Sligo leaps up IBAL table to become Ireland’s third cleanest town

O’Connell Street (left) was among the areas praised for its level of cleanliness but the lower section of The Mall car park (right) had a negative impact on Sligo’s overall score. “A REMARKABLE achievement” was the reaction of Sligo Mayor, Cllr Declan Bree, following the news that the town had been voted as the third cleanest in Ireland.

Mayor Bree paid tribute to the Sligo Tidy Towns Committee whose hard work helped elevate Sligo from the 17th spot they were given in 2022 to the top three for last year.

The report from Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL) placed Sligo behind Maynooth and Mallow with the town being one of 11 that were described as being “cleaner than European norms”.

Rockwood Parade, Sligo Sports

Complex and O’Connell Street were all praised in the report while Sligo Retail Park was noted as “spotless”.

However, the litter-strewn Mall Car Park let the side down and was the one negative that the report listed for Sligo.

Mayor Bree said: “This is a remarkable achievement.

“I wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Sligo Tidy Towns Committee for the role they played in helping to bring about this outstanding result.

“A huge amount of effort has gone into achieving this outcome and enormous credit is due to the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to keep Sligo looking so well.

“In particular, I want to congratulate Finbarr Filan, his colleagues on the Tidy Town Committee and the many volunteers who do trojan work all year round.

“I also wish to pay tribute to the Council’s Parks Department who have played a significant role in this success story.

“This result has come about thanks to the overall effort of the Tidy Town Committee, the Parks Department, with the support of Sligo BID, retailers, businesses, community groups and residents’ associations, all supporting the endeavour to enhance the image of Sligo as a place to live and work in. We owe all those involved a debt of gratitude.”