Lesser Spotted Ulster star hails Greater Spotted Randalstown as local volunteer group reflects on another successful year

TV personality Joe Mahon was special guest at Tidy Randalstown’s Friends Night held in the ARCHES community centre last week.

The group celebrated scooping nine awards in 2024, including Best Kept Town in all of Ireland.

Thanks were extended to the MLAs, Councillors, council staff, volunteers and supporters, including Lord O’Neill, who attended the event, and especially to special guest who submitted to a ‘grilling’ from Chair Helen Boyd , Joe Mahon.

Thanks was also passed to Kearney’s and volunteers to provided the supper and to the members of Randalstown WI who served and cleared up.

In the Best Kept Awards ceremony, Tidy Randalstown was delighted to receive the Best Kept Small Town Award and Best of the Best over all the cities, towns and villages in Northern Ireland.

In the RHS Britain in Bloom award, Randalstown was delighted to receive a Gold Award in the Small Town Category for the fourth time and volunteer Ruairi McCormack received a Community Champion award.

In the Translink Ulster in Bloom awards, Randalstown came first in the Small Town Category Award for the sixth time.

Tidy Randalstown volunteers also picked up the award for The Best Kept Town in Ireland at the prestigious ‘Ireland’s Best Kept Town Awards’.

There was also a Green Flag accreditation and in the last week, the local community champions were celebrated at the Live Here Love Here Community Awards 2024, where Tidy Randalstown clinched the Legacy Award.

Randalstown also hosted its first ever NatureFest event, welcomed last year’s special guest Lady Mary Peters for a day of volunteering and was recently named among the top 20 greenest places in the UK in a study by Big 7 Travel and car comparison specialists HolidayCars carried out a study.

Other visitors included Royal Horticultural Society members, Antrim and Newtoanebby Borough Council Chief Executive Richard Baker, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd and outgoing High Sheriff of County Antrim, Patricia Perry.

During a Q&A, Mr Mahon talked about his travels around Ireland for his own shows after being a producer for McGilloway’s Way.

He also spoke about his early life growing up in Derry and praised Randalstown and its beauty, including ‘Lord O’Neill’s little place’ at Shane’s Castle.

Among the guests were Dunsilly coucillors Stewart Wilson of the UUP, Annie O’Loan of Sinn Fein and DUP Alderman Linda Clarke, alongside her husband, South Antrim MLA Trevor Clarke.

Local businesses, supporters and sponsors were also present.

Representing the Mayor was Richard Mawhinney from the Parks Department of Antrim and Newtownabbey Council, who read a speech on Councillor Neil Kelly’s behalf. Mr Kelly was representing the borough at a Holocaust Memorial event at Belfast City Hall.

After the Q&A, Joe was presented with a portrait by Harry Boyd, husband of Helen.

Tidy Randalstown volunteers donated an amazing 8,300 hours of service during 2024.