Ballinalsoe's 'excellent' result litter league after four-year absence
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Ballinasloe was praised in the latest litter survey which found it was ‘Cleaner than European Norms’ after a four-year absence.
The East Galway town was ranked joint fifth in the 2026 An Taisce and IBAL Anti-Litter League survey published on Monday.
The report described it as “an excellent result for Ballinasloe on its return to the league”.
Ballinasloe has not been included in the Irish Business Against Litter survey since 2022 when it was ranked 22nd after the first half of the year, but climbed to 13th by yearend.
The latest results showed all sites scored a grade A or B, and there were no heavily littered sites in Ballinasloe.
Among the top ranking sites were Ballinasloe Harbour/Marina, Ballinasloe Horse Fair monument and the residential area of Willow Park.
At the Harbour/Marina there was a “complete absence of litter”.
“All elements were in excellent condition – seating, signage, facilities and amenities – well done to all concerned,” the report said.
Main Street was graded as B. “Paving, seating, litter bins and bollards were freshly presented along the Main Street – however, there were too many litter items for the top litter grade. The most obvious items were sweet papers, with lower levels of cigarette butts, dog fouling, fast-food wrappers and chewing gum,” it said.
The Ballinasloe Horse Fair Monument & Environs got the top grade A. “This striking feature and the immediate environs were very well presented and maintained with all elements in very good order e.g. paved brick work, seating etc. It was excellent with regards to litter,” it said.
Lidl Shopping Centre was described as “quite good” but there were some small items of litter, which “took away from an otherwise well-presented environment, with fresh paving and tree planting”.
Willow Park got a grade A result and was clear of all litter.
“There was one vacant area within which presented poorly but it wasn’t littered – clearly a careful eye is kept on this particular location,” the report said.
The IBAL report for Ballinasloe also praised the state of the approach roads into the town.
The report found there was a slight slip in Galway City Centre’s ranking but Ballybane on the city’s eastside has made “big strides”.