Fallen straw on road blamed for Laois Tidiest town losing vital valuable points

A Laois town that won Ireland's Tidiest Small Town a year ago, fell back in points this year and straw is being blamed.

Abbeyleix was just one point below overall winners Ennis in the 2021 National Tidy Towns competition, at 354 points. It followed up to win Ireland's Best Kept Small Town in an All-Ireland competition in Belfast last June.

Abbeyleix won a record 362 points this year in the national competition, but the overall winner Trim won 366 points. Abbeyleix also lost its title of Best Kept Small Town, coming runner-up to Clonakilty.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly has blamed falling straw from passing tractors as one of the reasons.

A member of the Abbeyleix Tidy Towns committee, he is asking Laois County Council to provide a 'green machine' street cleaner so they can clean up on the points for next year.

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"Can we possibly get a green machine to share? In our Tidy Towns results, we were second this year but Trim was 11 points ahead on tidyness. When straw hits the streets it's at the wrong time and it really looks terrible," he said.

Farmer Cllr PJ Kelly owned up but blames the trees.

"I passed through Abbeyleix with straw, I blamed the overhanging trees for it," he said.

Cllr Oliver Clooney supports the call for a green machine, to mitigate climate change rainfall.

"Pound for pound it's great value. There is nothing as unsightly as litter, it goes into shores and blocks them. They need to be examined now with all the rain coming, they were never intended for that," Cllr Clooney said.