The Rural Spring Clean Initiative is a campaign set up by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) which encourages rural dwellers across the country to organise a clean-up of the roadside verges around their farms.

The campaign was set up in response to a survey of IFA members which found that 60% of those surveyed are concerned about rural dumping.

Commenting on the winners of Castletownroche, O’ Leary said, “The work of farmers and the wider community of Castletownroche was exceptional. Over 55 people took part throughout the month of April and in excess of 11 miles of roads in the catchment area of Castletownroche were cleaned up. A real difference has been made.”

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O'Leary also congratulated all those who took part in the initiative, saying that during the month of April "farm families and rural dwellers across the country took part in the Rural Spring Clean initiative and registered their good work on www.ifacountryside.ie.

"It was uplifting to see so much community spirit. We realise that there is a lot of effort at a local level in trying to keep the countryside litter-free and this initiative wanted to recognise this.”