Closing Date For Ireland's Greenest Places 2026 Entries Fast Approaching

Closing date is August 1st.

The final countdown is on for entries to Ireland’s Greenest Places 2026 with only a short time remaining for people to submit their nominations.

To enter all you have to do is write a short submission outlining the contribution the special place or project you’re nominating makes to a genuinely greener environment.

The closing date is  August 1st.

At this point no nominations have been received from Westmeath. Last year in the inaugural competition the Dysart River Project was crowned the winner of Ireland’s Greenest Community after several local groups came together to address water quality issues in the Dysart River and in Lough Ennel.

Following the success of last year’s initiative which attracted over 150 entries from all over the island, The Irish Times, in association with Electric Ireland, announced details of this year’s competition.

The dozens of entries received so far include everything from biodiversity corridors to community gardens and allotment groups to tree planting initiatives and from major parks to universities and hotels. The organisers are looking at projects big and small that deliver measurable environmental impact, bring people together, and inspire others to follow.

The format is similar to last year but with a slight change to the categories. Awards will be made to Ireland’s Greenest Community, Greenest Suburb, Greenest Town or Village, Overall Winner and, a new one this year, Ireland’s Net Zero Hero.

That award will go to someone who stands out for their exemplary work in driving a particular project or in inspiring others to act, in coordinating community efforts.

To be in with a chance to claim the title for your place, project or person of choice, all you have to do is click on the link Ireland's Greenest Places - The Irish Times (or search for irishtimes.com / greenest places) where you’ll find an entry form. Then write a short submission – up to 300 words – explaining why it’s so special and the tangible contribution it makes to a genuinely greener environment.

Each nominated place will be judged on a range of criteria including its beneficial environmental impact, level of ongoing collective engagement by the community and evidence of behavioural change by people.

Former minister for the environment and leader of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, is returning as one of the competition’s judges. He said one of the main aims of the competition is to showcase what can be achieved when people work together to deliver more sustainable and greener communities.

All the entries will be assessed by a panel of judges and researchers before a longlist is compiled. Over the summer, that longlist will be whittled down to a shortlist before the winners are announced in September.