Newport electoral area:
In Third Place: Killoscully Development Association
In Second Place: Silvermines Enhancement Group
In First Place: Ballina Tidy Towns
Borrioskane electoral area:
In Third Place: Borrisokane Tidy Towns
In Second Place: Lorrha Development Association
In First Place: Terryglass Improvements Association
Templemore electoral area:
In Third Place: Loughmore Tidy Village
Association
In Second Place: Moyne Tidy Village Committee
In First Place: Roscrea Tidy Towns
Thurles electoral area:
In Third Place: Kilcommon Tidy Towns
In Second Place: Inch Tidy Village
In First Place: Holycross Tidy Village
Association
Overall prize: Birdhill Tidy Towns
Tidy Schools Category:
The Council continues to make the environment a priority in schools through the Schools Environmental Programme. The Council's Environmental Awareness Officer Áine Mc Carthycontinues to support and visit both primary and secondary schools throughout the county and talks to both the pupils and teachers about recycling, waste minimisation and litter prevention. The Green Schools Programme encourages whole school action for the environment and many of the award winners in this competition are active in the Green Schools Programme. The Council continues to contribute to this important An Taisce initiative every year.
Nenagh/ Newport Electoral Area:
In Second Place: Carrig N.S. (Ballycommon)
In First Place: Convent Primary, Nenagh
Borrisokane Electoral Area:
In Second Place: Cloughjordan No. 1 N.S.
In First Place: Kilruane N.S.
Templemore Electoral Area:
In Second Place: Clonmore N.S., Templemore
In First Place: St. Joseph's Primary, Templemore
Thurles Electoral Area:
In Second Place: Presentation Primary, Thurles
In First Place: Presentation Secondary, Thurles
Overall winner: Ballina N.S.
Ballina N.S. has achieved two green flags for waste and energy management as well as having carried out an 'ecological footprint' study of the community of Ballina. The school scored highly in all areas of adjudication including litter and waste management, appearance of school grounds and approaches as well as efforts to raise environmental awareness.
Best Burial Ground Category:
Graveyards are an integral part of local heritage and history as well as being of significant environmental interest. There is a growing awareness amongst communities of the importance of local graveyards and the Council organises this competition in order to acknowledge the role of Graveyard Committees in the preservation and maintenance of our local graveyards while at the same time respecting the local and built environment. The Best Burial Ground Competition is a Council initiative to reward those communities who voluntarily give their time and effort and who have excelled in this role.
Nenagh/Newport electoral area:
In Third Place: Birdhill Burial Ground Committee
In Joint Second Place: Lisboney (old) Burial Ground Committee & Annameadle
Burial Ground Committee
In First Place: Rockvale Burial Ground Committee, Newport
Borrisokane electoral area:
In Third Place: Carrig (Birr) Burial Ground Committee
In Second Place:Cloughprior Burial Ground Committee
In First Place: Ballinree (new) Burial
Ground Committee
Templemore electoral area:
In Third Place: Drom (new) Burial Ground Committee
In Second Place: St. Cronan's C.O.I Burial Ground Committee
In First Place: Templetuohy Burial
Ground Committee
Thurles electoral area:
In Third Place: Rahealty Burial Ground Committee
In Second Place: St. Mary's C.O.I. Bouladuff Burial Ground Committee,
Littleton
In First Place: Inch Old Burial Ground Committee
Farm Environment Awards
These are the first Farm Environment Awards given by North Tipperary County Council in association with Arrabawn Co-Op Nenagh, Centenary Co-Op Thurles and Teagasc, the objective being to recognise and reward farmers for using good nutrient management practises while helping to protect water quality. Farmers play a hugely important role in the overall condition of our natural resources as they are physically working with and managing our landscape and its quality on a daily basis.
Thurles District:
Dairying: John Ryan, Curraguneen, Roscrea
Drystock: Pat Healy, Longfordpass, Thurles
Tillage: Larry English, The Green, Thurles
Nenagh District:
Dairying: Patrick Brennan, Ballingarry, Roscrea
Drystock: Michael Seymour, Borrisokane
Tillage: Margaret & Denis Ryan, Ballinaclough, Nenagh
Overall Farming Winner: Pat Healy, Longfordpass, Thurles
Further information:
Áine Mc Carthy
Environmental Awareness Officer
087 637 3874 (067) 44784
Translate 
