Kilkenny was today named best of the 849 towns and villages throughout the country that entered this year's SuperValu National TidyTowns competition at today's awards ceremony at The Helix in Dublin.

Kilkenny City was also declared as Ireland's Tidiest Large Urban Centre.

The prizes were presented by Mr. Alan Kelly, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and Mr. Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu, the competition's main sponsor.

While congratulating Kilkenny and all of the other prize-winners the minister stated "It is 1985 since Kilkenny last won the overall prize but they have been consistently achieving high standards in the competition at local and regional level"