National Tidy Towns Competition 2025

Croke Park was once again the venue for the annual National Tidy Towns awards’

ceremony. On Friday 24 October 2025, seven volunteers from Dromiskin Tidy Towns

travelled to Dublin hoping that Dromiskin would hold on to its prestigious gold medal

garnered for the first time the previous year. What transpired on the day stunned all

concerned and exceeded all our hopes and expectations.

First up was the announcement that Dromiskin was a joint winner with Keep Kilkenny

Beautiful in the National Active Travel awards. The excitement had hardly abated when it

was revealed that we were also a Regional winner in the Young Persons in TidyTowns

award, a fitting reward for the Darver Community Centre Foroige group and the excellent

mosaic they created.

Finally, the individual scores for each town and village were revealed. There were gasps

of disbelief when it became apparent that Dromiskin had gained a staggering 19 points

on last year’s result. Not alone did it secure our gold medal but it propelled Dromiskin to

the top spot in County Louth, for the first time ever, pipping the previous standard

bearers Blackrock by one point. To add icing to the cake Dromiskin, with 396 points,

were runners up nationally in the Tidiest Small Town category topped by winners Carrick

on Shannon, from Leitrim, who, co-incidentally, were overall winners in the country with a

score of 400 points.

Our attendees were also thrilled when video footage of Dromiskin was played on the big

screen and later on in the day featured on the Nationwide programme on RTE1. Heady

days indeed!

We offer our congratulations to our fellow Tidy Town groups in the county - gold medal

winners Dundalk, Drogheda, Ardee and Blackrock, Silver medal winners Carlingford and

Tallanstown; Bronze Medal winner Knockbridge. Kudos, too, to Endeavour award winner

Omeath. Louth is certainly holding its head high in this prestigious competition.

This result is testament to the hard work put in by valiant Dromiskin Tidy Town

volunteers over a long number of years. It is also testament to the support we have

received from the wider community, Louth County Council, Louth Leader and various

government departments. The vision and hard work has certainly paid off and we look

forward to continuing to improve our beautiful village in the coming years. A hardy group

of volunteers made their way to the Brake in Blackrock and celebrated this unique

achievement in style. Buiochas agus comhghairdeas o chroi do chach.

National Tidy Town Results

Overall winner: Carrick on Shannon, County Leitrim

Tidiest village: Rosscarbery, County Cork

Tidiest small town: Carrick on Shannon (runner-up Dromiskin)

Tidiest Large Town: Dalkey

Tidiest Large Urban centre: Tralee, County Kerry

Click HERE to see Dromiskin’s adjudicator’s report

Climate Action Week

To celebrate Climate Action Week 2025, Dromiskin Tidy Towns organised a tree planting

ceremony on Saturday 18 October. Local families sponsored 36 fruit trees planted in our

Community Orchard stretching along a Siul na Manach Greenway resplendent in autumnal

colours. The trees included apple, pear, plum and cherry varieties and, added to planting from

last year, means that we have approximately 70 trees linking the Heritage Park to Ginnety’s

nature park along the Greenway. Councillor Robbie Nash, Chairperson Dundalk Municipal

District, joined to officiate at the event, fulsome in his praise of this latest initiative. We were

joined too by Ms Aoibheann Lynch, principal St Peter’s NS, with members of the Green Schools Committee and also event co-ordinator, Mr Kevin Halpenny. The children entertained the large gathering with a poem acknowledging the importance of Climate Action. Following tea and a chat in the school hall, successful pupils were presented with certificates and prizes for a Climate Action Week poster competition organised between the school and Dromiskin Tidy Towns.

Thank you to all who attended.

Farewell Frank

Friday 2 October 2025 saw Dromiskin Tidy Towns and St Peter’s NS bid a fond farewell to Frank Woods after nearly 15 years of sterling service on the Community Employment Scheme.

Presentations were made to acknowledge the huge contribution Frank has made to the upkeep of the village of Dromiskin. This, in no small way, has led to the designation of Dromiskin as a gold medal centre in the National Tidy Towns competition. The children of St Peter’s formed a guard of honour reflecting the esteem in which Frank was and is held by all. Frank’s diligence, commitment and kindness was commended and he leaves a void which will be difficult to fill. Long health and best wishes are extended to Frank and all his family from Dromiskin Tidy Towns, Dromiskin school and the wider community.