Community
WATCH Limerick Going for Gold 2025 Launches with Over €180,000 in Prizes and Grants for Local Communities
Limerick Going for Gold 2025 Launches with Over €180,000 in Prizes and Grants for Local Communities. 2025 Limerick Gong for Gold launch. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
Limerick Going for Gold 2025 has officially launched with over €180,000 in prize funds and grant assistance available to local communities across the city and county
Limerick Going for Gold 2025 has officially launched at the Desmond Complex and Castle Demesne Park in Newcastle West, with over €180,000 in prize funds and grant assistance available to local communities across the city and county.
Now in its 15th year, the annual competition, run by Limerick City and County Council and proudly sponsored by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation, continues to grow in scale and impact. The initiative encourages communities to come together to enhance their local environment, promote sustainability, and improve biodiversity.
This year’s competition offers a top prize of €10,000, with additional awards of €7,000 and €5,000 across various categories. In addition, nearly €70,000 in grant funding will be distributed to community groups undertaking projects focused on biodiversity, nature conservation, circular economy, and sustainable living. Grant amounts range from €200 to €3,000.
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Helen O’Donnell of Limerick Tidy Towns and Limerick Going For Gold said, “Going for gold is a competition that’s been in existence almost 15 years, and it’s a really important community activity. Your community, your residents association, your tidy town group can enter Going For Gold villages, towns, and residents associations all over Limerick.
“The city and county enter in this competition, and then you get the opportunity to vote for the group that you think is doing the best. So it’s very much democratic, you can support your group by voting for them during the next few weeks.”
Speaking at the launch, Cllr Jerome Scanlon, deputising for the Mayor of Limerick, said, “Going for Gold is about so much more than prizes. It’s about people. It’s about neighbours coming together to plant pollinator-friendly gardens, to reduce waste, to reuse creatively, and to build a more sustainable future for generations to come. It’s about learning from one another, sharing ideas, and creating lasting change.”
Gerry Boland of the JP McManus Charitable Foundation added, “Each year, we’re inspired by the creativity, commitment, and community spirit shown by the groups who take part in Limerick Going for Gold. 2025 marks another exciting chapter in this journey—one where local action meets global ambition. Whether it’s through pollinator planting, waste reduction, or reimagining public spaces, these efforts are shaping a greener, more connected Limerick. We’re proud to support this initiative that empowers people to make a lasting difference.”
Categories for 2025 include Tidy Towns Category – for groups entered in the 2025 National Tidy Towns Competition; Limerick Bee Friendly in Bloom – open to all Tidy Towns groups, including those not entered in the national competition; Residential Areas – for estates and residential groups, including those in regeneration areas, who applied for the 2025 Environment Improvement Grant; Endeavour Award – awarded to the most improved Limerick entrant in the National Tidy Towns Competition; and the Reuse Award (Circular Economy) – recognising groups that prevent waste through innovative reuse initiatives
Judging will focus on a wide range of criteria including biodiversity, pollinator and vegetable planting, sustainability, use of recycled materials, waste prevention, circular economy practices, litter control, and the overall upkeep and impression of green spaces.
Pictures: Olena/ilovelimerick
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