Still celebrating the magnificent achievement of being crowned Ireland’s tidiest large town, there will be further cause to toast that success when the award winners in this year’s Killarney Looking Good Competition are unveiled.
The gala presentation ceremony will be held in the Killarney Plaza Hotel next Monday night with well over 30 prizewinners being honoured for their endeavours.
Over three decades after it was first initiated, the Killarney Looking Good Competition returned from the Covid-19 lay-off with a vengeance and a real sense of purpose this year with a new committee, new categories, new sponsors and a whole new approach.
When the project was first launched in 1991 it was a low-key community event but it grew in stature under the watchful eye of the late Yvonne Quill, culminating in some style when Killarney won the prestigious overall award in the national tidy towns competition in 2011.
This year Killarney was just one point adrift of overall winner Abbeyleix in Co Laois and confidence is high that initiatives like Killarney Looking Good can help the town to go one step further next year and reclaim the coveted overall award.
Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin, will preside at Monday night’s awards ceremony and the master of ceremonies will be Killarney Tidy Towns Committee Chairman, Michael Gleeson.
Also in attendance will be Killarney Municipal District Manager, Angela McAllen, Municipal District Officer Matt Farrell and members of the Looking Good Committee.
There will be 26 category winners, including best private residence, best large and small residential areas, best roadside garden, best hanging baskets, best friendly planting, best school, best guesthouse and best public building.
Picture: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan
Awards for the business sector will include best large and small commercial premises, best hotel, best public house, best restaurant, best café, best retail, best newly painted building, best signage, best retail landscaping, best new building and most improved premises.
Other awards will include those that are highly commended and prizes will also recognise biodiversity, corporate social responsibility and the best restoration project while a 2023 recognition award will also be presented.
Two special awards will be presented on the night that will remember two wonderful tidy towns champions who have passed away and they are the Fr Michael Murphy Memorial Pride of Place Award and the Yvonne Quill Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award.
The winner of the prestigious overall award for 2023 will also be revealed on the night.
This year’s Killarney Looking Good awards have been very generously sponsored by MD O’Shea & Sons and O’Mahony Media Ltd is the media sponsor.
Advertise where it will be seen: For great value advertising contact news@killarneytoday.com or call 087-2229761
