The KKB Annual Awards took place at Langton’s Hotel on the 2nd November 2015.
Best Commercial floral display
Commended: Billy Byrnes, John street
The Dylan, John street
Bollards, Kieran street
Winner O’Lanagain, Rose Inn street
Most Improved Commercial Premises
Commended: Glendine Inn, Castlecomer Road
Smithwick’s Experience, Parliament Street
Zipyard , Irishtown
Winner La Rivista, Parliament Street
Best Shop Front
Commended: Willoughby’s, High Street
Marble City Barbers, John Street
Bridie’s, John Street
Winner – Yesterdays, Patrick Street
Best Shop Signage
Commended: Lenehan’s, Castlecomer Rd.
Kilkenny Crafts, Rose Inn Street
Campion Dental, Watergate Street
Winner – The Gift Horse, Rose Inn Street
attractive hand-painted shop front in prominent location, showing that the art of sign writing is still strong in Kilkenny”
Best Kilkenny Hospitality Display
Commended: Mena House, Castlecomer Road
Kilkenny House Hotel, Freshford Road
Winner Fanad House, Bennettsbridge Road
“once again this year a very attractive floral display provides a colourful welcome to our city’s visitors “
Best Commercial Centre
Commended: Market Cross Shopping Centre
“extensive upgrading and decoration of the exterior of the centre took place over the last year improving presentation to the City”
Winner Aldi, Waterford Road
“Aldi sets a very high standard in relation to providing an attractive landscaped surrounding to their store”
Heroes in our Community
“These awards are given to people from our community who have shown leadership in their community over many years. It is through the quiet work of citizens in our community that strengthens our community spirit. The Heroes in our community awards recipients for 2015 are…
Marty Bambrick
Phylis O’Rourke
Fitzpatrick perpetual shield for Community effort
“This award is in recognition of a group from our community in Kilkenny who have tackled the problems in their community in a positive hands on way. Whether it was litter picking, cleaning and brushing; painting railing and walls and removal of Graffiti, trimming hedges, improving of the City Slips or suburban roads or giving a helping hand to Residents Associations, this group came out to work with the KKB and the Community. This year’s winner of the Fitzpatrick Perpetual shield for Community Effort is the….
“Kilkenny Presbyterian group”.
The Brendan Lawless Memorial Environmental award
In 2013 Kilkenny lost one of its most unique sons and a former Chairman of Keep Kilkenny Beautiful, Brendan Lawless. Brendan is remembered for his wonderful artistic skills and his one-off hand painted signs throughout the City. In memory of Brendan, the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful committee present commendations and the 2015 award to those who have made a special effort in 2015 to Keep Kilkenny Beautiful.
Commendations:
Switzers Trust, Bennettsbridge Road Attractive garden with play spaces and sitting area for historic residential ensemble Breagagh House, Kells Road Upkeep of well maintained communal gardens St Canice’s Cathedral Attractive new interpretative signage for visitors Butler Court, Patrick street Upkeep of archway Access and Laneway off the main street St John’s Day Centre and residential units Well kept premises with inviting colourful planting
Environmental Trophy Recipient 2015 Rothe House and Gardens
“Rothe House and gardens are very special and unique. The gardens received a special award from the Communities in Bloom judges in July 2015. The gardens were also finalists in the 2015 international awards of the Communities in Bloom competition in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada where they got special mention and Kilkenny received a 5 bloom award. Rothe house and Gardens are a worthy recipient of the Brendan Lawless Memorial environmental award 2015”
Best all year round colour award 2015
This award is presented to city centre premises who make a special effort to have all year round planting floral colour. Whether it is winter or spring, autumn or summer the following recipients worked throughout the year to provide an attractive colourful presentation at their premises.
Recipients: 6 Patrick Street
The Parade House, The Parade
Kytelers Inn, Rose Inn Street.
Kilkenny Tourist Hostel, Parliament Street.
Hall of Fame Award
“The hall of Fame award is awarded in recognition of the contribution of citizens who have given their time and effort to the betterment of Kilkenny and the Tidy Towns movement.
This year’s award is granted to a person who has worked tirelessly for the improvement of Kilkenny city over many years.
The achievement of the Ibal three in a row overall award for Kilkenny and also the winning for a second time by Kilkenny of the National tidy towns award 2014 could not have been achieved without the efforts of many persons and in particular without the efforts of this year’s recipient who was Kilkenny Executive Engineer until his retirement earlier in the autumn. The Keep Kilkenny committee are honoured to present this year’s award to”….
Kieran Fitzgerald.
Parish and City wide residential Awards
Residential estate competition
The judging criteria for this competition included the following headings. The structure of the garden; Landscaping; Sustainable planting /year round planting; Annual planting/ flowers; Overall impression.
- Best Private Gardens, Highly commended, St. Canice’s Parish
Dun Angus, Castlecomer road
Michael Kelly, Riverside villa, Riverside drive
Michael & Patricia Shortall, 3 Riverside Drive
Breda Slattery, 17 Meadow Hill
- Best Private Gardens, Highly commended, St. John’s Parish
Ber Delaney, 6 Assumption Heights
Susanne Sheridan, 32 Glenbawn
Nuala and John Byrne, 16 Newpark Drive
Paul & Phyllis O’Callaghan, 5 Lintown Court
- Best Private Gardens Highly Commended St. Mary’s Parish
Eileen Tynan 71 Old Callan road
Mary Reynolds, 10 St. Francis Terrace
Maureen Logan, 74 Dean Kavanagh place
149 St. Rioch’s St.
- Best Private Gardens Highly commended, St. Patrick’s Parish
Denis Mulhall, 15 Noremount
Frank & Mary Blanch, 9 Cedarwood Close
Mary Lacey, 38 Riverview
Siobhan O’Keefe, 71 Larchfield
- City Best overall private garden 2015 – Runners up
Delaney Family, 40 Richview, Castlecomer Road
Ray Mccawley, Hill View, Meadow Hill
9 Fr Delahunty Terrace, Old Callan Rd
- City Best overall private garden 2015- Winner
Noel and Caroline Carroll, 36 Hazel Grove
“this garden forms an oasis to be enjoyed, there is a variety of planting types and colours with a mixture of annuals and perennials. There is colour at ground level at medium level and in hanging baskets. The ensemble is supplemented by paved areas and sculptures and is protected by evergreen hedging. “
Residential estate competition
The judging criteria for this competition included the following headings; The Built Environment and streetscape; Landscaping; Wildlife and Natural Amenities; Tidiness & Litter Control; Sustainable Waste and Resource Management; Overall impression.
Residential estates highly commended
- Residential estate highly commended St. Patricks Parish
Deans Court, Waterford Road
Dukesmeadows, Bennettsbridge road
- Residential estate highly commended St. Canices Parish
Sycamores & Aylesbury, Freshford Road
Broguemakers Hill, Greens Bridge
- Residential estate highly commended St. Johns Parish
Richview, Castlecomer Road
Newpark Close
- Residential estate highly commended St. Marys Parish
Dean Cavanagh Place
St. Francis Terrace
Section 4: Overall Awards
Best overall residential estates highly commended
- Highly commended – larger residential estate
Lintown Hall
Robertshill, Circular Road
Talbot’s Inch Freshford Road
- Highly commended – Best overall smaller, residential estate
Beechpark, Bennettsbridge road
Clarnwood, Freshford Road
Rose Hill Court, Circular Road
- Winner – Best overall smaller residential estate in Kilkenny
Bishop Birch Place,
“the judges were amazed by the extent of work which has been completed over the last number of years to improve the estate. There is a vibrant community. The judges found the area litter free. There are also very attractive individual houses with planted gardens and baskets and some are also recycling water using water butts. There are many incidental planted areas, a pump and trough feature in the green space and an attractive wall planting to cover walls on the entrance road. There are many trees and a large green space. Congratulations to Bishop Birch place on their efforts and the receipt of their overall award in 2015 “
- Winner – Best overall larger residential estate in Kilkenny
Melville Heights, Bennettsbridge Rd.,
“Melville heights is located at an important entry point into the city at the Junction of the ring road and the Bennettsbridge road. There is an extensive sustainable planted bank at the entrance with many different flowers and shrubs. The estate looks after the roadside bank area which has rare orchid flowers. There are open spaces, planted areas, feature rockeries and extensive tree planting throughout the estate. In the last year there was also extensive bulb planting. The estate entrance sign bed has attractive year-round planting. It takes a lot of work to keep a large estate in such a good condition, the judges recognise the extensive efforts and work which has been undertaken on a voluntary basis by the estate, congratulations to Melville on their overall award for 2015 “
- Best Tidy Towns Parish in Kilkenny City in 2015
This award is an initiative by the committee of Keep Kilkenny Beautiful to encourage each of the four City parishes to focus on community spirit through well-kept neighbourhoods, painted buildings and positive community initiatives to maintain streets, estates, public spaces, gardens, community and religious sites in our City.
This award is not judged by local judges but the decision is based on the National Tidy towns adjudicators report which is available on tidytowns.ie. This award aims to encourage, support and foster greater environmental awareness at a parish community level throughout the City.
St John’s Parish