Carrick on Shannon named as overall winner of Best Kept Town competition 2023

A Leitrim town has been named as the overall winner of Ireland’s Best Kept Town competition 2023, with Carrick-on-Shannon awarded the title of Best Kept Town in the country. 

The results of this year’s contest - an all-island event where some of the best towns in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition compete against their counterparts in Northern Ireland - were announced yesterday (June 21) at an awards ceremony in Dublin. 

Carrick took home the top honour after also snagging the Best Kept Small Town award. 

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, congratulated the winners and said, “I want to congratulate all of the winners and nominees in the all-island Best Kept Town competition, and in particular Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Leitrim for winning the overall title along with the title of Best Kept Small Town and Blackwater, Co. Wexford, as winners of the Best Kept Village category. 

“The all-island Best Kept Town Competition recognizes the great pride people have in their own communities, both in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is testament to how local volunteers take ownership of their local area and work to improve them, for both now and into the future. 

“Being nominated for these awards represents an achievement in itself, and is recognition of the efforts made by volunteers and local communities in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition and the Best Kept competition in Northern Ireland.” 

Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Amenity Council, the body that organises the Best Kept Awards, Doreen Muskett MBE, said, “Throughout the pandemic thousands of volunteers and gardening enthusiasts kept our towns, villages and the country looking its best. 

“These awards illustrate and emphasise how much voluntary work is undertaken to keep our Towns and Villages throughout Ireland beautiful and how the community works together to make where they live desirable. 

“These awards create links between community involvement, our natural environment and our wellbeing, helping us to recognise the value of our biodiversity and coming together to play our part in making our own parts of the country places we are proud to call home.”