Slane Tidy Towns

Tidy Towns is a great example of how a public-private partnership can work to the benefit of all in our society. The Tidy Towns competition has been encouraging community effort for over half a century and even in its 55th year the competition is still growing and getting stronger.

Last year was a fantastic year for Tidy Towns with 821 cities, towns and villages throughout Ireland entering the competition. The competition is a catalyst for a huge amount of voluntary effort in towns and villages across the country and the effort of hundreds of Tidy Towns committees and thousands of volunteers not only improves the environment in which we live but also helps to build pride in our localities.

Tidy Towns may be a competition but, as you all know only too well, it is much more than that; it is about participation, joint effort, getting out there and working together. It gives people a greater sense of involvement in their community and a greater sense of responsibility towards their community. It is also an experience that people enjoy, not only for the sense of accomplishment in getting things done, the sense of contribution in giving back to the community but also the friendships that are made along the way.