Geashill is tidiest village in Ireland

Emer Connolly

GEASHILL is the tidiest village in Ireland.

It won the award at an all-island event in which some of the best towns in the SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition compete against their counterparts in Northern Ireland’s Best Kept Competition.

The good news was delivered in Belfast on Tuesday by the Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring.

Geashill won ahead of Tullahought in Kilkenny and Castlecaulfield in Tyrone. Ballina in Mayo won the award as the Best Kept Large Town.

The chairperson of the Geashill committee Caren Carruthers said the win was totally unexpected, but was most welcome in the village. This was the first time Geashill has won this particular competition.

“It's absolutely brilliant. We were very surprised by the win. It is great for the village and all the hard work,” she told the Offaly Independent.

There are a number of projects underway in the village including the restoration of an original phone box and the creation of new information signs, which, she said, will further enhance the area.

Hopes are high in the village that further success will follow recent awards in the national Tidy Towns competition.

"We have big ambitions for the Tidy Towns. We are just outside the top 25 nationally. We won a silver medal in the last couple of years. Our aim is a gold medal. The village is looking lovely now,” she said.

“We are lucky that the buildings are lovely,” Caren added.

There is a core committee of six people and there is good support from the local community for the various projects. In addition there are three Community Employment staff who help to keep the village in good shape, while Offaly County Council has been very supportive, she ended.