Congratulations to all 2026 award recipients! 

The best residential estate award recipient  in 2026 was Rosewood, Johnswell Rd.

 Congratulations to Rosewood Estate who impressed this year. Rosewood Residents Association undertook the Craig Benton composting course organised by  Kilkenny CoCo and  set  up wire mesh leaf mould baskets on the estate. Monthly litter picks and  clean ups are organised with participation  by the estate’s children. Planters  have been established around the estate with shrubs and flowers.  Wall baskets also provided  colour in the summer. Over the last  two years, the residents have also  run an easter egg hunt for the children in the estate 

Under is a selection of the 2026  nominated  pollinator friendly private gardens.  2026 was a particularly difficult year for garden owners due to the prolonged  drought. Congratulations to all of the garden owners who were nominated this year.

Awards 8pm Tuesday  27^th October 2026 at Langton’s hotel, John St., Kilkenny

Under:  There was a large attendance at the event.

Heroes of  our Community joint recipients

 Kilkenny Lions Club For their continued support every summer in helping KKB with their summer programme, ensuring Kilkenny looks its best for the annual judging of the National Tidy Towns Competition.

Post 8 IUNVA, Kilkenny In recognition of the valuable partnership work the UN Veterans  are doing with KKB in taking the rubbish collected from weekly and fortnightly litter picks and removing to the Dunmore recycling centre.

Fitzpatrick Shield for  Community Effort

Robertshill Community Garden For their tenacity and persistence in establishing the Robertshill Community Garden and for their welcoming of Keep Kilkenny Beautiful to support Tidy Towns and give us the first independent base, KKB have had in their 44 year history. In recognition of this initiative KKB will be investing the proceeds of a court award of €10,000 for a lock up unit, a solar panel to provide power onsite and the establishment of a ‘tool library’ where we can share resources and tools that we have collected over the years.

Private garden pollinator – biodiversity award

Antoinette Quigley, 33 St. Rioch’s St.  For the outstanding array of bees, pollinator insects, fruit and butterflies evident on the day of the garden judging. A garden where nature has first preference and a home to pollinators right in the city centre

Community pollinator – biodiversity award

TASK Community Pollinator and Vegetable Garden  For their outstanding work in creating a safe and beautiful space for people to work, learn and find peace and tranquillity in the heart of Kilkenny city.

Community Initiative Award

Kilkenny Pitch & Putt Club   This club is held in very fond memory by a great deal of people all over the city as a source of low cost and accessible exercise in the outdoors. Unfortunately, as the years went on, it had dwindled in numbers until a group of community spirited people got together and decided to try and breathe new life into the club and today, they have a membership of over 130 people. Today they run tournaments and attract players from far and wide to Kilkenny, to play the game of pitch and putt, thereby providing access to low-cost activity and attracting visitors alike to enjoy the game.

Best Commercial Flower Display      

Tynan’s Bridge House, Bateman Quay (runner up)

Lanigan’s, Rose Inn St. (runner up)

Langton’s, John St. (winnner)

Most improved commercial premises

Mc Sorley’s,  62 John St (runner up)

AriSlava, 4 Batemen Quay (winner)

Best Shop front

Billy Byrnes,  39 John St. (runner up)

Von Sandwich, 19 parliament St.(winnner)

Traditional sign writing

Hot Needle Tattoo Studio, 3 John street (trophy)

Best hospitality

Joint recipients :-

John Cleere, 28 parliament St. (runner up)

Sean O’Broin, Parnell St- James Green(winnner)

Public space & City scape

Joint recipients :-

Kilkenny CoCo   Watergate Urban Park ( Jenkins Yard).  Adjudicators’ remarks:-  “The adjudicators  were very impressed with the work undertaken by the Kilkenny CoCo over the last number of years. The  fine pocket urban park and outdoor performance space has been neatly  integrated into the newly refurbished Watergate theatre  and adjoining  Library precinct”

St. Mary’s Cathedral  conservation of  boundary railings.   Adjudicators’ remarks:-  “The adjudicators  found the work undertaken  by St Mary’s Parish  in the cleaning,   repair, re-decoration and conservation  of the railings at St Mary’s Cathedral over the last number of  years  impressive.  They form part of an important group of ecclesiastical buildings ”

SPECIAL AWARDS

KITE Services   KITE are a HSE Service based in Loughboy, working with young people in Kilkenny. As part of their contribution to the upkeep of the local area and due to the interest of a number of participants, they engage in weekly KKB volunteering in their area of Loughboy Park, Outrath Rd, Bohernatounish Rd, Laurel Drive, Archers Cresent and Cedarwood Ave. We thank them for their demonstration of Pride of Place in the community. Their certificate will be accepted by David Devine form KITE

New Park Family Resource Centre   The Family Resource Centre ran a series over the summer with the community with funding from the Anti-Litter Grant, and they also took a circular economy party pack, they are loaning it out locally to reduce party single use items. The created a beautiful mural to represent their commitment to looking after their environment

Fr McGrath Family Resource  Centre   Tammy Greene registered for team up to clean up campaign this year, she is great for getting the kids up and about. Tammy always takes up the opportunity to engage with initiatives to look after the environment and engage the children with activities in their community.

Kilkenny Volunteer Centre & Presentation Secondary School.  Paula Harte from the Volunteer Centre and Presentation school teacher Eddie Moylan, worked together to engage Transition Year Presentation school students in a Community Engagement project on litter. They worked together to organise a Litter survey. The students conducted the survey and the results in the student’s report, showed how they were much more aware of the problem of litter on our streets than they were before they conducted the survey. This shows the importance of individual projects that can change attitudes to litter in our community.

Lucy’s Pumpkin Patch Project & St. John’s Junior School     This award recognises doing more with less and sharing interests and skills with the wider community. One of our KKB Volunteers has a special interest in Pumpkins and Halloween. Every year she harvests the seeds from pumpkins at home, saves them, plants them in the spring, cares for them and when they are big enough in June, shares them with local groups, friends and schools. Lucy has been sharing her plants with The Lake School for a number of years and every year the school send us the photos of the fully grown pumpkins. We invite Lucy Dollard & St Johns School Principal Brian Roche & students, to accept the Award.

Brendan Lawless Environmental Award

WeCan. – Adam McCarthy, Ross O’Hanrahan & Jamie Hogan    What started as a conversation between Terry Clune and Johnny McCarthy, has evolved into an enterprise providing a service to businesses around Kilkenny and three new jobs for three young men, providing meaningful employment that has a positive impact on the environment.  Together, WeCan all make the world a better, more inclusive and more environmentally friendly place. The WeCan service offers businesses a sustainable and practical solution for returning their cans and bottles, while advocating for an inclusive society.

Private Garden awards    

 Award winners

• Judy Rhatigan, 16 Riverside Drive
• Jacinta Burke, 15 Meadow Hill
• Carmel Cashin, 248 Aylesbury
• Jeanie Newell, 3 Kilsheelin
• Mary Walsh, 52 The Weir
• The Resident, 75 Lintown
• Julie Lawlor, 10 Kilsheelin Heights
• Emer & Paul Behan, 23 The Orchard
• Carl Ferry, 46 Ashfield
• Eileen & Jimmy O’Brien, 8 The Dell, Dukesmeadows
• Ellen O’Donovan, 9 Fr. Hayden Rd
• The Resident, 5 Altamont Park
• Ollie Hogan, 3 Ashwood
• Donna Taylor, 23 Ossory Park
• Michael Delaney & Deirdre Lovett, 30 Hebron Park
• John Dowling, 32 Fr. Albert Square
• Nancy & Chris Metzger, 7 Dean Cavanagh Place
• Eleanor Duggan, 34 Dominic St.
• Geraldine Reardon & Liam O’Neill. 4 Cedarwood Close
• John Cleary, 11 McDonagh St.
• Trish Duffe, 22 Talbot’s Inch
• Roisin & Liam Tyrell, 15 The Avenue, Fox Meadows
• Kathleen Bradley, 43 Lord Edward St.
• The Resident, 13 Springvale
• Noel Frawley, 4 Cashel Ave
• Ken & Mary Mason, 21 Maiden Hill
• Madeleine Carroll, 3 Beechlawns
• Loreta Timaite, 13 Springvale

Best overall estate  2026     Rosewood, Johnswell Rd.

 Congratulations to Rosewood Estate who impressed this year. Rosewood Residents Association undertook the Craig Benton composting course organised by  Kilkenny CoCo and  set  up wire mesh leaf mould baskets on the estate. Monthly litter picks and  clean ups are organised with participation  by the estate’s children. Planters  have been established around the estate with shrubs and flowers.  Wall baskets also provided  colour in the summer. Over the last  two years, the residents have also  run an easter egg hunt for the children in the estate