'A pleasure to be back in Nenagh'

Local community praised on 2023 Tidy Towns performance

Nenagh received a glowing report in this year's national Tidy Towns competition, in which the town increased its mark on last year by 17 points to achieve a total score of 353.

“This was by no means the adjudicator’s first visit to Nenagh and expectations were high. Nenagh did not disappoint,” the Tidy Towns adjudicator noted in the 2023 report on the Bronze medal-retaining town. The report spoke of the support the local Tidy Towns group - now 16 years in existence - has from Tipperary Co Council and the general community. The adjudicator was fascinated to learn of such community events as the live music on St Patrick's Day and ‘Black Santa sit-out’ at Christmas. The report referenced Nenagh's historic and cultural quarter project, and the Rialto Digital and Enterprise Hub. “This is a super use of an iconic building,” the adjudicator stated, adding: “Your mural projects are an excellent use of wall space in wise locations.” Graveyard maintenance, new benches and new bus stops were also praised by the adjudicator, who had not visited Nenagh for some years. “Some improvements are very evident. The new (new to this adjudicator) Lidl store and public realm here look really great. They do, though, highlight the need for some improvements nearby at another multiple and also on the Dublin Road.”

SHOPFRONTS PRAISED

“The shopfronts of Nenagh are among its great assets,” the adjudicator commented. “On the days we were here, we admired Quigley’s Bakery, A Sportsman’s Dream, Muddy Paws, LANA (street food), Nenagh Fruit & Veg and The Kenyon in its fine colours. Slattery’s is still a gorgeous premises. O’Súilleabháin’s Pub looked great too. The Nenagh Bookshop is still a firm favourite, McQuaid’s a close second.” The council's Civic Offices on the Limerick Road were similarly praised, while surprise was expressed at the John's Lane Car Park, recently enhanced by the council. “Simply, this is excellent and a standard that other local authorities should look to for car parking in similar towns,” the report stated.

TOP BILLING FOR TOWN PARK

Nenagh Town Park got top billing in the Green Spaces & Landscaping section of the Tidy Towns report. The amenity was described as “just gorgeous.” “About the park we loved: the bike rack, the sandy paths - beautiful for running on - the playground, the raised exploration areas, the pollinator-friendly planting and the developing trees. So nice!” Also mentioned in this category was Nenagh Castle Field and Garden; “the lavender here is indeed spectacular and so popular with bees. The wildflower area with All-Ireland Pollinator Plan signage was seen at St Mary’s Church. The rest of the grounds are lovely too, in fact, and much time was spent dawdling here on this sunny day.”

‘WONDERFUL LIVING SPACE’ AT BALLYGRAIGUE

The Tidy Towns adjudicator also visited Ballygraigue Court Estate and described the area as “a wonderful living space. Such a biodiversity hub that is also human living space is surely the way to go when we are planning our housing for the future.” Other estates mentioned in the report were St Joseph's Park, Oaklawn Drive and Clonaslee, where the adjudicator found private gardens presented to a high standard. The local Tidy Towns group's efforts to restore Nenagh Community Garden “after challenging times” were also exalted in the report. The adjudicator asked if a Swift survey has been carried out in Nenagh, commenting that up to 30 of these birds were observed in a previous visit. Dog fouling was also mentioned in the report with reference to “anti dog litter stencils as a future project”.

‘NO REAL BLACKSPOTS’

“Nenagh was not litter-free on the day, unfortunately,” the adjudicator stated. “Nor was it on subsequent visits over the weeks we spent in Tipperary. That said, no real blackspots were noted and no significant amount of aged litter was seen. “Your anti-litter efforts and those of Tipperary County Council would therefore seem to be effective and to be applauded.

“Very few tidiness issues caught the eye. Some disused lamp-posts just off the Dublin Road are one instance.” The report also called for improvements outside Teach an Léinn on Kenyon St.

“Around the town, it was noted that your tiered planters are all filled with annuals, which was disappointing. Similarly the planters at the Christ the King statue opposite the Courthouse,” the report stated.

Banba Square was described as “somewhat cluttered”; the adjudicator felt better use could be made of the space if “everything was pared back”. They also felt that the pedestrian experience in Nenagh was “a little in the ha'penny-place to the motor car”. Left with an overall positive impression, the adjudicator's report concluded: “It was genuinely a pleasure to be back in Nenagh again. It was especially good to see such improvements over the last few years.

“Well done on a great entry and great year’s work.”