Dalkey is welcome to the 2007 National Tidy Towns competition; thank you for your submission which included your fine plan. Dalkey has wonderful scenic views of land and sea including views of the city from Killiney Hill, all of which provide visual and recreational amenity facilities for the community and the visitor. It would facilitate a greater understanding of the town and what it has to offer if a map of amenities and an information panel regarding your wildlife flora and fauna were provided both in the centre of the town and at a number of appropriate locations. Your partnership approach to the Tidy Towns initiative with statutory bodies, commercial interests and the schools is effective in achieving a handsome increase in marks this year.

One of the most striking features of Dalkey town is the excellent presentation of its attractive shop fronts; those that were particularly admired include Finnegan’s, which has been considered for the Shop Front Award, Photogenic which has an excellent window display, the Dalkey Bookshop, Bolero; it was unusual and a little disappointing to see a dated plastic neon fascia sign on the Lees Kitchens premises. Your heritage buildings enjoy and excellent presentation as do your ecclesiastic buildings and schools.

Flower displays in containers and on poles at several locations around the town were profuse, colourful and were much admired. Grass verges throughout the town are being nicely maintained and young trees are maturing well. Well done on your participation in National Tree Week. We wish you every success with planned projects at Bulloch Harbour together with the rear of the Eurospar premises but especially in relation to the regeneration of woodland on Dalkey Hill.

Thank you for your survey of wildlife in Dalkey, which has been submitted with this year’s application, well done on this most excellent initiative which has earned you a substantial increase in marks. Your walks around Dalkey highlighting your natural amenities and spectacular scenery must be most enjoyable. We look forward to seeing your proposed bilingual information panels on the flora and fauna of Dalkey and Coliemore Harbour in particular, no doubt the new telescope at Coliemore Harbour will promote awareness and interest in the rare nesting terns on Dalkey Island. We will be very interested to hear of your progress regarding access to Dalkey Island. Your recreational amenity facilities such as Dalkey United AFC and their playing grounds are neatly presented

Litter control in the centre of the village was excellent with no litter being noted at all. A little was noted at the DART station but not enough to cause a problem. A few plastic bottles were noted at Bulloch Harbour together with a number of bags of rubbish which had been neatly stacked but probably torn by birds, this should not be used as a permanent storage space. Well done on the publication of articles on litter awareness. The installation of CCTV cameras in the town may help the problem in certain areas.

Your recycling point at both the DART station and on Killiney Park was neatly presented. Well done to both the Loreto and Castlepark schools for their involvement in the Green Flag Schools project. It was good to note the waste audit being undertaken to determine the amount and type of waste generated. Congratulations to The Guinea Pig Restaurant which won an award for their recycling and disposal of waste. Congratulations also to the Holy Child School who has committed to the Green School Programme for the curriculum from 2007.

Your work on lanes off the Main Street and back areas is acknowledged as is your program of weed control along curbs. We appreciate your problem regarding billboards, however their environs are being maintained in a neat and tidy manner and the billboards themselves are not tatty, however the chain link fencing at the advertisement hoardings on the top of Hyde Road should be repaired.

A number of roadside boundary walls are in need of cleaning and/or painting, some of these located along Dalkey Avenue. Names stones to developments are very pleasing and it was good to note a number of developments featured on one name stone. Mature pine trees mark the entrances of a number of residencies along Cunningham Road and elsewhere. Carysfort Cottages is a charming development. Weed growth was excessive to the rear of a residential property located across form Loreto Abbey. Residential developments that were admired include The Paddocks, Ulverton Close and Kilbegnet Close.

Your new granite name stones are most a handsome feature marking entrances to your lovely town. Road and footpath surfaces throughout are quite good, however the car park at the DART station is badly in need of resurfacing. Your heritage lamp standards along the Main Street are an attractive feature as is its wirescape free aspect. Hopefully the wirescape along other streets and areas, particularly near Finnegan’s, will be ducted in due course. A few road signs are in need of refurbishment. Well done on the new pedestrian crossing and on the refurbishment of the graveyard besidethe Heritage Centre, not to mention the new granite seat.

Dalkey is a handsome town with an excellent cultural, wildlife and natural amenity heritage. The overall presentation is to the highest standard, however the town is not without its problem areas but the committee is aware of these and problems will be addressed with the passage of time. Congratulations on a handsome increase in marks and good luck for the future.

Dalkey was looking bright and vibrant on the day of second adjudication. The town centre was admired for its hanging baskets and well presented built environment - Finnegan’s, O’Briens, Benito’s, Kings Inn and Optician’s were greatly admired. Our Lady’s Manor car-park was effectively landscaped and the fuchsia border was in full bloom. Back areas at Loreto Abbey and Anastasia lane looked well. As identified by your committee there are ongoing problems with regard to graffiti and weed control and this was evident at a number of locations. A number of litter outbreaks were noted close to the bus stops on the Sandycove approach, another was noted in the green area at the front of Carysfort Court which were probably discarded by late night revellers. Knock-na-cree looked marvellous and Dalkey Court too looked well. Similarly many of the properties on Sorrento Gardens were fresh in appearance. It was a pleasure to visit Dalkey on a sunny summers morning and you are congratulated on the considerable progress you have made since last years competition - well done.