President pays tribute to 'hard graft' that made Emly Tidy Towns winner
The beauty and pride of one small West Tipperary village was feted on Saturday afternoon when President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, visited Emly to officially present the community with their Tidy Towns trophy.
Emly were named as the overall winner in last year's competition to the delight of everyone involved in the massive effort to make their village beautiful.
On Saturday President McAleese paid tribute to the "sheer hard graft" that led to the awarding of the grand prize to Emly.
"Emly's name is top of the Tidy Towns Roll of Honour and it is there thanks to the countless hours of sheer hard graft between 1993, when Emly first entered the competition, and the day Emly was named the TIdy Towns winner of 2009," the president said.
"It took a lot of willing hands and hearts to tackle the planning, persuading, painting, planting, pruning, watering, weeding, designing, organising, mowing, clipping, coordinating and general beautifying that underpin the achievement of Emly's Tidy Towns glory.
"What is very special about the effort is not only that it came from the community but that it was all done by volunteers," the president paid tribute to the local people.
Speaking to the crowd who gathered to meet her, President McAleese commended Emly for the efforts made to conserve and protect the heritage of the town.
"It is very poignant to see the emigrant wall that honours those ho made new lives far from their beloved Emly," she added.
Emly Tidy Towns stalwarts, Denis Heffernan and his daughter Sharon, were singled out for the president's praise. "Today we think with pride and gratitude of all those who have contributed to this wonderful occasion, the past and present members of Emly Tidy Towns committee, the residents of all ages, businesses, public agencies, the national school which is celebrating its centenary, the FAS workers who took on so many challenges with commitment and skill, South Tipperary County Council whose support has been so important and the outstanding leadership offered by Denis Heffernan and his daughter Sharon, Jim McEniry and Christopher McGrath."
After welcoming the president to the village, Sharon Cunningham said the people of Emly were "absolutely brilliant" and as chairperson of the Tidy Towns committee she said she was extremely proud of them all.
Junior Tidy Towns committee members, Cian Quish and Stephen Deere, presented the president with flowers and a memento of her visit, before Mrs McAleese unveiled a plaque commemorating Emly's achievement.
The president took time to meet many locals, as the Emly National School band and the Charles J Kickham band from Tipperary played 'Slievenamon.'
The president's visit to Emly will be featured on Nationwide on RTE this Friday night, September 10.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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