Tidy Towns in South Tipperary
The national TidyTowns initiative was launched by Bord Fáilte, the Irish Tourist Board (now Fáilte Ireland), in 1958 as part of the 'Tostal', a nationwide festival celebrating all things Irish. A step-up from the original National Spring Clean Campaign which ran between 1953 and 1957, TidyTowns rapidly developed its own identity and has gone on to become Ireland's most well known and popular local environmental initiative.
Right from the start, the primary focus of TidyTowns was to encourage communities to improve their local environment and make their area a better place to live, work and visit. The competition aspect was an important element in developing friendly rivalry that would help boost standards across the board. and the winner of the first competition held in 1958 was Glenties, Co Donegal. However, the emphasis was always on participating rather than winning as the very act of taking part brought benefits to the community. And with a focus on long-term results rather than quick returns, TidyTowns was soon seen as a unique and far-sighted initiative.
Although just 52 towns entered in its first year, TidyTowns rapidly increased in popularity with an average of 700 entrants per year. Its success also spawned many other initiatives at national, county and local level, which further boosted its reputation and impact. It is impossible to accurately estimate the number of people who have had some involvement in TidyTowns, but its safe to say it has run into the hundreds of thousands, and its influence on the transformation of Ireland's landscape is undeniable.
South Tipperary County Council through the Environment Section promote the Tidy Towns Competition and support Tidy Towns Groups around the County. There are currently 21 active Tidy Towns Groups in South Tipperary.
Further information about Tidy Towns can be found here.
