WEST Cork featured prominently among the county’s Gold Medal winners at this year’s Supervalu National Tidy Towns Awards which were announced in Croke Park last Friday.

Rosscarbery, which has the distinction of two Ireland’s Tidiest Village titles, took top marks in the county with 413 points and won a Gold Medal.

Other West Cork Gold Medal winners include Bantry, Ballydehob, Carrigaline, Clonakilty, Kinsale, Macroom, Skibbereen and Timoleague.

The proud Skibbereen delegation accepting their fourth Gold Medal for their Tidy Towns efforts this year.

John Maloney, chairman of Rosscarbery Tidy Towns, noted Rosscarbery’s score from the judges was just two short of the overall winners.

He told The Southern Star: “This is a great achievement. The Tidy Towns project is a wide and diverse list of works carried out over the year. Indeed some projects take a number of years. Success is a slow process taking time, planning and commitment from many people in the community. Caring for our flower beds is a major job of work. Along with this street seating, litter bins, signage and footpaths are maintained.”

The busy team of dedicated volunteers are out every Tuesday and Thursday – and their hard work was borne out by the fact that the village was litter-free on the day judges visited at the height of a busy summer season.

John added: “We say thank you to all our volunteers, our business owners, our expert help people, our schools, teachers, students, contractors, our CES and Cork County Council workers and all in the community who help at every stage of the competition.”

Clonakilty were Gold Medal winners once again, with a gain of 14 points on last year’s score.

Scoil na Buachaillí were regional winners in the Tiny Schools special award category.

Timoleague was placed third in the county behind standard-bearing neighbours Rosscarbery and Clonakilty with a single mark separating all three.

A score of 409 points earned the village its fourth Gold Medal in the national competition.

Mayor of Clonakilty Yousuf Janab Ali with volunteer stalwart Noreen Minihane at the awards ceremony which was held at Croke Park last Friday.

Bantry won its sixth consecutive Gold Medal, while Skibbereen won its fourth Gold Medal, increasing its score by 16 points. Macroom received a score of 398 marks, up 12 marks on last year’s score.

Bandon retained its Bronze Medal status, recording its biggest increase in points ever and just missing out on a Silver Medal by two points.

The adjudicators noted: “Bandon was a revelation to this adjudicator and the work that you have been carrying out in every category and at every corner of the town is exemplary.”

Dunmanway was awarded a Silver Medal following on from its first award last year of a Bronze Medal, with an 18 point increase in points from the judges.

The picturesque coastal village of Courtmacsherry was also celebrating its 2026 results in the national competition with 368 marks from adjudicators – an increase of ten marks from last year.