The judges in this year’s Limerick Going for Gold have travelled the length and breadth of Limerick city and county visiting the communities involved in this year’s Challenge category of the competition.
The visits have been to see the amazing work and dedication that volunteers across Limerick have for their localities, in making them better places to live, work and visit.
The judges also have had the difficult task of selecting seven wildcards to join the five weekly winners as Challenge Category Finalists after they were chosen by public vote.
The seven wildcard communities to go through to the grand final are (in alphabetical order):
- Abbeyfeale
- Adare
- Croom
- Foynes
- Kilfinane
- Moyross
- South Limerick City
They will join the communities of Athea, Galbally, Castleconnell, Oola and Hospital who were chosen during the weekly public votes.
All 12 communities will compete in the Challenge Category of Limerick Going for Gold 2017 later in the Autumn.
Judges, Jimmy Feane, former Director of Services with Limerick City and County Council and Richard Barry, Chair of Louth Tidy Towns Together and Tallanstown Tidy Towns Group said the selection of the wildcards was tough.
Jimmy Feane said: "It was fantastic to see communities across the city and county embracing the aim of Limerick Going for Gold to make Limerick a cleaner, brighter place to work live and visit, however this presented myself and Richard the difficult task of trying to choose wild card finalists for the challenge category."
Richard Barry added: “Jimmy and I would like to congratulate all of the participating groups on the work and effort they have put into their local areas. I am pleased to say that litter was all but absent from the communities we visited.”
Sinead McDonnell Environment Awareness Officer with Limerick City and County Councilsaid: “We are grateful to this year's judges for their efforts. I would remind groups that may be disappointed they have not been chosen as a wildcard in the Challenge Category that they may well feature in one of the other categories such as Limerick in Bloom which has a top prize of €5,000).”
Limerick Going for Gold is sponsored by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation and supported by Limerick City and County Council, Limerick’s Live 95fm, Limerick Leader, Limerick Post, I Love Limerick, Southern Media and Marketing Design and the Parkway Shopping Centre.
The Limerick Going for Gold Grand Final takes place in the Strand Hotel on Tuesday 10th October 2017. Winners will be announced in the following categories:
- Challenge Category
- Limerick in Bloom Category
- Tidy Towns Incentive Category (for groups whose results are eligible to be to be listed in the 2017 Tidy Towns Results Book)
- Residential Areas (including Estates)
- Best Front Garden Competition (sponsored by the Parkway Shopping Centre)
- Endeavour Award
- #loveyourlimerick Photo Competition