Annie, Tadhg, Ciara O’Loughlin, Thomas Mackey, Roisin Garvey, Jacob McEntee and Sean Gannon at the Inagh Bus stop which has a new bicycle shelter installed beside it. Photograph: Eamon Ward.
INAGH has been named Ireland’s Greenest Village for 2025.
A wide variety of green activities and initiatives in the village were cited by judges when giving the nod to Inagh ahead of Louisburgh (Mayo), Castlegregory/Maharees (Kerry) and Cloughjordan ecovillage (Tipperary).
As per the submission, the population of Inagh village is 192. Judges said the entry showcased that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big community which has a positive climate impact.
Among the many projects completed in recent years is the planting of thirty nut trees with the intention of establishing a nut butter business as well as planting an orchard of eating apples in the village playground, a playground which was constructed by local parents. There are also plans to plant raspberry canes there.
This initiative left judges particularly impressed. “Such a clever enterprise of making a playground also a place to access free healthy snacks for children is one that has the potential to be replicated in many other playgrounds. So too is Inagh’s inspirational plastic-free Christmas market, which now attracts visitors from all over the county”.
They also singled out public transport improvements as having a highly influential impact on village life with bike parking, a new bus shelter and a pedestrian crossing all enabling a more sustainable transport system.
In addition, a village biodiversity plan has seen the introduction of solar panels on the hurling club and community hall, as well as a biodiversity river walk.
Inagh’s success hinged on creating an inclusive and collaborative approach with people from age 10 to 92 getting involved via local schools, the GAA club, the active retired group and the Tidy Towns group.
Dingle Peninsula in Kerry was the overall winner of Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025.
‘Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025’, an initiative by The Irish Times in association with Electric Ireland, began in late May when members of the public were invited to nominate a special place or project which they believe contributes to a genuinely greener environment.
Each place was judged on specific criteria including its beneficial environmental impact, level of ongoing collective engagement by the community and evidence of behavioural change by people.
The panel of five judges consisted of Eamon Ryan, former leader of the Green Party, Kevin O’Sullivan Irish Times Environment and Science Editor, Lisa Browne of Electric Ireland, and journalists Rosita Boland and Mary Minihan from The Irish Times.
In total over 120 nominations were received from across the island with the overall winner and category winners being chosen from a shortlist of 14 entries.
In the other three categories, Skerries in north County Dublin won Ireland’s Greenest Town, Dysart River Project in Westmeath won Ireland’s Greenest Community while Dún Laoghaire in south Dublin won Ireland’s Greenest Suburb.
Chair of the Judging Panel, Mary Minihan from The Irish Times congratulated Inagh, the Dingle Peninsula and the other category winners on their success. “To make it through to the final stages and have your work recognised with an award is a wonderful achievement. So very well done to our winners and all the people involved in those projects. We look forward to meeting you and presenting you with your trophies in a couple of weeks’ time”.
