PICTURES: Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Award winners for 2025 announced

Councillor John O’Heney nominated Emly Tidy Towns for their success and contribution to Emly and Tipperary.

He acknowledged how this special group of people had spent the last 30-40 years maintaining the village to such a huge standard. Emly Tidy Towns was founded in 1988, starting with a committee of about eight members in its early days.

Today, the committee has grown to a team of 14, along with numerous volunteers who contribute their time and effort.

The original committee began with the daunting task of transforming fields into lawns, planting numerous trees and flowerbeds, and addressing many derelict sites that required attention and painting.

Over the years, their hard work has paid off, as they began to receive awards from Ballyhoura and Tipperary County Council, gaining momentum and recognition.

One of the founding members, Denis Heffernan, remains an active and influential member of the committee to this day.

In 2009, Emly achieved huge success by winning the prestigious Overall Winner title at the National Tidy Towns competition, along with accolades for Best Village, Best in the South East Region, and a Gold Medal.

This remarkable accomplishment brought overwhelming excitement to this small village in West Tipperary.

In 2010, the Department of Environment invited Emly to represent Ireland in the village category of the Entente Florale Competition.

Their efforts were rewarded and at the award ceremony in Cervia, Italy, that September, they proudly received a Silver Medal in Europe.

From there, their journey continued, culminating in winning the title of Most Liveable Community in the world in Chicago in 2010, specifically in the under-20,000 population category.

This competition assessed various aspects of village life, how they care for and support all residents, young and old.

In 2011, they once again claimed the title of Best Village in Ireland at the National Tidy Towns competition.

By 2014, they were nominated by the Department of Environment to participate in the Best Kept Town competition organised by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.

This award ceremony took place at the Titanic Centre in Belfast, where they proudly won the title of Best Kept Village in Ireland.

Since 2009, they have consistently received the Tidy Town County Award and Gold Medals, including last year, where they were honoured to be recognised as Best in the South East Region in 2024. Emly Tidy Towns is one of the strongest clubs in the area, collaborating with other local groups, the school, Tipperary County Council, and fellow Tidy Towns associations. They actively support other Tidy Towns groups by sharing their knowledge and successes. The residents of the village take immense pride in their properties and the surrounding environment, contributing significantly to the Tidy Towns Association. This sense of community is what makes Emly a truly wonderful place to call home.