North South tidy towns event launched

THE "cream of the crop" of tidy towns around Ireland will compete for a new joint North/South "Best Kept Towns" competition which was launched in Dublin yesterday by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin.

Fifteen towns, all winners in the main categories of last year's "Tidy Towns" competition in the South and the "Best Kept" awards in the North, will compete for the new prize which will he presented in June at a special ceremony in the North. The competition is organised jointly by the Department of the Environment and the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.

Ardagh, Co Longford; Broughshane, Co Antrim; Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan; Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh; Glenties Co Donegal; Gracehill, Co Antrim; Keadue, Co Roscommon; Kinsale, Co Cork; Malin, Co Donegal; Moira, Co Down; Portstewart, Co Derry; Skerries, Co Dublin; Sneem, Co Kerry; Stradbally, Co Waterford, and Terryglass, Co Tipperary will compete for the top award. Adjudication will take place in May with two adjudicators, from North and South, visiting each town and village.

Mr Malcolm Moss, the Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment, was due to attend yesterday's launch but according to Mr Howlin "other business intervened and prevented him from doing so". Mr Moss, however, sent a message of support and was represented at the launch by Mr Joe Cowan, Permanent Under Secretary at the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment. The British ambassador, Mrs Veronica Sutherland, was among the guests in the Custom House.

Mr Howlin said at the launch that there was a very constructive working relationship and friendships which had built up between the Department and the Amenity Council. "It is my firm wish that these good relations will act as seed which will bloom into many more friendships between the communities entering the competition this year and in years to come.

In his message of support Mr Moss echoed Mr Howlin's comments and said joint ventures like this "will be a real catalyst in bringing together both communities and in building lasting friendships between them".