Delight as Killarney Looking Good Competition 2024 winners are revealed

26 individual category awards winners have now been announced and in addition six highly commended awards with the winner of the coveted overall prize to be revealed at the prize-giving ceremony.

This will take place at a special reception in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney on Monday, October 14 where the special guest will be All-Ireland winning star and 2023 Footballer of the Year Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh.

Over three decades after it was first initiated, the Killarney Looking Good Competition was revived last year with a new committee, new categories, new sponsors and a great sense of purpose.

When the project was first launched in 1991 it was a community flower power event but it grew in importance with each passing year, culminating in some style when Killarney won the prestigious overall award in the national tidy towns competition in 2011.

It was no coincidence that when the competition was relaunched last year, it led to Killarney being crowned the tidiest large town in the country, finishing just one point behind the overall tidy towns winner Abbeyleix in Co Laois.

This year the awards again feature special categories in memory of two remarkable people who played massive roles in keeping Killarney looking its best down through the years.

The late Yvonne Quill was the driving force behind the Killarney tidy towns campaign for several years and she was at the helm when the sought-after overall award was secured 13 years ago.

The Yvonne Quill Memorial Award is presented to the volunteer of the year – a person who the adjudicators consider to be a standout contributor in the overall effort to keep Killarney tidy.

Up to the time of his death in January 2020, Fr Michael Murphy was the public face of tidy towns and he played a huge part in Killarney, Kenmare and Sneem winning the overall national award in 2011, 2000 and 1987 respectively. The Killarney Looking Good Competition honours his memory with a special Pride of Place award.

In the business community, there are awards for the best large and small commercial premises, best newly painted premises, best signage and the best retail award with prizes also for the most impressive hotel, public house, restaurant, café, guesthouse and best public building as well as the most improved premises.

In the residential categories awards will be presented to the best large and small estates, best private residence, best roadside garden, best floral display and best friendly planting award.

Other categories include a green hospitality award, a corporate special responsibility award, a restoration award, best school and a special biodiversity award.

The Killarney Looking Good Competition is organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Killarney Municipal District Council. MD O'Shea & Sons are the overall sponsors of the competition and O'Mahony Media Ltd is the media sponsor.

The competition runs throughout the tourist season and businesses and residential areas are monitored on an ongoing basis.

Here are the Killarney Looking Good Competition Winners 2024: Best Large Commercial Premises: Arbutus Hotel, College Street

Best Small Commercial Premises: Mr McGuire's Olde Sweet Shop, College Square

Best Newly Painted Premises: The Dungeon, College Street

Best Public House: Charlie Foley's Bar, New Street

Best Hotel: Cahernane House Hotel, Muckross Road

Best Restaurant: Foley's Townhouse and Restaurant, High Street

Best Café: Deenagh Lodge, Knockreer

Best Retail: Kilkenny Design/Christy's Gift Store, Main Street

Green Hospitality Award: Killarney Coffee Cup Project

Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Sisk

Restoration Award: Tigh Mary Donal's, Muckross Road

Best Signage: Killarney Golf and Fishing Club

Best Guesthouse: Killarney Lodge Guesthouse, Countess Road

Best Private Residence: Fr Simon Twomey, Dromhale

Best Large Estate: Castle Falls

Best Small Estate: Monastery Gardens

Best Roadside Garden: 47 St Brendan's Place

Best Floral Display: Hussey's Bar, High Street

Best Primary School: The Monastery, New Road

Best Secondary School: Killarney Community College, New Road

Most improved Premises: Quill's Irish Jewellery, Main Street/New Street

Biodiversity Award: Niall Keogh, Mill Road

Best Public Building: Killarney Railway Station

Best Friendly Planting: BeBé Crèche and Montessori

Fr Michael Murphy Memorial Pride of Place Award: Pinewood Estate

Yvonne Quill Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award: Paud O'Donoghue, Ross Road

Highly Commended Awards:

Silver Birch, Ballycasheen

Alverna, Park Road