Cloughjordan has won the prize for best Green Community, for the second year in a row, at the 2013 National Green Awards
Greg Allen, representing the Cloughjordan Community Development Committee, says: “This is a wonderful acknowledgment of the community achievements made locally in energy performance, green building, eco-tourism, tree planting, local enterprise, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. Building on its rich heritage Cloughjordan is rapidly becoming a leading example of how a community can begin to play its part in climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, developing a local and green economy as well as being a healthy environment to live, work, learn and play in. This small Irish community is truly pioneering a collective approach to making our villages, towns, and city neighborhoods more sustainable and resilient to adversity.”
The judges said: “This was a closely fought category, with some very strong entries. Cloughjordan won because of its growing international reputation as a trendsetting ‘eco village’ and its many green projects including the community farm. Its innovative approach is attracting interest from similar communities all overIrelandand the world, keen to learn the secrets of Cloughjordan’s success.”
The awards attracted over 160 entries, with judges commenting on the overall high standards which made choosing the eventual winners all the more difficult.Tipperaryresident Paul Kenny, CEO of the Tipperary Energy Agency, won the Green Leader award for his work as an energy efficiency pioneer.