Eighth consecutive gold medal for Dundalk at Tidy Towns’ awards

Pictured at today’s awards ceremony in The Helix at DCU were Willie Duffy (Chairperson of Dundalk Tidy Towns),
Mary Capplis (Louth County Council) and Art Veerkamp (Parks & Environment Officer – Louth County Council)

Dundalk secured an eighth consecutive gold medal at today’s SuperValu Tidy Towns’ awards at The Helix in Dublin

Drogheda also picked up a gold medal at the event, with Letterkenny in Co Donegal named the overall winner.

Amongst the areas praised in Dundalk were the outdoor gym at the Navvy Bank and the Lisdoo and the Quay Street mural project. The County Museum and a number of local schools were also praised as well as local businesses including The Greenore Railway Saloon on Quay Street, Houstons on Clanbrassil Street, Michael Lynch Menswear on Clanbrassil Street, Toales on Crowe Street, Lins Take Away on Barrack Street and Eno’ and McGeough’s on Roden Place.

The judges pointed out that it was a pity to see the DK Interiors building, formerly Dearey’s, fall into such a “bad state of repair” though. The road surface on Chapel Street was criticised for being “rather rough” and broken in patches, with litter visible near to O’Carroll’s Pub. Chipped kerbs and graffiti at Wrightson’s Lane were also criticised, as well as parts of lower Jocelyn Street which had a “proliferation of cigarette butts plus a few cans and bottles.”

Cracked footpaths, over hanging wires, derelict properties and dated shop signage were all deemed a problem but there was praise for very little dog fouling and Dundalk Retail Park was also deemed to be “well managed”.

In terms of the estates there was good reports for Mulholland Avenue, Avondale Park, Meadow View, Belfry Drive, Belfry Crescent, Barton Park, Aisling Park and Cedarwood Park.

Muirhevnamor also came in for praise with a Sunday World report which described it as the most problematic estate in the country deemed “a most unjustified depiction” by the adjudicator.

There was also good news for Blackrock, which picked up a Climate Change Award and for Dromiskin, which won a Youth Award.

2010 National winner Tallanstown was once again named the tidiest place in Co Louth, with Blackrock second and Knockbridge third.

Tallanstown jumped by four points on last year’s total to 317, with Blackrock also up four to 312 and Knockbridge up two to 311.

Dundalk gained three points to go to 306, with Drogheda also up three to 307.

Two cars destroyed during break-ins at Belfry Drive

The scene at Belfry Drive on Friday night, with one of the burnt out cars

A man was arrested in Belfry Drive on Friday night after an incident which seen two cars destroyed and a number of others broken into.

Amongst the items stolen from cars included CD players, sat navs and a taxi radio.

Two of the cars were burned out during the incident. Gardaí arrived on the scene and managed to detain one of the individuals involved but others remain at large.

It is believed six cars in total were broken into on the night.

Anyone with information on the incidents is asked to contact Dundalk Gardaí.

House prices stabilising in Louth

68 Belfry Drive in Dundalk, which sold for €183,000 at the start of September

Asking prices for houses in Louth have shown signs of stabilisation in the third quarter of the year, with the latest survey from property website MyHome.ie showing that the median price for a four-bedroom semi-detached home has remained unchanged for the third successive quarter at €179,000.

That means that prices have dropped by just €1,000 in the last year as the annual rate of decline has now dropped to just 4.4%. It also means that four bed homes in Louth are now €9,000 more expensive than a similar home in neighbouring Meath.

The price of a three-bed semi in the Wee County fell slightly during the last quarter by 1.1%, dropping back by €1,475 to €138,500.