There were jubilant celebrations at the Limerick Going For Gold grand final last night [Tuesday 25 October 2022] as Adare was named as overall winners of the Limerick Going For Gold competition for 2022.
After a COVID-enforced break of two years, this unique community-based competition returned with more than €60,000 in prize funding up for grabs.
Limerick Going For Gold is a community based competition aimed at making Limerick a cleaner, brighter place to work, live and visit.
Limerick Going for Gold aims to make Limerick a cleaner, brighter place to work, live and visit and has captured the imagination of Tidy Towns groups, residents’ associations, smaller groups and individuals right across Limerick city and county since it began in 2012.
The competition is sponsored by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation. It is organised by Limerick City and County Council and supported by Live 95, The Limerick Leader and The Limerick Post, Parkway Shopping Centre, I Love Limerick and Southern Marketing Media & Design.
A total of 11 communities made the final of the Limerick Going for Gold Tidy Towns Category - before the winners were announced at the grand finale, attended by hundreds of people from communities across Limerick city and county in the Limerick Strand Hotel.
Five of the finalists in the Tidy Towns Category were selected by popular vote on the Limerick Today show on Live95 with the remaining areas chosen by the judges, Richard Barry (Tidy Towns Chair Tallanstown, Co Louth) and Michael Griffin (retired, Limerick City and County Council) following visits to all of the areas.
Prizes were also awarded in five other Going for Gold categories, with the Endeavour Award to be announced next month.
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Francis Foley congratulated the participating communities for helping to ensure that Limerick Going for Gold 2022 continued to be a tremendous success.
Speaking to the hundreds of attendees Mayor Foley said: “The past two years has seen over lives turned upside down. It forced many of us to re-evaluate what is important in life and our goals. Luckily community and being part of a community remains a hugely important part of people’s lives and this is demonstrated here this evening by all of you.”
“I want to congratulate all the entries in this year’s Going for Gold competition and of course the overall winners Adare. It is a credit to you all how communities can come together and transform their areas. Everyone working together, sharing a common purpose.”
Gerry Boland from the JP McManus Charitable Foundation said: “It is very satisfying to see that we are now approaching the conclusion of another successful Going for Gold campaign. Going for Gold involves so many people in our communities throughout our city and county and the improvements which they have effected in their local areas are much appreciated and contribute enormously to the quality of the environment in which we live.”
Gordon Daly, Director of Community, Tourism & Culture with Limerick City and County Council said: “Limerick Going For Gold is a brilliant example of collaboration between the local authority, JP McManus Charitable Foundation and communities right across Limerick. Limerick City and County Council is committed to working with communities so that Limerick can be the best it can be and to make it a cleaner, brighter place to work live and visit.”
“Limerick Going For Gold brings together the efforts and endeavours of communities and I want to thank the entrants for their hard work and commitment as without it we wouldn’t be able to have an event such as this.”
The winners are:
Tidy Towns Category
- Adare (€10,000)
- Castleconnell (€7,000)
- Askeaton (€5,000)
- Patrickswell (€3,000)
- Kilmeedy (€2,000)
- Doon (€1,500)
- Hospital (€1,500)
- Newcastle West (€1,500)
- Athea (€1,500)
- Ardpatrick (€1,500)
- Kilteely (€1,500)
Limerick Bee Friendly in Bloom
- Kilteely (€5,000)
- Kilfinane (€3,000)
- Garrienderk (€2,000)
- Ballingarry (€1,000)
- Broadford (€1,000)
Residential Areas
- Meadowbrook Residents’ Association (€2,000)
- Cappamore Estates Committee (€1,000)
- Castletroy View Residents’ Association (€700)
- Garryowen Residents’ Association (€700)
- Monaleen Park Residents’ Assoication (€700)
- Woodhaven Residents’ Association (€700)
Endeavour Award
- TBA in November
ReUse Award
- Charity Gateway to Education - second hand books and uniforms (€1,000)
- Castleconnell Tidy Towns Water Fountain (€500)
Judges’ Request Award
- Garrienderk – Best Small Area (€1,000)
- Newcastle West – Best Litter Management in Town Centre (€1,200)
- Caherdavin - Best Litter Management in large residential area (€1,000)
- Feenagh - Best Newcomer (€1,000)
Best Front Garden (sponsored by Parkway Shopping Centre)
- 1st Prize – Michael Maume, Croom
- 2nd Prize – John & Mary O’Brien, Hospital
- 3rd Prize – John & Ita Carroll, Castlemahon