‘Many eye-catching moments in Nenagh’

Impressive performance in 2024 Tidy Towns competition

Nenagh excelled in this year's Tidy Towns competition, gaining an extra nine points and attracting some very favourable comments in the adjudication report.

The town's total of 362 points was one of the highest in Tipperary in 2024. Visiting Nenagh for the first time, the adjudicator was struck by the “very apparent sense of community spirit and pride” in the town. It was noted that the local Tidy Towns committee of eight active committee members and “a very impressive core of 40 to 100 volunteers” have engaged with the national competition for 17 years.

Visiting prior to the creation of the Shane MacGowan murals at Emmet Place and Philly Ryan's, the adjudicator was impressed by the “particularly eye-catching” Rex Ingram mural at Hanly's Place. “Mention must also be made of the beautiful kingfisher mural painted to the side wall of Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan, appropriately accompanied by bird boxes fixed to the same wall.”

The adjudicator liked the addition of “very inviting pavement lighting to the Hanly’s Place route and at Cecil Walk from Kenyon Street”, and the “wide range of very impressive shopfronts and buildings that certainly contribute to your town.

“Every corner turned offered a new visual treat - the bright yellow door beside the tower gate at the Kenyon Street graveyard, and the M McGrath shopfront at No 26 Sarsfield Street, described as built 1750s, Pound Street being just two of the many, many eye-catching moments in Nenagh.

“It was also encouraging to see that, along with many other towns, Nenagh has made provision for outdoor seating and dining facilities on the streets, most notably Kenyon Street. While this option presents challenges to every town and needs to be managed, it will encourage increased pedestrian traffic and result in increased footfall for all businesses in the town.”

‘THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE’

Nenagh Town Park was described as “the jewel in the crown of the town’s green space; it has everything that any large town would hope for from a park relatively close to the centre”.

However, the town park was also home to “some evidence of anti-social behaviour and litter left behind at the end of one of the trails... This dumping stood out because it was very much the exception to the rule in Nenagh and surrounds.”

The adjudicator observed the Tidy Towns committee's primary focus of efforts this year on maintaining the green spaces at the castle and church - “certainly creating a wonderful opportunity for family occasion photographs”. The use of “numerous planters placed at key positions” around the town was also praised for bringing colour to the streets.

Elsewhere, the adjudicator mentioned a “flagship project” involving the Tidy Towns and Nenagh College. “The plan to establish micro-forests in the college is an exciting aspect of the whole project and will be watched with interest.”

CIVIC AMENITY VISITORS

It was noted that Nenagh's Civic Amenity Centre on the Limerick Road attracted over 28,000 visitors last year. The adjudicator was particularly interested in the recycling of 126 tonnes of electrical goods at the centre.

The 2024 report also commended Nenagh Gaelscoil on its successful production of a video on the ‘Science of Water Conservation’, while the nearby Community Allotments were referenced as “central to the sustainability of Nenagh... The extent and diversity of the flourishing allotments was truly inspiring,” the adjudicator commented. “To see these allotments being worked should be shown to as wide an audience as possible.”

Further interest was derived from the cycleways on the outskirts of the town and the adjudicator suggested a programme encouraging greater use of bicycles.

Nenagh's highest mark - 66 points - was scored in the category of Tidiness and Litter Control. The Tidy Towns committee and volunteers, together with the employees of Tipperary County Council and other stakeholders, “including a number of very active individuals - congratulations to Stephen Slattery and Kitty Meagher” - were congratulated on ensuring that Nenagh continues to have a high standard of tidiness and litter control.

The committee engages with 17 residents associations and Ballygraigue Court, Arra Drive and Woodview Close were singled out for praise in this year's report.

“Annbrook Heights was typical of the estates visited and most of the homes had very well maintained frontage with colourful gardens, some with flower boxes and hanging baskets.” The adjudicator also mentioned the improvement works to the playground at St Joseph’s Park and added that “the walls to the Park in their current condition would benefit greatly from being used as the canvas for murals”.

ONE-WAY PRAISE

The introduction of the one-way traffic system added to Nenagh's performance in this year's Tidy Towns competition. Describing the new system as “a very positive development for all including pedestrians and traffic”, the adjudicator was taken with the staked tree and the cotoneaster planted at the stone roundabout at Kenyon Street, which was “thriving and will in time provide a green entrance to the town”.

It was commented however that the grounds of the railway station were “not overly attractive, with the expanse of the car-parking area offering little in the way of decoration or landscaping”.

But the other approaches inspected, including the roundabouts at St Conlon's Road and Stereame, were spoken of in glowing terms.

“This adjudicator was impressed with the presentation of your town and the work the committee has carried out,” the Nenagh report concluded. “It is fully appreciated that maintaining and improving large towns presents special and unique challenges. You have risen to the challenge.”