Westport, Co Mayo, and Holywood, Co Down, were named as the best-kept towns in Ireland at an awards ceremony in Dublin Castle yesterday.
The Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, announced the winners of best-kept large town (Holywood), best-kept small town (Westport) and best-kept village (Rathbarry, Co Cork).
The prize-winning towns and village received a cheque for €3,200 or sterling equivalent.
A further €3,200 went to the overall winner, Westport, Co Mayo.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Mr Gallagher said the awards recognised the hard work and effort expended by ordinary people up and down the country, contributing to their communities.
"People are willing to put aside personal considerations and work quietly and effectively, month in and month out, come rain or shine, for the common good," he said.
Mr Michael Nason, managing director of SuperValu, sponsor of the competition, said this competition was the high point of community and environmental initiative, as well as an innovative social project, bringing together communities from North and South.
The ceremony marked the eighth year of the competition which began following discussions between the Northern Ireland Amenity Council and the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
The towns and villages were assessed under seven criteria including presentation of buildings, appearance of roads, streets and public facilities and general tidiness of the area.
Fifteen towns were selected as finalists.
The large towns selected were: Ballymena, Co Antrim, Ennis, Co Clare, Holywood, Co Down, Killarney, Co Kerry, and Malahide, Co Dublin.
The small towns selected were: Broughshane, Co Antrim, Clonakilty, Co Cork, Glenties, Co Donegal, Lismore, Co Waterford, Waringstown, Co Down, and Westport, Co Mayo.
The village finalists were: Castletown, Co Laois, Keadue, Co Roscommon, Loughgall, Co Armagh, and Rathbarry, Co Cork.
A village was defined as having a population of up to 1,000, a small town having a population of 1,001 - 5,000 and a large town as having a population of 5,001 and over.
Mr Graham Seymour, assistant director of the North's Environmental and Heritage Service, said the competition was about making real improvements and encouraging local communities to take ownership of their surroundings.
Mr Eugene Scally, chairman of the Rathbarry Tidy Towns Committee, said they were absolutely delighted to have won the best village prize.
Ms Tereasa McGuire, Westport Council leas-cathaoirleach, said everyone in the town was involved.