More Than Meets the Eye: The Remarkable Work of Kenmare Tidy Towns
Behind Kenmare’s beautiful streets, colourful planting and welcoming public spaces is a dedicated group of volunteers whose work reaches far beyond keeping our town tidy.
At a recent meeting of Kenmare Tourism, Patricia Holbein gave a fascinating presentation on the work of Kenmare Tidy Towns. It was a timely reminder that, while many of us associate Tidy Towns with litter picking, flower beds and freshly painted streets, the reality is so much broader.
Across Ireland, Tidy Towns groups are helping to shape the future of their communities. They are protecting biodiversity, encouraging sustainable living, preserving heritage, improving accessibility, bringing people together and creating places that are better for everyone who lives in or visits them.
Kenmare Tidy Towns is a wonderful example of just how much can be achieved when a community works together.
A proud record of achievement
Kenmare has a long and distinguished history in the national Tidy Towns competition, with an impressive 25 gold medals to its name. The group’s achievements over the past year also include Gold at the Kerry Community Awards 2025 and recognition through the national Inclusive Community Award.
These awards are a testament not only to the appearance of our town, but to the commitment, planning and community spirit behind it. They recognise years of voluntary effort and a determination to make Kenmare a welcoming, sustainable and inclusive place for all.
So much more than litter picking
The national Tidy Towns competition considers a wide range of areas, including community involvement, streetscape and public places, green spaces, biodiversity, sustainability, residential areas and approach roads, as well as tidiness and litter control.
This means that the work of a Tidy Towns group can involve everything from organising a community clean up to developing a biodiversity action plan, encouraging sustainable transport, supporting local businesses or helping to improve public spaces.
It is a much more comprehensive approach to community development than many people realise.
Protecting the nature that makes Kenmare special
One of the most inspiring aspects of Patricia’s presentation was the group’s work on nature and biodiversity.
Kenmare is fortunate to be surrounded by an extraordinary natural environment, including Kenmare River Special Area of Conservation and Mucksna Wood Special Area of Conservation, with Killarney National Park and the Kerry Biosphere also nearby.
Kenmare Tidy Towns is working to protect and celebrate this natural heritage through projects such as its swift project, biodiversity action planning, pollinator friendly planting, reduced mowing and the development of walking trails and nature experiences at Reenagross.
The group has also been involved in citizen science, guided nature walks, Biodiversity Week and Heritage Week activities, helping residents and visitors alike to better understand the wildlife and habitats on our doorstep.
Sometimes, caring for nature means allowing it a little more space. A meadow left to flower, an area of grass mown less frequently or a planting scheme chosen for pollinators may look different from traditional landscaping, but these are thoughtful decisions that can make a real difference to biodiversity.
Growing a greener Kenmare
The work extends into our parks, gardens and public spaces too.
The presentation highlighted the Community Garden, which has applied for Green Flag recognition, the Peace Park on Bridge Street, town planting and a more coordinated approach to green spaces.
These projects are about more than appearance. They create places where people can meet, enjoy nature, learn new skills and feel connected to their community.
The Community Garden is a particularly lovely example of how a shared space can bring people together while encouraging growing, learning and environmental awareness.
Sustainability in action
Another important part of the group’s work is sustainability, or, as Patricia’s presentation put it, “doing more with less.”
Kenmare Tidy Towns is involved in initiatives ranging from local reuse projects and mini libraries to peat free flower growing, sustainable tourism and the development of a Sustainable Energy Community.
The Sustainable Energy Community work includes engagement with an SEAI mentor and nominating consultant to write an Energy Masterplan. These are significant projects that demonstrate how a volunteer organisation can help a town think strategically about its energy use and long term resilience.
The group is also encouraging greener business practices through the Le Chéile Awards and supporting initiatives such as Sustainable Tourism in Kenmare, known as STIK.
It is a reminder that sustainability is not simply about one big project. It is about the many practical choices that, together, can make a community more resilient.
Looking after our heritage and public spaces
Kenmare’s distinctive streetscape and rich heritage are among the things that make our town so special.
Tidy Towns plays an important role in encouraging good practice around buildings, shopfronts, street furniture, public art, heritage features and the overall presentation of our public spaces.
The group’s work also includes engagement on universal access, public toilets, derelict buildings and the future improvement of the town centre. These are issues that affect the everyday experience of residents as much as they do the experience of visitors.
Looking ahead, the presentation identified opportunities around the Town Centre First report, heritage and streetscape improvements, trees on Main Street, and further improvements to the Pier and Peninsula area.
These are ambitious aspirations, but they reflect a clear vision for Kenmare: a town that protects its character while continuing to improve for future generations.
Bringing the community together
Perhaps the most important part of Tidy Towns is the people.
Kenmare Tidy Towns works with schools, residents, businesses and other community organisations, organising events, workshops, educational activities and opportunities for people to get involved.
Its regular Tuesday evening summer meet ups, spring clean campaigns and work around major events are the visible side of that commitment. Behind the scenes, there is also planning, grant applications, award submissions, coordination and countless hours of voluntary effort.
The group’s work with young people is especially encouraging. Transition Year students have opportunities to take part in planting, litter picking, school garden projects, sustainability awareness and learning about dark skies.
By involving younger generations, Tidy Towns is helping to foster a sense of pride and responsibility for the place they call home.
A vision for the future
Patricia’s presentation also offered a glimpse of some exciting possibilities for Kenmare, including biodiversity and heritage trails, improved active travel and safe cycling routes, repair cafés, further work with residential estates and the development of a dark sky initiative.
A dark sky group is in the process of being established, with the ultimate ambition of creating a Dark Sky Reserve on both sides of Kenmare Bay. It is an exciting example of how protecting our natural environment can also create new opportunities for education, community engagement and sustainable tourism.
These projects remind us that Tidy Towns is not simply about maintaining what we have. It is about imagining what our town could become and working together to make that happen.
A national movement with a local heart
Kenmare is fortunate to have such a dedicated group, but the same spirit can be found in Tidy Towns communities throughout Ireland.
In towns and villages across the country, volunteers give their time to improve public spaces, protect wildlife, celebrate local heritage and strengthen community connections. Much of this work happens quietly, without fanfare, but its impact is felt by everyone.
The next time we admire a beautiful street, enjoy a community garden, walk through a wildlife friendly meadow or notice a freshly painted public space, it is worth remembering the people and planning behind it.
Tidy Towns is about pride of place, but it is also about people, nature and the future.
Thank you, Kenmare Tidy Towns
Kenmare Tourism would like to extend a sincere thank you to Patricia Holbein for her excellent presentation and to every member and volunteer of Kenmare Tidy Towns for the extraordinary work they do throughout the year.
Your dedication makes Kenmare a better place to live, work and visit, and your vision for the future is something the whole community can be proud of.
If you would like to get involved, support a project or learn more about the work of Kenmare Tidy Towns, we encourage you to connect with the group and discover how you can play a part. Every contribution, however small, helps to make a difference.
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