Ballincollig Tidy Towns group, headed by Tom Butler, was honoured recently with a civic reception, one of then highest honours the City can bestow. The voluntary group was honoured for their success at last year awards, with Ballincollig named as Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre and also winning the County Award for Cork Southwest, achieving their 11th Gold Medal!
Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, described the volunteers as, ‘master craftspeople in terms of building communities’, adding that ‘Ballincollig is a place with everything going for it, and there is a real buzz to it.’ Cllr Derry Canty, due to retire at the upcoming June local elections after three decades, said it was a great night for Ballincollig and he was delighted their trojan work was being honoured, whilst Cllr Colm Kelleher said all involved deserved praise, and singled out Kitty O’Callaghan, ‘who’s out sweeping and picking the roads in Ballincollig every day.’
pics Brian Lougheed