THERE were double the celebrations at the Limerick Going For Gold grand final on Tuesday evening as Athea and Kilteely were jointly named as overall winners of this year’s Limerick Going For Gold competition.
A community based competition aimed at making Limerick a cleaner, brighter place to work, live and visit, Going for Gold is sponsored by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation with a prize fund of over €80,000.
13 communities made the final of the Limerick Going for Gold Challenge Category, before the winners were announced at the grand finale in the Limerick Strand Hotel.
Five of the finalists in the Challenge Category were selected by popular vote on the Limerick Today show on Limerick’s Live95fm with the remaining seven chosen by the judges.
Prizes were also awarded in ten other categories.
Mayor James Collins congratulated the participating communities for helping to ensure that Limerick Going for Gold 2018 continued to be a tremendous success.
“It never ceases to amaze me how communities can come together and transform their areas. Everyone working together, sharing a common purpose. As Mayor, I am privileged to meet with community representatives on a daily basis and I understand and appreciate the hard work you are doing to enhance your areas. Nurturing community spirit and fostering civic pride are an important part of Limerick Going for Gold,” he said.
Gerry Boland from the JP McManus Charitable Foundation said they were committed to helping Limerick communities reduce the impact of litter across Limerick city and county.
He thanked all participants for the enormous contributions they made to the well-being of the communities in which we all live.
Competition judges, Tallanstown Tidy Towns Committee Chairman Richard Barry and former Limerick City and County Council Director Jimmy Feane, spent days travelling the length and breadth of Limerick to visit every community involved in Limerick Going For Gold.
Richard Barry, whose committee are past winners of the national Tidy Towns award, said: “Limerick Going For Gold has a really broad appeal, it pitches the level at everyone from the challenge category to Limerick in Bloom and the Best Front Garden. It gives everyone a chance to participate. Limerick Going For Gold gives areas a chance of winning that they may not necessarily be able to compete in the National Tidy Towns.”
Limerick City and County Council Director of Social Development Gordon Daly said: “Limerick Going For Gold is a brilliant example of partnership between the local authority and communities the length and breadth of Limerick. This partnership which has been strengthened and deepened over the past eight years since the competition began showcases what can be achieved when we all work together.”
Limerick Going For Gold is organised by Limerick City and County Council and supported by Limerick’s Live 95FM, The Limerick Leader and The Limerick Post, Parkway Shopping Centre, I Love Limerick and Southern Marketing Media & Design.
by Tom McCullough
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