ENNISKILLEN IN COUNTY Fermanagh is the overall winner of Ireland’s Best Kept Town competition 2014.

All entrants were marked against strict criteria that included cleanliness, the outward appearance of buildings, the presentation of roads and public facilities and the natural environment.

The results were announced today at an awards ceremony on the SS Nomadic, Titanic Quarter, Belfast.

• Emly, Co Tipperary won the Best Kept Village category.
• Hillsborough, Co Down won the Best Kept Small Town category
• Maynooth, Co Kildare won the Best Kept Large Town category
• Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh won the Best Kept Large Urban Centre category

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley, said:

These competitions continue to demonstrate the great pride that people have in their communities, North and South, and the hard work carried out by volunteers.

Doreen Muskett MBE, Chair of the Northern Ireland Amenity Council, the body that organises the Best Kept Awards, said: “The competition is designed to reward those who take great pride in their communities, those who work tirelessly to make their surroundings a nicer place to work, live and play in.

It has been five years since the overall winner was awarded to a town in Northern Ireland so it is particularly lovely to see Enniskillen celebrate this terrific achievement.

Minister for the Environment Northern Ireland, Mark H Durkan, said: “When we discuss the environment, it is easy to think of the vast green spaces of rural Ireland, and so often urban areas can be overlooked.

One of the most important aspects of this competition I feel, is the urban theme that resonates throughout its projects.

“A healthy mix is achieved each year by projects, ranging from small rural village settings, to towns and cities”.

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