Remarks at ‘Killarney - Winner of Tidy Town Competition’
21st April 2013
A Chairde,
It is a pleasure to be here with you today on this special occasion to celebrate Killarney’s achievement in becoming Ireland’s tidiest town in 2011.
Killarney has long been involved with the Tidy Towns competition and has had increasing degrees of success over the last 10 years. Through steadily improving results, you have now established Killarney as an out-right winner in the history of the competition and it is fitting that we celebrate this wonderful achievement.
Killarney is indeed a special place endowed with a rich history and encircled by a stunningly beautiful landscape. It was in the mid 18th century that Thomas Browne, 4th Viscount Kenmare decided to capitalise on nature's gift and developed the town as we know it today. Killarney grew from a village nestled in this valley and has since been recognised, promoted and enjoyed by countless visitors as a tourist town. It has a wonderful location, surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Ireland or indeed anywhere.
As a tourist town, the importance of preserving its built heritage was recognised early on and the adjacent National Park is a stupendous resource for Killarney and indeed for the whole country. As well as the beauty and tranquillity of the Lakes of Killarney, legend has it that Tír Na n’Óg is located under the lakes and that Niamh Cinn Óir met Oisín on the shore of Lough Leane. So it is no surprise that Killarney should to this day be associated with romance and people who remain very youthful in spirit.
[Toisc gur baile slachtmhar é Cill Airne bhain tábhacht faoi leith le hoidhreacht thógtha an bhaile ón tús agus is acmhainn iontach an Pháirc Náisiúnta ní amháin do mhuintir Chill Airne ach do mhuintir na tíre freisin. Níl dabht ar bith ann ach go mbaineann áilleacht agus suaimhneas le Locha Chill Airne agus deirtear go bhfuil Tír na nÓg suite faoi na locha agus gur bhuail Niamh Cinn Óir le Oisín ar bhruach Loch Léin. Mar sin ní haon ionadh é go mbeadh baint ag Cill Airne le scéalta grá agus spiorad óige an duine.]
In the 53 years of the Tidy Towns competition, this is the third time a Kerry town has won the overall title. These three towns, Sneem, Kenmare and now Killarney have something in common - Archdeacon Michael Murphy. He is an inspiring figure who has always led by example and encouraged others in the daily work that is required on the streets if the town is to put itself in contention for success.
Woody Allen once said that 90% of success is just showing up. Success in the Tidy Towns is not achieved without a lot of people showing up – each day, each week – and investing their talent and their labour to transform their town into a place they really feel proud about.
Archdeacon Murphy follows in a line of clerics who have been active in the Killarney community, including Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, also known as the Scarlett Pimpernel of the Vatican, who worked tirelessly in Rome during World War II to save thousands of Jews as well as allied servicemen during the Nazi occupation of Italy, without consideration for his own safety. He grew up here in Killarney and I am pleased that a memorial to him will be erected in the town in the near future.
Killarney has entered the Tidy Towns competition for many years and your record has been one of sustained and consistent progress. I know how high the competition’s standards are and how difficult it is to progress at the top end of the competition. That you have achieved the award of Ireland’s Tidiest Town is testament to the massive effort put in by your vibrant and energetic community.
The adjudicator’s report stated that, “it is clear the effort and energy that has been put into developing the extensive and active network of volunteers representing your whole community.” The adjudicator also congratulated you on your “adopt a road” initiative which is a recent and very positive development in litter management. The dedication and enthusiasm of your volunteers has made this town a wonderful place to live and a wonderful place for thousands of tourists to visit.
Tidy Towns is based on community mobilisation around a shared vision and active engagement by citizens. It is very encouraging in these difficult times – when it would be so easy to succumb to fatalism and despair - that there has been an upsurge in volunteerism throughout Ireland. In my inaugural speech, I spoke of the importance of an active citizenship in bringing about positive changes to our communities.
[Tá Comórtas na mBailte Slachtmhara bunaithe ar aontas an phobail maidir le fís comónta agus ar obair mhuintir na háite. Tugtar misneach dúinn sa ré dúshlánach atá anois againn – nuair a thiocfadh leis an t-éadóchas an lámh in uachtar a fháil orainn – go bhfuil méadú tagtha ar obair dheonach ar fud na hÉireann. I mo chéad óráid mar Uachtarán, leag mé béim ar thábhacht na saoránachta beo maidir le hathruithe dearfacha inár bpobail.]
The emphasis in Tidy Towns is on community participation – people of all ages working together towards a common goal. These efforts not only visually enhance the place where you live, but they also provide you with the knowledge and experience of what can be achieved when people work together in partnership towards a shared goal. Ní neart go cur le chéile - we are stronger when we work together.
This collective approach has been crucial for all of the very many communities, the length and breadth of the country, who set out each year with the noble ambition of simply improving the place in which they live. Even after more than 50 years, the Tidy Towns competition is still growing and getting stronger; over 820 towns and villages entered the competition last year. The effort of all of these communities is sustained by willing and enthusiastic volunteers – anxious to make a positive difference in their own communities.
It is – at face value – somewhat paradoxical, but very hopeful and uplifting, that at a time of economic crisis and of setback in national self-confidence that community based initiatives such as the Tidy Towns have never been stronger in terms of activity and citizen participation. People are hurting from the recession, they are dismayed that the transient artificially-based economic bubble has turned into ashes and they have a righteous anger that various institutions let them down. But, far from being defeated by circumstances they are, for the most part, moving on, getting stuck into what they can do and are good at, not allowing themselves to sink into any disabling cynicism or fatalism.
The conclusions that are being drawn from our present circumstances are much more positive - people are setting about finding a better version of Irishness than the acquisitive individualism that drove the worst aspects of the Celtic Tiger; they are reaffirming the old decencies in Irish life and drawing on the ethical values that are being forged by our talented and energetic people of all generations; they are demonstrating community cohesion, neighbourly cooperation and creative endeavour; they are renewing our Republic so that it does full justice to the values of fairness and participation. In short, they are imagining an Ireland which all of us are proud to help shape, share and happy to bestow to the following generations in better condition than we inherited it.
Every journey of transformation begins with a single step. Killarney’s achievement in the Tidy Towns would not have been possible without a succession of steps over many years – each time building on the progress made the year before until success was achieved. Those same qualities of collective resilience and determination, in pursuit of a shared and noble goal, are what is required to get our country back on the road to recovery and renewal.
Killarney’s triumph would not of course have been possible without the massive support of the entire community. Today I would like to recognise and acknowledge the dedication and commitment of all of those who volunteered their time and resources in working towards this great achievement - residents, schools, local businesses, FÁS workers, Killarney Town Council, Kerry County Council and other public agencies; you should all be very proud of your contributions. I would also like to mention the Killarney Looking Good Competition which has done great work in encouraging local businesses to improve and enhance shop-fronts, buildings and pavements in the town.
It is so encouraging to all of us to see young people involved in their community and I commend you for actively encouraging them to enter the many Special Awards associated with Tidy Towns. It is important to engage the talent and creativity of our young people right now – to acknowledge that they are a positive resource in the present moment not just a potential resource for the future.
The commemorative plaque will stand proudly in your town as recognition and a reminder of your achievement and will inspire those who follow; to encourage them in maintaining the exceptional standards that you have set.
[Tabharfar áit tábhachtach don phlaic chomórtha i do bhaile mar mheabhrúchán ar an méid atá bainte amach agaibh agus tabharfar misneach dóibh siúd a thiocfaidh i bhur ndiaidh; chun spreagadh a thabhairt dóibh na caighdeáin airde atá anois ann a choinneáil beo.]
In conclusion, today is your day, Killarney, and I would like to thank you again for inviting me to share the day with you. Enjoy the occasion. As for tomorrow, I have no doubt that the hard work will continue – the ongoing business of just showing up. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir agus comhghairdeas libh arís.