Minister Dara Calleary congratulates the winners of Ireland’s Best Kept Town on the competition’s 30th anniversary
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From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 17 June 2025
- Last updated on: 17 June 2025
- Naas, County Kildare is Ireland’s Best Kept Town 2025
- All island winners announced at an awards ceremony in Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin
Ireland’s Best Kept Town is an all-island competition in which some of the best towns in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition compete against their counterparts in Northern Ireland’s Best Kept competition. This year - Ireland’s Best Kept Towns also celebrates the 30th anniversary of this wonderful competition. The results of the 2025 competition were announced today (17th June 2025) at an awards ceremony in Farmleigh House.
Naas, County Kildare is the overall winner of Ireland’s Best Kept Town competition, 2025.
Naas also won the Best Kept Large Urban Centre category;
Buncrana, County Donegal won the Best Kept Large Town category;
Donaghmore, County Tyrone won the Best Kept Village category; and
Royal Hillsborough, County Down won the Best Kept Small Town category.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, congratulated the winners of 2025 Competition.
Minister Calleary said:
“I want to pay tribute to all the winners today in the Ireland’s Best Kept Town competition, and Naas, Co Kildare for winning the overall title along with the title of Best Kept Large Urban Centre and Buncrana, Co Donegal, the winners of the Best Kept Large Town category.
“I also want to congratulate Donaghmore, Co Tyrone the winner of Ireland’s Best Kept Village category and Royal Hillsborough, Co Down the winner of Ireland’s Best Kept Small Town category.”
The Minister continued:
“Now in its 30th year, Ireland’s Best Kept Town Competition recognises the great pride people have in their own communities, both in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Investment in our communities through this wonderful competition reaps long-term rewards for all, as showcased by the winning groups here today. It is testament to how local volunteers take ownership of their local area and work to improve them, for now and into the future.
“Being nominated for these awards is an achievement in itself. It is a recognition of the efforts made by volunteers and local communities in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition and the Best Kept competition in Northern Ireland.”
Doreen Muskett, MBE, Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Amenity Council, the body that organises the Best Kept Awards, said:
“These competitions continue to demonstrate the great pride that people have in their communities, North and South, and the hard work that is carried out by volunteers. Well done, your communities are richer for your efforts and hard work.
“My sincere congratulations to all of this year’s awards recipients in this the 30th year of the competition, it comes as no surprise to me that Donaghmore and Royal Hillsborough have been recognised amongst Ireland’s most beautiful spots.”
Notes:
The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Northern Ireland Amenity Council initiated the Ireland’s Best Kept Towns competition in 1995 to help raise the profile of both the SuperValu TidyTowns and Northern Ireland's "Best Kept" competitions and therefore help to improve the standard of towns and villages across the island of Ireland. All entrants were marked against strict adjudication criteria that included cleanliness, the outward appearance of buildings, the presentation of roads and public facilities and the natural environment.
2025 NOMINEES
Village
Eyeries, Co. Cork
Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone
Riverstown, Co. Sligo
Small Town
Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow
Carlingford, Co. Louth
Royal Hillsborough, Co. Down
Randalstown, Co. Antrim
Large Town
Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Comber, Co. Down
Rush, Co. Dublin
Large Urban Centre
Carrigaline, Co. Cork
Derry/Londonderry, Co. Derry
Naas, Co. Kildare
Omagh, Co. Tyrone
The Award winners are:
Best Village – Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone
Best Small Town – Royal Hillsborough, Co. Down
Best Large Town – Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Best Large Urban Centre – Naas, Co. Kildare
Overall winner – Naas, Co. Kildare