'Big honour' as Terryglass is chosen for major competition

THE Tidy Towns Unit of the Department of Rural and Community Development has nominated Terryglass Improvements Association to represent Ireland in the Village Category (population under 5,000) of the Entente Florale Competition 2025.
The Entente Florale Competition is a prestigious competition. It began in 1975 with two participating countries, France and Great Britain. Over the years the competition grew in popularity and attracted other members. Ireland joined in 1981 when the SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition was still under the auspices of Bord Fáilte. The present membership is twelve countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland.
While there are similarities with the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition, there are a few differences. The emphasis is on the partnership between the local authority and the local community working together to achieve goals and objectives. An Entente Florale Committee will be established consisting of the local authority working together with the Improvements Association. The Department will provide two experienced mentors to assist with the preparation for the Entente Florale adjudication.
The results of the adjudication will be announced at a prize giving ceremony in September 2025 in Slovenia (final date and location to be confirmed).
Entente Florale means “Flowery Alliance”. Entente Florale Europe is a Europe wide competition for villages, towns, cities, communities and public bodies administered by the international organisation Association Européenne pour le Fleurissement et le Paysage (AEFP). Each country must choose its entrants from its national Tidy Towns (or similar) competition, and on this basis, thousands of communities in the 12 countries participate on a regular basis.
Entente Florale raises the awareness of the importance of the green environment to the quality of living in participating communities, in residential, urban and industrial areas. This is considered a matter of importance because as populations grow, the density of urban and living areas within Europe is increasing. The provision of adequate green spaces and landscaping provide the necessary counterbalance required to preserve quality of life.
With this in mind, Entente Florale encourages the development and maintenance of landscaping, parks and green spaces in harmony with the natural and built environment. It also encourages and promotes environmental awareness and the inclusion of “green issues” in the education of children and young people; the promotion and development of green and environmental policies for the improvement of life and the improvement of the quality of tourism; the establishment of committed civic and community participation. The competition seeks to improve the publicity around the importance of these aims, and serve as a communications highway between communities on a European basis, enabling professionals to exchange information and develop long term partnerships.
The association provides support and advice for establishing, developing, and implementing sustainable energy initiatives within each vibrant community.
During the December meeting of Nenagh Municipal District, Cllr Joe Hannigan warmly congratulated Terryglass Improvements Association on being chosen. “Being in the Entente Florale competition is a big honour and it will be a massive boost for Terryglass,” he said. “It is a testament to the enormous amount of work which local people have been doing in Terryglass for many years to improve the appearance of their village, and to improve its relationship with nature.”
“Terryglass is the gold standard to which other villages and towns in the county are trying to aspire,” remarked Cllr Michael O'Meara. “Rathcabbin is trying to emulate Terryglass' standards and is getting there. Rathcabbin received a considerably higher overall mark in this year's National Tidy Towns competition. I wish Terryglass the very best in this distinguished competition.”