Green Flag Awarded to Cahir
Cahir Inch Field was again successful in its application to renew the Green Flag Award for 2025-2026. Cahir Inch Field proudly received its Green Flag Award on November 12th in the category of formal public Green Flag Park sites for the fourth year in a row. This award highlights the outstanding efforts and contributions made in Cahir, supported by the commitment of Cahir Tidy Towns volunteers, along with other local organisations and businesses.
The 2025 Green Flag Awards celebrate the recognition of Ireland’s best parks and green spaces. In Ireland, An Taisce is the national operator, and has delivered the Green Flag Award since 2016. The Green Flag Award scheme aims to encourage the provision of good quality public parks and green spaces that are managed in environmentally sustainable ways. The Green Flag Award is a non-profit international accreditation program that recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces. The Green Flag Award is managed by the UK environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under license from the UK Government and delivered in partnership through a network of national operators around the world. The international Green Flag Award was awarded to 128 Irish Parks, Gardens, Greenways and Wildlife Sanctuaries around the country on Wednesday the 12th of November 2025, an increase of 8 awards since last year. The awards ceremony took place at Maynooth University Campus in County Kildare.
The Green Flag Award is the International quality benchmark for the public green space sector - now operating in 30 countries around the world, including the U.S. and for the first time this year, Ukraine. Now in its 30th year, the programme uses eight key criteria for its assessment. All sites implement a management framework, and then undergo an annual inspection conducted by qualified judges.
Once again Ireland has secured its lead in high quality park amenities with more Green Flag Awards being secured by Irish parks and public gardens than by any country, other than the UK where the scheme originated in 1996.This year participating European countries include Ireland, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden as well as Ukraine which was awarded its first flag this year, and the UK which released their results earlier this year.
Emlyn Cullen – Programme Manager for An Taisce, running the Award in Ireland said:
“It’s fantastic to see so many parks and public green sites represented here in Maynooth Campus, who graciously hosted the awards ceremony today. The continued success of the Green Flag Award is due to the love staff members have for their green spaces and the hard work they put in to maintaining them. They do a phenomenal job every day making their parks and gardens beautiful, safe spaces for the public to enjoy.”
The Green Flag Community Award brings the award to community initiatives such as Community Gardens, Community Parks, and Tidy Towns Projects. By acknowledging the work done by local groups this Community Award helps empower community groups to improve their local area and environment.
In Ireland the Green Flag Community Award scheme is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
Mr. Jerry Buttimer T.D., Minister of State for Community Development, Charities and Rural Transport, who launched the award ceremony stated that:
“My Department has supported An Taisce’s expansion of the Green Flag Community Award since 2018. The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht share an Taisce’s core values of inclusion and community participation at all levels. The Green Flag provides a ground up approach to facilitating, encouraging and recognising the value of that joint community engagement.
I am sure that all the communities honoured today will take great pride in flying their Green Flag. These awards acknowledge the phenomenal work being done by volunteers and dedicated communities to keep our parks and gardens to such a high standard, and in doing so, improve our communities as a whole. Ireland now has the largest quota of Green Flag Award sites in the EU, and this is down to the dedication, skill and effort of volunteers throughout the country”.
This year the inspection of Cahir Inch Field was an Interim Quality Evaluation (mystery shopper) carried out in August. The judges noted that it was evident that nature and biodiversity is being actively promoted.
“This is a wonderful amenity available to visitors and locals alike and is clearly well used by all. There is wonderful involvement by local community in the development and maintenance of the park in partnership with Tipperary County Council.”
Councillor Andy Moloney on behalf of Cahir Tidy Towns also paid tribute to those involved in achieving the Green Flag Award:
“This fantastic green space has been cherished by many over the years and has also provided an excellent venue for Heritage Day celebrations, along with various festivals and events. The inclusion of the Pétanque club has significantly improved the experience for visitors to this well-visited park. I would like to express my gratitude to An Choill Bheag, the Men’s Shed, TÚS, APB Food Group, HSK, Tipperary County Council, and the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the park to such high standards, enabling it to receive such an honour.”
Anselm McGowan, District Administrator of Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel also spoke of the importance of the award:
“Tipperary County Council is honoured to have played a vital role in achieving this prestigious award. This accomplishment showcases the strength of collaboration, proving that together we can achieve more than we can individually. This initiative would not have been possible without the unwavering commitment of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, Cahir Tidy Towns, and the local volunteers who take great pride in this outstanding public amenity.”
Damien Ginty, Director of Services of Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel remarked “that this is one more prime example of community driven partnership with the Local Authority in making Cahir a vibrant place where people can live, visit and work in a sustainable environment with an inclusive and active community". 
