Waterford's Ardmore crowned Ireland's Greenest Place 2026 at awards ceremony
Joe Devitt and Henry Murphy with Judge Eamon Ryan at the awards.
The beautiful coastline village of Ardmore has been named Ireland's Greenest Place 2026.
The Waterford village was recognised as the overall winner at the awards ceremony held in Dublin.
The awards ceremony, now in its second year, is an initiative run by The Irish Times in association with Electric Ireland whereby members of the public are invited to nominate a special place or project which they believe contributes to a genuinely greener environment.
Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan presented the award to Joe Devitt and Henry Murphy who accepted the honour on behalf of the people of Ardmore.
Mr. Murphy noted that the win is a great tribute for the people of Ardmore, saying: "It is recognition not of one project or one organisation, but of the collective effort of our community. From our schools, GAA club and Community Hall to Tidy Towns, local businesses, farmers, volunteers and individual households, so many people have played their part in making Ardmore a greener, more biodiverse and more sustainable place.
“We hope this award will inspire other communities to realise what is possible when people come together. You don't need to start with a huge budget or a major project."
The Ardmore local emphasised the power of community action in creating a better, greener future: "Start with an idea, get a few people involved and build from there. We are very happy to share what we have learned with other communities and encourage them to develop projects that work for their own area. But if we are serious about building sustainable communities for the future, we also need to look at the people who live in them."
Mr. Murphy called for more accessible housing so that young families can fully be a part of their communities.
He said: "For Ardmore, that means action on housing. We need affordable, appropriate housing that allows young people and young families to remain in, return to and contribute to the community.
"A truly sustainable village needs more than renewable energy and biodiversity. It needs a thriving population, children in our schools, young people playing with our GAA clubs and other local organisations, volunteers to carry projects forward and a strong local economy. Providing affordable housing for the next generation is therefore a vital part of Ardmore's sustainability journey.
"Our call is for local and national decision-makers to recognise that and support communities like Ardmore with the housing, infrastructure and investment needed to allow them to thrive."
He added finally: "Above all, this award belongs to the people of Ardmore. We want to thank every volunteer, child, school, club, organisation, business, farmer and resident who has given their time, energy and ideas. There is a huge amount of goodwill and enthusiasm in Ardmore, and we see this award not as the end of our journey, but as encouragement to keep going. We want Ardmore to remain a place where people can live, work, raise their families and contribute to the community for generations to come."
