These are the top three places in the annual tidy towns competition in Ireland’s county Longford
- 1st Place: Abbeyshrule – A hidden gem and a model of tidy, community-focused living, famous for its unique flight of locks on the Royal Canal and its own regional airport hosting popular events. The beautiful canal walk to the historic abbey ruins and the relaxed atmosphere of the Corbett Hotel are major visitor attractions.
- 2nd Place: Longford Town – The county town has made significant strides in enhancing its public realm and celebrating its history. Key sites include the magnificent St. Mel’s Cathedral (meticulously restored after a fire), the ruins of Longford Castle, and its location as a gateway to the Royal Canal Greenway.
- 3rd Place: Newtowncashel – A picturesque village on the shores of Lough Ree, offering outstanding access to the Shannon’s waterways. It’s a prime spot for fishing, boating, and birdwatching, with the prominent landmark of the 9th-century Rindoon Castle ruins nearby and a strong, welcoming community spirit.
The 2025 Irish Restaurant Award winners for county Longford
- Overall: Jodhpur Indian Restaurant
- Café: Ménara Cafe
- Casual Dining: Spice India Longford
- Chef: Lisa Vocella, Vocella’s
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: PVs Longford
- Customer Service: Macs Shack
- Employee Excellence Award: Frances Nugent, Spice India Longford
- Gastro Pub: The Rustic Inn
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: PVs Longford
- Innovator: Fiona Egan Cloughan Farm & Cookery School
- Local Food Hero: David and Martina Burns of Richmount Cordial Company
- Newcomer: Oyama Sushi Japanese Restaurant
- Pub: Duignan’s Tallyho
- Restaurant Manager: Amit Prasher, Jodhpur Indian Restaurant
- Sustainable Practices: Fiona Egan Cloughan Farm & Cookery School
- Use of Social Media: The Rustic Inn
- Wine Experience: Vocella’s
- World Cuisine: Chan Oriental
Awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Restaurant awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Longford:
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
Longford offers a peaceful blend of history and countryside, with the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre showcasing an ancient Iron Age road. The county’s St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford town provides architectural beauty, while the River Inny offers opportunities for kayaking and fishing. Other attractions include the rolling farmlands and historic Ardagh village. Longford is Ireland’s fourth smallest county by size and second smallest by population (46,751). Population peaked at 115,491 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 28,250 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Longford is Ireland’s 32nd most visited and Ireland’s least visited tourist county with around 22,000 international visitors per year.
2025 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
