KILCULLEN ADVANCES TO 400 MARKS IN 2026 TIDY TOWNS
Kilcullen achieved a milestone score of 400 marks in the SuperValu National Tidy Towns Competition 2026, writes Brian Byrne. It's an 11-point increase from the 2025 total of 389.
Competing in the Small Town Category D, with populations between 2,500 and 5,000, the 2026 result marks 30 consecutive years of Kilcullen participation in Tidy Towns. The adjudicator praises the town's 47-page detailed submission as an 'excellent example for many other towns to follow'.
In a year with expanded emphasis on Nature and Biodiversity, Kilcullen registered its highest increase, 9 extra points, in that category. The significant negative is a loss of 6 points in Tidiness & Litter Control, the only area that registered a decrease, notably due to the 'scourge' littering of takeaway containers.
There is praise for the pedestrianisation of Lower Main Street and Market Square, and for shopfronts including Kilcullen Opticians, The Little Brew Cafe, 5 A Day, An Tearmann, Woodbine Books, The Hideout Gastro Pub, and McTernans. The art installations on utility boxes, and the 'outstanding' butterfly installation in the Valley, are praised, while the Library Garden is described as 'a great refuge'.
Specific initiatives noted include Invasive Species Eradication with the removal of Himalayan Balsam along the River Liffey banks and Dogwood from the Valley Park. Native seeds and Yellow Rattle introduced across four meadow sites are a further positive, and the long-term work of reclaiming Pinkeen Stream is singled out for praise. The 5,000 trees planted in the last three years across the Community Centre, GAA, and schools campus are commended.
Under Sustainable Action & Community Collaboration, the report highlights the Cross and Passion College students’ repurposing of old metal lockers into plant containers, the KCA polytunnel, the seed-swapping network, and the orchard in the Camphill Community.
In the area of energy transition, credit is given to the Lions Club Sheltered Housing retrofit insulation across four homes with SEAI and Kildare County Council backing, and the installation of rooftop solar panels on premises like The Spout Bar.
Other observations include the Green School programmes at Scoil Bhríde and Cross and Passion College, while housing estates such as Nicholastown (winners of the 2025 KCA Best Biodiversity Impact Award) and St Brigid’s Avenue receive top marks for community care.
The contribution of the volunteers, CE workers, sports and community organisations, and the support from businesses and Kildare County Council are all acknowledged in the report.
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