The Ecovillage in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary has just won a Gold Medal Award at the 2013 International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom), also known as the ‘Green Oscars’. This year’s competition was hosted by Xiamen, PR China where the winners were announced at the closing ceremony on 2 December.
The prestigious LivCom International Awards are devoted to championing and rewarding sustainable development, quality of life and environmental best practice in communities around the world. After three intensive days evaluating more than 60 finalists from around 30 countries, the judges reported that the standards being achieved by communities around the world were higher than ever.
Cloughjordan’s Ecovillage, or ‘eco-neighbourhood’, won First Prize in the category ‘Socio-Economic Projects’, which saw them compete against 21 international projects. The Project Awards recognise innovative projects which demonstrate sustainability and environmental awareness, and have a positive impact on the local community and environment.
The Ecovillage was nominated by North Tipperary County Council to take part in this competition in recognition of their outstanding efforts in the IPB National ‘Pride of Place’ All Island Competition, which is organised by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with Local Authorities across the country.
“We are thrilled and honoured to have won this Gold Medal award at the 2013 LivCom Awards. It is a huge achievement for everyone involved in the ecovillage project, and for the town of Cloughjordan We were competing against some very creative and enterprising community & environmental projects from around the world. Coming here has been a fantastic opportunity to make connections with, and learn from, other communities around the world doing innovative things.”, said Greg Allen, a resident of Cloughjordan and one of the representatives from the Ecovillage project who travelled to China.
Free tours of the Ecovillage take place at 3pm every Saturday and Sunday. These leave from Sheelagh na Gig, the book shop on the Main Street of Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary.
Official picture from the Awards Ceremony here: http://livcomphoto.smugmug.com/Project-Award-Winners/i-MSZHkPM
Videos on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpfkPQJQlrv6BJuVhU3aK7g
Note:
Cloughjordan Ecovillage
The Ecovillage, or Eco-neighbourhood of Cloughjordan, is located in the heart of the heritage town of Cloughjordan, North Tipperary. The 67 acre site is divided in to 3 main zones – for residential & services, woodlands and farmland. It is home to Ireland’s first CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) farm. As of December 2013 there are 120 residents of all ages, 53 completed buildings with more due to start shortly. The long term plan is for 114 low-energy homes and 16 live-work units. A renewable energy District Heating System provides the space heating and hot water to all homes, including the 32 bed eco-hostel, ‘Django’s. The ‘WeCreate’ green enterprise centre is opening it’s FabLab in the New Year. Please see www.thevillage.ie for further information.
Remarks By President Higgins on a visit to the Ecovillage on the 6th June, 2012:
Yours is a community which works cooperatively in order to achieve your aims. You are concerned for community and mutual support, you encourage expression and creativity, and you consciously seek to protect and improve the environment. You have a vision of a better life and are actively pursuing it.”
The Irish Times visited Cloughjordan in 2012 and judged the town to be one of the Top 10 Places To Live in Ireland, 2nd only to the Winners Ardara in Donegal. In 2012 & 2013 Cloughjordan won the national Green Community Award.
You can contact us at office@thevillage.ie or visit our web-site www.thevillage.ie
International Awards for Liveable Communities 2013 (The LivCom Awards)
The International Awards for Liveable Communities (The LivCom Awards) was launched in 1997 and is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme, with which it partners an MoU.
LivCom is non-political, embracing all nations and cultures, and over 50 countries are represented within the Awards. The LivCom Awards are the only forum in which International Best Practice may be observed and developed, and participation in the Awards is an investment in the future of a community.
For further details see www.livcomawards.com or for media enquiries please contact livcommedia@gmail.com
