Laois Tidy Towns Communities Win Pride Of Place Awards

Clough Village and Portlaoise have both secured awards.

Both Clough Village and Portlaoise Tidy Towns have been recognised at the 2026 Pride of Place Awards.

Members of the communities, joined by representatives from Laois County Council, attended the prestigious IPB Pride of Place Awards at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Saturday 24th October 2026.

Clough Village was awarded the Population 0-300 Award and Portlaoise Tidy Towns was named as runners up in the Climate Action and Biodiversity category.

 Speaking at the awards ceremony, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald congratulated both groups. She said:

“This is a proud night for Laois. To see both Clough Village and Portlaoise Tidy Towns recognised at a national level shows the strength, commitment and community spirit that exists throughout our county. These awards showcase the remarkable work being carried out by volunteers and community groups and I congratulate everyone involved in both groups.”

Olga Hyland, member of the Clough Pride of Place Committee said

  “We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of Clough Village. We would like to thank Laois County Council for selecting us and for all their help with the project. A special word of praise and appreciation goes out to the wonderful community of Clough who pulled out all the stops to make our village shine in the sunshine of July 24th last! Well done to Portlaoise Tidy Towns on being named runners up in their category. A great result for Laois!”

Vincent Booth, Chairperson of Portlaoise Tidy Towns said:

“We are delighted that Portlaoise has been recognised as runner up in our category. It’s a wonderful acknowledgement of the hard work, passion and community spirit of Portlaoise Tidy Towns and everyone who contributes to making our town a better place. Our collaboration with Laois County Council shows what can be achieved when we work together to take positive climate action, protect our biodiversity and create a greener, more sustainable future for Portlaoise. Huge congratulations to Clough on their fantastic win!”

 Chief Executive of Laois County Council, Michael Rainey added:

“The success of Clough Village and Portlaoise Tidy Towns demonstrates the level of community action that we have in Laois. While each nomination highlighted different areas, both showcased the impact of people working together to enhance their communities. These achievements reflect exceptionally well on County Laois, and I congratulate all those whose dedication made this outstanding success possible.”

Back in July, Pride of Place judges were welcomed to both Clough and Portlaoise.

Judges Declan Nelson and John Briggs were welcomed to Laois’ county town. Portlaoise Tidy Towns proudly showcased the vision, dedication and hard work that has transformed Portlaoise into a greener and more sustainable town.

The visit began with a comprehensive presentation at Portlaoise Library by Tidy Towns’ representatives Vincent Booth, then the judges were taken on a walking tour around the town finishing at An Dún outdoor space.

The following week, Judges Tom Dowling and Liam Hannaway spent an afternoon immersed in the community on their visit to Clough village.

The visit began with an engaging presentation at Clough Primary School. The presentation detailed Clough’s guiding principles - past, people, place and progress. As well as the village’s growth and fundraising undertaken to ensure continued progress.

After the presentation, the judges were taken on a walking tour around the village finishing with a bite to eat at the Parish Hall.

Laois County Council would like to congratulate both Clough Village and Portlaoise Tidy Towns for their dedication and enthusiasm in showcasing the pride they have in their communities.

IPB Pride of Place in association with Co-operation Ireland is an all-island competition that acknowledges the work that communities are doing all over the island of Ireland. The competition's focus is about people coming together to shape, change and improve daily lives in their communities.