Minister Calleary announces €1.5 million funding for Tidy Towns groups

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, TD, attended the 2026 SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition awards ceremony on Friday 23 October, where he announced Ballinahown as the overall winner of Ireland’s Tidiest Town for 2026.

Minister Calleary also announced the allocation of €1.5 million in funding to support the work of almost 1,000 Tidy Towns groups nationwide.

The funding is intended to aid groups in their continued efforts to make their towns and villages better places to live, work and visit. This announcement brings the total amount allocated to Tidy Towns groups since 2017 to €14 million.

Minister Calleary said: “I recognise the vital role of our 30,000 plus Tidy Towns volunteers who work year-round to ensure our communities are vibrant, sustainable places to live, work and raise our families.

“The passion and dedication of these volunteers is the embodiment of everything that is good in our communities. Investment in our communities reaps long-term rewards for all, as showcased by the 936 groups who entered this year’s SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition.”

Full details of all this year’s winners are available at www.tidytowns.ie and at www.supervalu.ie.

A list of all the Tidy Towns groups eligible to receive the grant funding is also available at www.tidytowns.ie.

Westmeath awards

Athlone and Mullingar received €4,000 each; Castlepollard, Kilbeggan, Kinnegad, Moate and Rochfortbridge received €2,000 each; the following received €1,000 each – Ballinagore, Ballinahown, Ballinalack, Ballykeeran, Ballymore, Ballynacargy, Baylin, Castledaly, Clonmellon, Collinstown, Coole, Crookedwood, Delvin, Drumcree, Dysart, Finea, Glasson, Loughnavalley, Milltownpass, Mount Temple, Moyvore, Multyfarnham, Raharney, Rosemount, Streamstown, Tang, Tubberclair, Tyrrellspass €1,000.