Representatives from Inagh were formally presented with the award for Ireland’s Greenest Village 2025 at a ceremony held in Electric Ireland’s headquarters in Dublin this week.
Earlier this month, Inagh was named winner in the village category of Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025, a national initiative run by The Irish Times in association with Electric Ireland. Inagh was chosen ahead of fellow finalists Louisburgh (Mayo), Castlegregory/Maharees (Kerry), and Cloughjordan Ecovillage (Tipperary).
Accepting the award on behalf of the community, Michael O’Connor, Chair of Inagh Tidy Towns, said the win reflected strong local collaboration. “We are absolutely delighted to be the first village in Ireland to have won Ireland’s greenest village. The award shows how a small rural village can come together to create a more sustainable environment and an even better place to live”.
“We are deeply grateful to the Irish Times and Electric Ireland for sponsoring this initiative, and we hope it will become an annual event that inspires other communities across Ireland. Looking ahead, we plan to continue building on this success and encourage more local people to get involved in climate action and environmental projects,” he said.
Judges praised Inagh’s wide range of practical environmental projects, noting that with a population of just 192, the village demonstrates how even the smallest communities can have a significant climate impact.
Ongoing initiatives include the installation of solar panels on the community hall, GAA clubhouse and national school; LED lighting on the local walkway and AstroTurf; rainwater harvesting; and the planting of 200 native trees including a newly established nuttery.
Support for the projects came through a combination of local effort and external partnerships. O’Connor acknowledged the assistance of Clare County Council and the local biodiversity officer, as well as community engagement through a village-wide brainstorming event. “Every local group was invited to contribute. That collective input made a real difference,” he said.
The judging panel, chaired by The Irish Times journalist Mary Minihan, assessed entries based on environmental impact, community involvement, and evidence of behavioural change. She said the initiative aimed to highlight and share successful examples of local environmental action. “We hope that other communities will be inspired by what places like Inagh have achieved”.
