One of the country’s most audacious school renovation projects has been recognised in this year’s RIAI architecture awards.

Architects working in the public sector have been hailed after civic schemes scooped the top three awards in the popular vote section of Ireland’s architecture Oscars.

What initially looked like a single vehicle accident on a sunlit afternoon turned into something far more tragic within minutes of gardaí arriving at the scene outside Westport, Co Mayo.

IRELAND has a very small percentage of woodland, approximately 1.5% deciduous and 5% as forestry plantations of conifer.

WESTPORT yesterday bridged a five-year gap to take the title as Ireland’s tidiest town for 2006.