Kilfinane Tidy Towns crowned overall winners of Limerick Going for Gold 2023

CHEERS erupted throughout the Limerick Strand Hotel as Kilfinane were named the overall winners of the 2023 Going for Gold competition.

The Going for Gold competition is sponsored by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation and has a total prize pool of €60,000 across all categories and is organised by Limerick City and County Council.

Kilfinane were announced as finalists after being selected as a judges wildcard earlier in the year. They took home a total of €10,000 after winning the Tidy Towns category of the competition.

Castleconnel, Croom, Elton, Hospital, Kilmallock, Oola, Pallaskenry, and Patrickswell each took home €1,500 in the same category.

Kiteely came in fifth place, taking home a cash prize of €2,000, Athea came in fourth place, taking home a prize of €3,000, Bruff came in third place, taking home, €5,000 and Athea came in as runners-up.

The event was MC’d by longtime host, Richard Lynch from ILoveLimerick.com.

Other categories included the Limerick Bee Friendly in Bloom which encourages biodiversity and pollinator-friendly planting, and the Residential Area Award. 

Kilmeedy won the Bee Friendly in Bloom category and took home a prize of €5,000.

Ger Carey of Kilfinane Tidy Towns spoke with Limerick Live following her area's big win.

“Oh I cannot believe it, thrilled, beyond thrilled,” Ger said. “We went through as a wildcard so we just really didn’t expect it.

“We have a lot done over the years, we’ve had problems with derelict buildings and we’re making huge strides in that and we’ve gone into biodiversity in a big way…” Ger said.