Portlaoise Roundabout Appreciation Society annual awards

An exciting new roads awards event has been announced for Laois.

The Portlaoise Roundabout Appreciation Society has launched its inaugural Portlaoise Roundabout Annual Awards.

The society which meet around once a month to discuss each of the town's 365 roundabouts in detail, was formed to celebrate the town's favourite type of road junction.

They are asking the public to get involved and vote for their favourite roundabout.

Prize categories include Most Eyecatching Roundabout, Best Pancake Roundabout, Most Expensive Roundabout, Truckers' Challenge, Pick A Lane Roundabout, and Roundabout with Most Pedestrian Crossings.

The overall winner will be crowned with a specially constructed tiara made up of discarded tyres, planted with pollinator friendly flowers so bees can dodge the traffic and fumes to find food. 

The chairperson Tony Boring, spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on April 1.

"We just love roundabouts. We feel they are not appreciated enough. Nobody gets to actually step foot on them, only look at them so they are like fine art in a way. They are the Newgranges of the future.

"We went on a course funded by the taxpayer where we learned all about the circular economy, so we decided to put that money and knowledge to good use by holding these awards," he said.

To vote for your favourite roundabout, share and comment on this story.