Welcome Signs out as Ballincollig Prepares to Welcome Communities in Bloom Judges

23/06/2026

The welcome signs are out for the judges of the 32nd edition of the international Communities in Bloom (CiB) competition who are due to arrive in Cork on Thursday to judge Ireland’s representative in the competition – Ballincollig, the country’s 2024 National Tidy Towns winner.

The Communities in Bloom judges, Dr Andrea Bocsi from Fejér, Hungary and Anthony O'Neill from North Saanich, British Columbia Canada, will be evaluating Ballincollig on Friday.

Volunteers from Ballincollig Tidy Towns (BTT), with support from Cork City Council, have been preparing the town for months to take part in the International Challenge Medium category, along with the town of Nagykőrös, Pest in Hungary.

BTT and Cork City Council would like to remind all businesses and residents to tidy up their property before the judges arrive.

The community will be rated from 1 to 5 Blooms, based on the scoring obtained. They will aim to obtain Bronze, Silver or Gold levels in their 5-Bloom rating.

The national and international results will be announced in Montreal and Rosemère, Quebec Canada from October 15 to 17, 2026 during the National Symposium and Awards Ceremonies.

Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit volunteer and partnership-driven organisation that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process to foster community strength, involvement, and continuous improvement.

This is accomplished by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancements of green spaces, and heritage conservation in cultural and natural environments encompassing municipal, residential, commercial, and institutional spaces.