Categories & Special Awards

The National Tidy Towns Competition is organised into various population based categories. There are also additional sponsored ‘Special Awards’ that are organised in parallel with the main competition.

Oola- National Tidy Towns Competition

National TidyTowns Competition Prize Categories

The competition is organised on a national basis and prize categories are based on cities, towns and villages population size.

  • Villages: A (Under 200) and B (201 to 1,000)
  • Small Towns: C (1,001 to 2,500) and D (2,501-5,000)
  • Large Towns: E (5,001 to 10,000) and F (10,001 to 15,000)
  • Large Urban Centres: G (15,001 to 25,000) and H (25,0001 and over)

Special Awards

The TidyTowns sponsored Special Awards are organised in parallel to the main competition and look to reward initiatives focused on improving your community. Entry is open to all TidyTowns groups as well as other interested individuals or groups. Entry into the Special Awards is purely voluntary and non-entry will not affect performance in the main competition.

Please email your completed application forms clearly marked with the title of the Special Award to tidytowns@drcd.gov.ie.

Please note: The closing date for Covid-19 Community Award is Friday 2nd July 2021. The closing date for all the other Special Awards is Friday 23rd July 2021.

The 2021 Special Entry Awards included:

  • Covid-19 Community award - Staying Together While Apart prize fund €5,000, sponsored by SuperValu. The entry form for this award is contained in the main entry form.
  • Agent Brite Litter Awareness award prize fund €7,000. Sponsored by PEL Waste Reduction Equipment.
  • Young Persons in TidyTowns award prize fund €1,000. Sponsored by Department of Rural and Community Development.
  • Sustainable Development Goals award prize fund €6000. Sponsored by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
  • EPA Circular Economy award. Prize fund €2,000. Sponsored by The Environmental Protection Agency.
  • The RIAI Shopfront award prize fund €2,000. This competition is open to the Village, Small Towns and Large Town categories. Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
  • SuperValu and AsIAm Inclusive Communities award prize fund €2,000. Sponsored by SuperValu and AsIAm.
  • Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) award prize fund €5,000. Sponsored by the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT)
  • The RIAI Town Challenge award prize fund €5,000. The award is open to all categories. Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
  • Heritage award prize fund €1,000. Sponsored by the Heritage Council
  • The RIAI Good Windows award prize fund €500. This award is open to the Village, Small Towns and Large Town categories. Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
  • Leave No Trace TidyTowns award prize fund training to the value €1,000. Sponsored by Leave No Trace Ireland.
  • Tree Project award prize fund €1,000. Sponsored by the Tree Council of Ireland.
  • No. 13 Climate Action and Air Quality award prize fund €6,000. Sponsored by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
  • Can it! 2021 – every can counts prize fund €1,500 & a can crusher sponsored by Every Can Counts.
  • The Waters and Communities award prize fund €7,000. Sponsored by Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
  • All-Ireland Pollinator Plan – local authority pollinator award prize fund €10,000. Sponsored by Heritage Offices & Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland, in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre.