‘One of Ireland’s greatest traditions’

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley has praised the annual National Tidy Towns Competition as one of the great Irish traditions “like the All-Ireland.”

The country’s largest and longest running environmental competition played an important role in developing a sense of community spirit and civic pride, said Mr Gormley yesterday.

Speaking at the competition’s annual award ceremony in Dublin Castle, Mr Gormley said he hoped ties between Tidy Towns committees across the country and central and local government could be strengthened in the future.