Kerry Captain Gavin White is hoping that, all going according to plan, two major trophies could be on display in Killarney in the coming months with the overall Tidy Towns award paraded through the streets alongside the Sam Maguire Cup.

The brilliant defender has the honour of captaining his county this season as a result of his club Dr Crokes winning the Kerry Senior Football Championship crown and the speed merchant wing back is certainly leading by example.
He capped a fine performance against Roscommon last Saturday with a goal at Fitzgerald Stadium but he had little time to celebrate as he had to swap the football for the brush and the green and gold jersey for the hi-vis bib to launch this year’s Killarney Looking Good Competition.
Apart, perhaps, from climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand to collect Sam for the first time since 2022, Gavin would love nothing more than to see his beloved Killarney crowned Ireland’s Tidiest Town for the first time since 2011.
And, like the Kerry team, the Killarney Looking Good Committee members are hoping that teamwork, determination and a little extra polish can make that dream come true.
The Killarney Looking Good Competition, which returned stronger than ever in 2022 after an enforced three-year absence, due to the pandemic, will see awards presented in 26 different categories and high achievers in the business and residential community will be honoured at a gala prizegiving ceremony at the close of the tourist season.
In the business community, there will be awards for the best large and small commercial premises, best newly painted premises, best signage and the best retail award with prizes also for the most impressive hotel, public house, restaurant, café, guesthouse and best public building as well as the most improved premises.
In the residential categories awards will go to the best large and small estates, best private residence, best roadside garden, best floral display and best friendly planting award.
Other categories include a green hospitality award, a corporate special responsibility award, a restoration award, best school and a special biodiversity award and several highly commended awards will also be up for grabs while the winner of the prestigious overall award will be announced at the prizegiving ceremony.
There are also two special categories in memory of two remarkable people who played massive roles in keeping Killarney looking its best down through the years.
The late Yvonne Quill was the driving force behind the Killarney Tidy Towns campaign for several years and she was at the helm when the sought-after overall award was secured 14 years ago.
This year the Yvonne Quill Memorial Award will be presented to the volunteer of the year – a person who the adjudicators consider to be a standout contributor – in the overall effort to keep Killarney tidy.
Up to the time of his death in January 2020, Fr Michael Murphy was the public face of Tidy Towns and he played a huge part in Killarney, Kenmare and Sneem winning the overall national award in 2011, 2000 and 1987 respectively. Affectionately known as Fr Tidy, this year the Killarney Looking Good Competition will honour his memory with a special Pride of Place award.
The Killarney Looking Good Competition is organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Killarney Municipal District Council with support from the Killarney Looking Good Community Employment Scheme.
MD O’Shea & Sons are the overall sponsors of the competition and O’Mahony Media Ltd is the media sponsor.
The competition will run throughout the tourist season and businesses and residential areas will be monitored by the adjudicators on an ongoing basis.