Guest Post: Kyle Harty // @KyleHarty

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Earlier this year, I went on a two-week hiatus, emptied my vacation day bank as well as my bank account and headed to Ireland. My itinerary included every touristy attraction on the island, but what I really wanted out of the trip was far more than a Facebook album – it was a taste of the heritage. And I’m not talking an Irish breakfast or Guinness.

I wanted to be exposed to everything, including the intangible aspects of the culture.

And while there, I learned about the national initiative – Tidy Towns.

Tidy Towns according to the textbooks is, “an annual competition, first held in 1958, organized by the Irish Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order to honor the tidiest and most attractive cities, towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland.”

However, when you take a deeper look at the seams that bind this initiative you can understand why it’s so successful and the drivers that garner participation.

·        Your involvement means you’re helping to preserve and beautify the land on which you live.

·        Getting the children involved instills community pride and respect at a young age.

·        It connects those in the community. Neighbors come together and you feel part of something bigger.

The heart of the initiative though is the good, clean competition. But, it’s not the community’s competitiveness that’s inspiring. It’s the spirit that lives within the competition that’s inspiring.

For more info, visit here.