Legan’s Foxhall Crescent scoops top accolade

There was great excitement as the winners of the 2014 Better Estates in the county were announced.

Foxhall Crescent in Legan was the overall winner with Church View Drive, Drumlish and Marian Terrace, Ballymahon in second and third position.

An awards ceremony took place at the Canal Studio in Slashers Complex, where 20 local authority estates across the county were honoured.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Longford County Council’s Better Estates competition and there were entries from residents associations of 35 local authority owned estates.

Devine Crescent, Edgeworthstown and Springlawn in Longford also received top awards in this year’s competition.

In the estates built before 1997 category, Smithfield Crescent, Legan; Church View Drive, Drumlish and Marian Terrace, Ballymahon took the top three spots, while within the newer estates built up to 2004 - Foxhall Crescent in Legan took the top spot with Curraghrua in Lanesboro and River Crescent in Ballinalee in joint second place.

In the newest local authority estates category – built after 2005 - Newtownforbes’ Woodview took the 1st prize, followed by Cois Na hAbhainn in Ballinalee and Slí na Móna in Ballymahon.

Among the estates in Longford town, without the support of a CE scheme, Annaly Park came first, Teffia Park was second and Ardán Alainn came third.

Hazelwood in Colehill won the prize for the Community Development Submission; the Best Garden gong went to Avril Kiernan of 5 Slí na Mona in Ballymahon and the most improved estate prize also went to a Ballymahon estate – Parkside Gardens.

Elsewhere, four estates were highly commended – they included Deerpark, Kenagh; Hazelwood, Colehill; Canálach Le Chéile, Longford and Cúirt Shanmullagh, Ballinamuck.

Longford/Westmeath Fine Gael TD, James Bannon paid tribute to all those involved and pointed to the high scores achieved by Longford and Westmeath in the 2014 SuperValu Tidy Towns competition.

“The high scores obtained by towns like Longford and Ballinahown is a fantastic result and is testament to the hard work and dedication of local voluntary organisations,” he added.

“I would like to congratulate the Tidy Town Committees, the business committees, the estate committees and everyone involved in this major community success. Thanks are also due, for the back-up and support given to the voluntary groups by both Longford and Westmeath County Councils.”