The winners of the 2016 Tidy Towns competition were announced this afternoon.

For the first time ever, Skerries in Co Dublin has been named as Ireland's Tidiest town.

Skerries also received the award of Ireland tidiest large town,  Birdhill in Tipperary claimed the award of Ireland's Tidiest Village, Listowel in Co Kerry becomes Ireland's Tidiest Small Town for the second year running, while Ennis in Co. Clare was declared as Ireland's Tidiest Large Urban Centre.

Locally, Westport and Belmullet have retained their awarded gold medals, Castlebar has been awarded a silver medal, with bronze for Ballina and Murrisk once again this year.

Tidy Towns groups from across the region packed into the Helix in Dublin for today’s awards ceremony, and Mayo-based Minister Michael Ring presented the Tidy Towns awards along with Martin Kellegher, managing director of Supervalu who’ve sponsored the competition for the past 25 years.

Westport also won the award for best town in the West / Northwest region, and won the county award, with Belmullet highly-commended and Murrisk commended.

In addition, Westport won the National Sustainable Development award for the Edible Landscape project -  that’s worth 1,000 euro.

The Endeavour award in Mayo went to Carracastle, while Belmullet also won the National Gaeltacht award worth 2,500 euro.

And the late Noel Reilly of Belmullet was highly commended with a Supervalu Community Hero Award.

Noel, who was nominated by local SuperValu retailer Noel Kavanagh, was recognised for his unwavering commitment to enhancing his local community.

10 Community Hero awards are presented across the country for their outstanding contribution to their local area.

Mr Reilly’s wife Eva and daughter Serena accepted the award on his behalf.

Elsewhere, the county award in Roscommon was won by Castlecoote, Coolaney took the Co Sligo award, and Milltown took the county award in Galway.