Tidy town hero dedicates award to volunteers

He’s been a hero in their eyes for decades — but now he’s got the award to prove it.

Tidy Towns volunteer Mick Looney, who has been working tirelessly for more than 30 years to improve Berrings village in Co Cork, was among 10 remarkable volunteers who were presented with a SuperValu Tidy Towns Hero award at The Helix in Dublin yesterday.

And typical of the man, he dedicated his award to those he works with to keep Berrings beautiful.

“This award really isn’t for me at all. It’s for the people of Berrings. It’s a community effort rather than any one individual,” he said.

He was a founding member of the village’s Tidy Towns committee in 2009, and was its first chairperson.

But Berrings Community Association chairperson, Kevin McDonnell, said Mick’s commitment to the locality for the past 30 years is immeasurable.

“He is involved in every event, often as leader and chief organiser and more often as someone who works away quietly and efficiently in the background getting things done without praise or recognition,” Mr McDonnell said.

As well as charity work and his Tidy Towns volunteering on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings, Mick has helped restore several old water pumps in the village, he makes community flower pots from discarded steel wheels, he helped arrange the installation of old-style cast iron village road signs, he made a community notice board and village Christmas tree frame, he made steel cut-out birds which have placed along the four-mile Berrings walkway, he has built several dry-wall stone flower beds, and he built the stage for the Berrings Crossroads Dancing which takes place on Saturdays during the summer.

The other heroes included Lisa O’Donoghue of Newmarket Tidy Towns committee, Seamus Conway of Cahir, Helen O’Donnell, chairperson of Limerick Tidy Towns committee, and 92-year-old Mary O’Neill, of Adare Tidy Towns, who has been a committee member since its foundation 50 years ago. She spends most of her time tending to the village’s flower beds.

Paraic Noone of Keadue Tidy Towns committee in Co Roscommon was recognised for helping develop community composters and vegetable allotments.

Annette O’Connor, of Palmerstown Tidy Towns in Dublin, was honoured for helping to rejuvenate the organisation, and delivering streetscape improvements.

Founding member of Ashford Tidy Towns committee, Peter O’Hanlon, was honoured for his village upkeep work over the last decade, in particular.

And Enda Brady and Des Faul, of Sligo Tidy Towns committee, were honoured jointly for their leadership, vision and commitment — Des painted 58 derelict buildings, three of which were decorated with iconic murals.

SuperValu sales director, Michael Morgan, commended their outstanding demonstration of community spirit.

“Their relentless commitment to working for the good of their local community is what makes this competition the success it is today,” he said.

-You can nominate a Tidy Towns hero for consideration in next year’s awards on the SuperValu website, supervalu.ie