CORK has secured two nominations on the long-list of Ireland’s Greenest Places 2026 – including one in West Cork.

Kinsale has been nominated in the Greenest Town or Village category while Rosewood Estate in Ballincollig has been nominated in the Greenest Suburb category.

Both are now contenders for the overall title in Ireland’s Greenest Places 2026

The two Cork nominees were among almost 90 nominations put forward by members of the public from all over the country.

Kinsale has been a proud sustainability leader over 25 years, with the global green Transition Town Movement actually starting there.

In his pitch Donal Chambers says Transition Town Kinsale continues to flourish, promoting practical sustainability continually through multiple initiatives.

‘The longest running two-year permaculture course in the world at Kinsale Campus continues to attract students from all over to learn about real sustainability… Kinsale Community Energy Project is helping to make Kinsale one of the leaders in the green energy transition with 35 houses getting solar this year alone through our bulk buying scheme.

‘We also helped the men’s shed/youth café to remain open by reducing their bills significantly as a result of their free solar panels installed through our SEAI – Sustainable Energy Community.

‘Kinsale Skill Share & Kinsale Repair Cafe brings together community each month in Kinsale Campus with volunteers sharing skills such as preparing fermented foods and building real connections with each other each month. Kinsale Community Garden has been an inspiring recent success story for us thanks to a government grant awarded two years ago. It is now a bustling and flourishing space where people learn to grow food together, learn new practical skills and build friendships.

‘Through a seed library, the Kinsale Allotments, Creative Kinsale and new charity Regenerate, Kinsale residents are,’ Chambers argues ‘living real sustainability every day.’

In their pitch for Rosewood estate, Ballincollig, Mabel Hernandez, Maria Young and Eithne Lynch explain how two years ago the residents’ association conceived a plan to develop two acres of open space into a meadow.

They said: ‘The meadow and orchard, now fully established, is full of birdsong and is a beautiful sight to behold, the very definition of an urban green lung. The residents have begun training in scything in order to maximise and protect the habitat’s biodiversity.

‘The residents’ association has also begun a community solar energy scheme. So far, 30 of the estate’s households have expressed an interest in taking part in the first phase of installation.’

The shortlist for Ireland’s Greenest Places 2026 will be announced next week with the overall winner announced in early October.