Celebrating the best of local community in Kilkenny

A very special evening of appreciation took place recently at the Parade Tower when a number of community ventures were acknowledged.
Kilkenny County Council and An Cathaoirleach Cllr Eamon Alyward hosted the reception to congratulate and thank a number of community groups who have gained recognition both nationally and internationally.
Director of Services, Mary Mulholland welcomed the representatives from all the organisations and thanked them for the massive contribution they make for their local community.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Eamon Alyward praised ‘the endless dedication and commitment’ and added that community-based initiatives are ‘a significant driver of the overall prosperity of every city and town'. Thirteen communities from across Kilkenny represented their county at a number of international and national competitions - Entente Florale, The Bank of Ireland National Enterprising Town Awards and the IPB Pride of Place Awards and Supervalu Tidy Towns.
Entente Florale
The village of Inistioge was one of only two locations in Ireland nominated by the Department of Rural and Community Development for the 2018 Entente Florale Awards and they were rewarded with a gold medal. The Cathaoirleach praised the committee and described it as ‘a fantastic achievement for the small village’.
Enterprising town
The Bank of Ireland National Enterprising Town Awards competition which aims to promote enterprise by bringing business and community groups together to showcase was also recognised at the ceremony.
2018 saw over 80 entrants from across the country with four entrants coming from Kilkenny - Kilkenny City in the Larger Town Category and Castlecomer, Graignamanagh and Piltown in the Smaller Town Category. The final awards night took place in the Lyrath Hotel Kilkenny on late November where Kilkenny City was named winner of the Regional Large Town in Leinster while Castlecomer were placed Runner Up Small Town in Leinster.
Pride of place
Four communities represented Kilkenny at these awards – Open Circle Arts Project, Thomastown Community Network, Kells Regional Economic Enterprise and Slieverue Community Resource Centre Limited. Open Circle received a Special National Award, Thomastown were runners up in the Town Population 2000-5000 Category with Kells awarded Runners Up in the Community Tourism Initiative.
Tidy Towns Scheme
The SuperValu Tidy Towns Scheme recognises the hard work and dedication of volunteers who work tirelessly to improve their towns, villages and community life.
Kilkenny had 18 applicants with all groups recording an increase in points from the previous year. Four groups were in receipt of National Awards
– Kilkenny Tidy Towns /Keep Kilkenny Beautiful were Gold Medal Winners, County Winners and Regional Winners in the South East while also recipients of a Water & Community Award for the South East,
- Tullaghought Tidy Towns achieved Silver medal in their category while the village was also awarded the ‘Let’s Get Buzzing Pollinator Award for the South East for their pollinator project. In addition Paddy and Mary Egan, two stalwarts of the community in Tullaghought for many years were highly commended in the Community Heros Category.
- Inistioge Tidy Towns were awarded a silver medal in their category
- Windgap Tidy Towns were awarded an Endeavour Award in the Special Awards Category.