An Post Stamp Marks 50 Years of TidyTowns
19 June 2008
The stamp is a 55c denomination and features a photograph of Aughrim, Co. Wicklow by Harry Weir. Aughrim was Ireland's Tidiest Town in 2007 and was also named ‘tidiest small town in Ireland’ and regional winner in the Midlands and East category. With over 1,000 registered TidyTowns groups and 700 entries each year, competition for the awards is tough and any town that wins an award can be justifiably proud. This year’s annual TidyTowns Awards ceremony takes place in September.
Hundreds of communities - urban, rural, big and small - have participated in TidyTowns. Such widespread engagement by communities with their local environment has brought about the transformation of towns and villages throughout Ireland. It has also made TidyTowns, in a very real manner one of the largest community movements in Ireland.
Welcoming the TidyTowns 50th Anniversary Stamp, Minister John Gormley, T.D. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commented;
“The TidyTowns movement has undergone many changes over the years, keeping pace with social, economic and cultural transformations in Ireland. Increased environmental awareness, the growth in the urban population and tourism are particular influences on the Tidy Towns, which have ensured its continuing relevance.
TidyTowns is a concept that all participants can buy into; a simple but powerful idea that people can make a difference to their own area and make them better places to live, work and visit and I congratulate TidyTowns on the launch of this 50th Anniversary Stamp by An Post.”
A sure sign of the continuing appeal of TidyTowns is news that it has just launched a new website (new window) www.tidytowns.ie offering instant access to news and information directly and indirectly relating to the national TidyTowns initiative.
The TidyTowns 50th Anniversary Stamp is available from the Philatelic Shop, GPO, Dublin 1 (01-705 7400), selected post offices nationwide or online at (new window) www.irishstamps.ie.
