Category Archives: Cityscape

tree planting – science week

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St Kieran’s College Transition year  students, KKB and  New Orchard Residents  took part in the Science week tree planting  programme,  planting some 500 trees for the environment in Kilkenny City. The trees were donated by Coilte in conjunction with  Science Foundation Ireland and coordinated by Orla Farrell  of the easy treesie Crann project. congratulations to all. maintenance of the newly planted areas will continue in the spring.

Annual Awards 2019 – Results

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A large crowd attended the 2019 annual awards ceremony which took place at the Springhill court hotel on the 29th of October 2019.

Ian McCullough Of Birdwatch Kilkenny presented a thought-provoking presentation in relation to biodiversity in our city and recommendations on how to improve planting to be insect and bee friendly.

Set out under our list of the award recipients in the various categories. Congratulations to all.

Keep Kilkenny Beautiful awards 2019 results

Best commercial floral display    

Highly commended

Bollard’s,  Kieran St.

Kytler’s Inn, Kieran St.

Rafter Dempsey’s,  Friary St.

Langton’s, John Street.

Tynan’s Bridge house

Rothe House, Parliament  St.

 

Winner

Hotel Kilkenny

Attractive composition of flowers complementing the  well maintained  hotel buildings and courtyards 

 

Most improved commercial premises      

Highly commended

Aran Bakery, Barrack St.

Crown Hair Salon, Ormonde st.

Mokum Interiors, Dean  st.

Winner

The Hungry Moose, John St.,

Upgrading an existing corner  building which had been vacant for a number of years with attractive decoration and  colourful  flowers on an important junction

 

Best shop front         

Highly commended

Murphy Jewellers, High st.,

Maibe Carey, Parliament st.,

Newbridge Silverware,  High st.

Winner

Brennan’s Bottling Store,  Walkin St.,

Attractive traditional public house on corner site with appropriate  signage and  eye-catching decoration.

Best shop signage

Highly commended

Little Green Grocer, Parliament st.

Designer Emporium, Kieran st.

Winner

Food For Life, Kieran st.

Well decorated shop premises  with attractive signage and complementary art work

Best Kilkenny hospitality

Highly commended

Springhill Court Hotel, Waterford rd.,

Mena House, Castlecomer rd.

Park Villa, Castlecomer rd.

Fanad House, Bennettsbridge rd.

Winner

Hibernian Hotel, Patrick St.

Fine city centre establishment in prominent location with external seating area on the newly revamped Patrick st welcomes visitors to Kilkenny

Best Commercial Centre

Highly commended

IMC Cinema, off Castlecomer rd.

Market Cross Shopping Centre

Winner

Kilkenny Retail & Business Park

The overall area is well presented and maintained with attractive perimeter tree planting and areas of sustainable planting

 

Awards for evening premises display

Commendation

Paris Texas, High st.

Billy Byrnes 39 John st. Upper

Winner

Bridie’s, 72 John  st.

Entrepreneur awards

Kilkenny Boat Tours

Providing  a new perspective with their  river  Nore  tours of our City

Kilkenny Segway  Tours

Providing  city wide electric Segway tours of our City

Special Awards – Hidden gems 2019

St. Mary’s Daycare centre & residential units,     Gaol Rd/ Haughney Green

For providing sustainable colour on  the street edge.

Fushia House, Waterford rd.

For special effort in providing a colourful display and care of adjacent green spaces 

Joanna McLoughlin,  Magdalen Court

For special effort in providing a colourful display

 

 

 

 

 

 

38 Abbey sq.

For special effort in providing colourful displays

Mary Jo Gilligan, Tilbury Place

For special effort in reclaiming  the street

Joe Carton & Niamh O’Donoghue, John’s Quay

For special effort in providing  colourful planting  in the city centre

McDonagh Junction shopping centre

For special effort in  upgrading   presentation 

Mother of Fair Love school, James st.

 The Tidy towns Judge remarked ”We admired three lovely new trees in the grounds of the Mother of Fair Love school near St Mary’s Cathedral.” 

 

Kilkenny street of the year  2019

Patrick  street

This street has really improved over the last number of years. The judges were impressed with the variety of shop types and businesses, the many excellently painted shop fronts and buildings, the range of flowers, planters and the overall impression was very positive. Congratulations to Patrick  Street as winner of the 2019 Kilkenny street of the year

Special award 2019

Simon Walton

For his dedication and assistance as City Engineer  to Tidy Towns  & Kilkenny City over the last number of years

Heroes in our Community Award

Men’s Shed  – Good Shepherd centre

“These award are given to those from our community  who have shown leadership in their community. It is through their  quiet work that  many excellent projects are completed throughout Kilkenny city on an ongoing basis. During 2019 they  also constructed 3 large  owl boxes   for KKB which  have been erected at  sites around Kilkenny city.

Fitzpatrick Perpetual Shield for Community Effort              

Home Rule Club

We congratulate the Home Rule Club for their well presented premises on John’s quay on their  125 year anniversary.

The Brendan Lawless Memorial Award

Gardening Staff  lead by Katherine Keoghan  of  Kilkenny Co Co

” This award is   for the excellent sustainable  gardening and colourful planting undertaken  through out our city”

PRIVATE GARDENS 2019

PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST PATRICK’S  PARISH   Area A & B

Siobhan Griffith,   Garden Villas

5 Nuncio rd.

Cathleen Ayers,  Dean’s Court

Tony Murphy, Rose Hill court

Maureen Scully,  St Patrick’s close

PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST JOHN’S  PARISH Area A

Mary Nolan, Lacken  Drive

Liam Kelly, Newpark Lower

Peggy O’Toole,  Lacken  Drive

Sean & Mairead Delaney, Glenview, Castlecomer road

Terence & Maire Morris,  The Weir

Margaret Greene,   Glendine Court

Aileen Beirne,  Meadow Way

PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST JOHN’S  PARISH Area B

Larry Murphy, New Orchard

Brendan Burke & Joie Bourke,  The Orchard

John Brophy,  New Orchard

Turlough O’Dwyer,   Rathullard,

Margaret Egan,  Pococke Upper

Lintown Gardens

Alison & Niall Brett, Rosedale Garringreen/Whitewood

PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST CANICE’S  PARISH

Kilsallagh, College Gardens

Patricia Shortall,  Riverside Drive

Mary Deevy,  Riverside Drive

Breda Slattery,  Meadow Hill

Fran Grincell,  Talbots Inch

Judy Rhatigan,  Riverside Drive

PRIVATE GARDENS HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST MARY’S  PARISH

Helen Kavanagh,  Dean Kavanagh place

Lucy Talent    Upper  Walkin Street

Maureen Logan,  Dean Kavanagh Place

PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL 3RD PLACE

Rebecca & Priscilla Byrne,  Fatima Place

PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL 2ND  PLACE

Jacinta Brett, Meadow Hill

PRIVATE GARDENS OVERALL WINNER 2019

Liam McCormack,  Greenfields Court

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential estate competition

RESIDENTIAL ESTATE  HIGHLY COMMENDED

ST PATRICK’S PARISH (Area A)

Dukesmeadows

Larchfield court

Beech Park

Westfield

Cedarwood Close Loughboy park / Cedarwood Drive/ Cedarwood Avenue/ Cedarwood Crescent/

Marble Crest

ST PATRICK’S PARISH (Area B)

Ashleigh Court

Fiacre’s Place

Mayfield

Edenvale Close

The Paddocks

ST JOHN’S PARISH  (Area A)

Richview

Ardilea

De la Salle place

Glendine Heights

ST JOHN’S PARISH  (Area B)

The  Orchard

Ashfield  /  Ashfield East

Rathullord

ST CANICE’S  PARISH

Talbot’s Inch

Breagagh Court

Riverside drive, Meadow hill, Greenfields road, Loreto Avenue

Broguemakers hill

The Sycamores/Aylesbury

Ayrfield

ST MARY’S  PARISH

Rose Hill Court

College Court & Old Callan road

Fr Murphy sq.

Rushbrook

BEST OVERALL RESIDENTIAL ESTATES  2019

Sponsor   St Canice’s Kilkenny  Credit Union

Joint runners up smaller residential  estates 2019 :

Lacken Drive

New Orchard estate

Winner – Best overall smaller residential estate in Kilkenny 2019

Gallow’s Hill

“the judges were impressed with the care taken by this small community to look after their estate. The small green space is neatly looked after there are attractive ivy covered walls and attractive planting in a   mature tree setting. Congratulations to Gallows Hill, on their efforts and the receipt of their overall smaller estate award in 2019“

Joint runners up larger estates 2019 :

Newpark Lower /Upper

Lintown Hall

Winner – Best overall larger residential estate in Kilkenny  2019

Rose Hill  (off Kells road)

“The judges were amazed by the extent of work which has been completed over the last number of years to improve this estate. The judges were very impressed by the attractive green spaces, variety of trees, Cootes lane and  the green spaces adjacent. The judges found the estate litter free. Congratulations to Rose Hill  on their efforts and the receipt of their overall award in 2019“

 

Community Orchard on Bennettsbridge rd. gets summer weeding.

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Many thanks to the Lions Club and Dukesmeadows residents association who joined forces with KKB to undertake a Summer weeding of the Bennettsbridge rd., community orchard. The orchard has a variety of  fruit tree types and also fruit bushes in an attractive location adjacent to  the access route to the river Nore walks. The variety of trees and bushes  is attractive for  our pollinators and also provide autumn fruit  and berries which is of interest to  wildlife.

Kileknny City IBAL top spot No.1 2019

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Kilkenny received the top spot in this 1st round for 2019.

A  very big effort has been made throughout the first 6 months of 2019 to keep Kilkenny litter free and to improve our city’s presentation. There are regular KKB clean ups and improvement works which supplement the extensive work undertaken by Kilkenny Co Co , our many resident associations and local volunteers throughout Kilkenny.

 

We were thrilled that the bring bank at St Canices church car park was found by the adjudicator to be so much better following the renovation work undertaken by Kilkenny Co Co over the last few months. We have been monitoring this location on an ongoing basis as it is very heavily used and the recycle bins fill up quickly. KKB did a clean up in this area last Saturday and ongoing vigilance is required.

The Judges also found the Kells road R697, Dublin road R712 and also the N10 motorway link road in good condition, all of which are regularly checked by KKB to keep them in good condition.

Kilkenny county council must be congratulated for their work on Parliament street and the other street improvements underway currently.

During 2019 many premises in the City have redecorated their buildings. Keep Kilkenny Beautiful continue to encourage premises owners to maintain and decorate the premises.

For anyone who wishes to assist with volunteering they can contact us at mail@keepkilkennybeautiful.com see our website at keepkilkennybeautiful.com or call our secretary at 086-1687553

 

An Taisce Report – IBAL Anti-Litter League, Round 1, 2019

Kilkenny: 1st out of 40 Towns / Cities Surveyed. Cleaner than European Norms.

Kilkenny returns to a place it has been many times – the top of the IBAL table. The entire area was pristine but some top-ranking sites deserve special mention. The Pedestrian Bridge / River Bank was a lovely riverside environment which was wonderfully presented and maintained. Parliament Street was attractively laid out and scored very well with regard to litter. Market Cross (Pedestrianised shopping mall) was very fresh in terms of presentation and litter. The design of the ‘Bring Bank’ at St. Canice’s was such that there were few opportunities for ‘stuffing’ items between, beneath and behind the recycle units.

R712 Approach Road: Grade A. A well presented route, creating a positive first impression of Kilkenny. Road surface, signage and markings were in good order and it scored well with regard to litter.

Kilkenny Train Station – Exterior: Grade A. The exterior of the train station presented well with flower beds and built environment in good order. It got the top litter grade, but only just. Cigarette butts were noticeable in the flower beds – this needs to be addressed to prevent further build-up. The remainder of the area was very good.

Kilkenny Train Station – Interior: Grade A. All aspects of the interior of the station were in very good condition and fresh in appearance e.g. tiled flooring, seating, bins and signage. There was a complete absence of litter. The industrial ‘blue’ bin was very full / overflowing, potentially causing a litter situation.

Pedestrian Bridge / River Bank: Grade A. This riverside environment has been wonderfully presented and maintained. Grass banks, paving, bin, life-belt, etc. were in very good condition. There was a virtual absence of litter throughout the area surveyed.

Parliament Street: Grade A. As a main shopping street this was beautifully laid out with attractive paving and seating creating an opportunity for relaxing. The overall impression created along Parliament Street was a positive one with regard to presentation and litter. It is very well served by litter bins.

Vacant site – formerly Cheri Lee: Grade A. (on Parliament Street, opposite New Building Lane) This red brick mid-terrace building is no longer operating. It got the top litter grade, but only just, with a virtual absence of litter. It could easily slide to a littered status. The paint / woodwork were decaying.

‘Bring Centre’ at St. Canice’s: Grade A. The design / layout of this facility presents very well, leaving little opportunity for the ‘stuffing’ of items that so regularly happens elsewhere throughout the country. Overall, it was very much deserving of the top litter grade.

Market Cross, Shopping Mall: Grade A.The paving at this pedestrianised shopping area created an artistic effect and the area was enhanced by some large planter boxes. All aspects of the area surveyed were in very good order e.g. seating, bins, planted areas, signage etc.. It was excellent with regard to litter.

R697 Approach Road: Grade A. There was a complete absence of litter along this stretch of road.

M9 – N10 Link Road to Carlow: Grade A. The overall impression created along this route was a clean one with no visible litter issues.