Cork Villages Shine in Annual Anti-Litter Challenge as Four West Cork Communities Achieve Perfect Scores

• Cork County Council has announced the winners of its popular Anti-Litter Challenge, with an unprecedented four villages in West Cork achieving full marks in this year's competition that attracted 66 villages and 20 towns across the county.

The annual competition, which has become a cornerstone of community pride across Cork, saw particularly fierce competition among West Cork's smaller villages this year. Newcestown, Cappeen, Ring and Kilmacsimon Quay all finished with perfect scores after six weeks of judging, forcing organisers to conduct an additional assessment round to determine the divisional finalist.

Awards were presented to winning communities at ceremonies in County Hall, Clonakilty and Mallow on Wednesday, 23rd July, recognising the efforts of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep their areas pristine.

Ring emerged victorious from the tie-breaker to represent West Cork's small villages in the county final, while Ballinspittle will fly the flag for the division's larger villages. Each top-placed village received €1,000 in prize money, with additional awards for runners-up and most improved communities.

In North Cork, Kildorrery continued its dominance by securing a third consecutive victory in the large villages category, while Knocknagree claimed top honours among small villages with what judges described as an "outstanding performance".

The Gaeltacht communities dominated South Cork's competition, with Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh winning the large villages category and Cúil Aodha taking first place among small villages.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley:

"Community groups are the heart of the fight against litter, helping us to create cleaner, safer spaces for everyone to enjoy. This year 20 towns and 66 villages entered the challenge and I congratulate all winners in their respective categories. We hope to see even more towns and villages take part in the challenge again next year."

The competition, which ran its judging phase between late April and early June, continues to grow in popularity as communities across Cork take pride in maintaining their local environments. Villages were assessed on various criteria including litter control, overall presentation and community engagement.

Other notable performances included Ballynoe in North Cork and Cloyne in South Cork, both recognised as best improvers in their respective divisions, while Timoleague earned the improvement award for West Cork.

The full list of divisional winners includes second and third place finishers across all categories, with towns such as Banteer, Rostellan and Union Hall among those recognised for their efforts. In North Cork, Coolagown and Lismire shared joint third place in the small villages category.

Cork County Council acknowledged the vital role played by volunteer groups who dedicate countless hours to maintaining and beautifying their communities. These efforts not only enhance the visual appeal of towns and villages but also contribute to environmental protection and community wellbeing.

The winners of the towns categories and the overall Villages County Final will be announced at a special awards ceremony in County Hall this September, where the ultimate champions of Cork's anti-litter efforts will be crowned.

For communities considering entering next year's competition, the success of villages like Ring and Kildorrery demonstrates that consistent effort and community engagement can lead to recognition at the highest level. With four villages achieving perfect scores this year, the standard continues to rise across the Rebel County.