Mayo towns feature prominently in Tidy Towns results

Mayo features strongly in Tidy Towns awards


Neill O’Neill

MAYO held firm on the national stage once again, with many awards and commendations coming west of the Shannon after yesterday’s Tidy Towns Awards ceremony 2010.
The three time overall winning committee from Westport once again led the charge, taking the county award, regional award and a gold medal for their endeavours in consistently maintaining a high standard in Westport - a town that has always featured near the very top in the last decade of the contest.
The village of Murrisk was declared the second tidiest location in Mayo, with Aughagower coming in third, while there were also an environmental award for Bangor Erris - for recycling - and an endeavour award for Crossmolina. Several other of Mayo’s towns, villages and schools were also nominated for certain awards, a success in itself amongst stiff competition from over 760 entrants.
Westport Tidy Towns Committee also claimed a regional award for their work in the area of smarter travel, and increasing their overall score by two points, they were placed in the top four nationally of all the entrants.
Chairperson of Westport Tidy Towns Committee, Pamela Flanagan, expressed her delight with the success yesterday, and congratulating all the winners - including the overall winner, Tallanstown in Co. Louth - she extended her warmest thanks and deepest appreciation to her committee, team of volunteers and the many local partners that make the vital work undertaken by Tidy Towns in Westport possible.
However, there will be no rest for Pamela and her team this week, as Westport Tidy Towns Committee have an important delegation visiting them on Wednesday to adjudicate the town for a special European Urban Award for which they have been shortlisted. They are also busy working on developing a new park adjacent to the Railway Walk and are planning to focus on getting more residential areas involved locally over the coming months, whilst, keeping up the excellent work that has been completed to date, or, as Pamela put it, ‘always keeping our eye on the ball’.