Abbeyshrule and Longford town celebrating gold medal SuperValu TidyTowns success
Abbeyshrule once again revealed as the county Longford winner at the SuperValu TidyTowns awards ceremony in Croke Park, with awards also going to Longford town, Newtowncashel, Drumlish and Ardagh
The beautiful south Longford village of Abbeyshrule, along the banks of the Royal Canal Greenway, was once again announced as the county winner at the SuperValu TidyTowns awards ceremony in Croke Park on Friday, October 23.
The dedicated and hard working Abbeyshrule committee increased their marks total by twelve on their 2025 performance.
And to put this in some perspective, Abbeyshrule's superb 404 total was just nine marks behind that of the overall 2026 National Award winners, Ballinahown.
Abbeyshrule, in 2012, were the National Award Winners and more than a decade on they are proudly maintaining the exceptionally high standards that they have set for themselves. As County First and Gold Medal winners they will receive €2,000 in prize money.
Longford town’s hugely impressive upward trajectory in the TidyTowns competition continues and on 399 marks they were announced as second place in County Longford and they were also Gold Medal winners.
Incredibly, within four years, the committed Longford TidyTowns group has seen their marks increase by 42 from 357 in 2023 (they were awarded 374 marks in 2024 and 383 in 2025). As County Second and Gold Medal winners Longford will receive €800 and €1,000 in prize money, respectively.
Newtowncashel with 398 marks (an increase of 16 on the 382 they secured in 2025) were the County Third and Silver Medal winners, while Drumlish, on 390 marks (an increase of 14 on the 376 they got in 2025) were Bronze Medal winners.
National Winners in 1980, Newtowncashel as the County Third and Silver Medalists receive €1,300. Drumlish TidyTowns will receive €500 in recognition of their Bronze Medal success.
Ardagh, National Winners on three occasions in 1989, 1996 & 1998, accumulated 355 marks and were named as Endeavour Award winners. The Endeavour Award goes to the entrant in each county that made the biggest percentage improvement on the previous year’s score. Ardagh’s marks increased by 17 this year.
A Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal is awarded to an entrant with a score falling within a specified range of marks of the overall winner of the competition.
The results for all twenty-six areas in county Longford are as follows:
(Mark received in 2025 in brackets)
Category A
(Population under 200)
Abbeyshrule 404 (392) County First (€1,000) & Gold Medal (€1,000), Newtowncashel 398 (382) County Third (€500) & Silver Medal (€800), Mullinalaghta 332 (318), Derryhaun 327 (318), Taghshinny 298 (291), Killashee 294 (290), Colehill 281 (276), Moydow 273 (262), Barry 249 (244).
Category B
(Population 201 - 1,000)
Newtownforbes 379 (365), Cullyfad Village 371 (355), Kenagh 364 (347), Clondra 362 (349), Legan Village 359 (344), Ardagh 355 (338) Endeavour Award (€500), Abbeylara 346 (334), Ballinamuck 344 (329), Lisryan 324 (313), Carrickboy 286 (281), Ballinalee 285 (276), Stonepark 273 (276).
Category C
(Population 1,001 - 2,500)
Drumlish 390 (376) Bronze Medal (€500), Ballymahon 311 (305).
Category D
(Population 2,501 - 5,000)
Lanesboro 379 (361), Edgeworthstown 366 (352).
Category F
(Population 10,001 - 15,000)
Longford Town 399 (383) County Second (€800) & Gold Medal (€1,000).