Promoting the circular economy - Tipp finalists for awards
Circular.ie, Ireland’s national platform for circular economy, has today announced the Tipperary finalists shortlisted for the Full Circle Awards 2026, recognising individuals, organisations and community groups who are leading the way in circular living, reuse, repair and sustainability in their local communities.
Returning for a second year, the awards, which are funded by the Government of Ireland under the Circular Economy Fund, celebrate the individuals and initiatives helping communities across Ireland reduce waste, reuse resources and promote more sustainable ways of living through local activation. The awards recognise impact across six categories including Repair and Reuse Champion, Community Circular Champion, Creative Circular Design, Circular Living Advocate, Best Community Campaign and Circular Sports Champion.
Among those recognised on this year’s shortlist are three finalists from Co Tipperary, whose work spans community campaigns, food waste prevention, toy reuse, grassroots sport and creative circular initiatives.
Tipperary finalists
- Louise Lalor
Circular Living Advocate - Champions practical circular living at home and in the garden and has been closely involved with the development of Clonmel’s toy-library and circular-community activity.
- Circular Square Clonmel, Clonmel
Community Circular Champion - Ireland’s first community circular economy hub hosts repair events, a toy library, sewing socials, clothes swaps and other activities that keep items in use.
- Cloughjordan Football Club, Cloughjordan
Circular Sports Champion - The club repairs footballs, reuses boots, jerseys and equipment and repurposes existing buildings and materials to reduce waste and make football more affordable.
Speaking about this year’s shortlist, Eibhlin Fitzpatrick, Community Manager at Circular.ie, said, “We were incredibly impressed by the quality and diversity of nominations for this year’s Full Circle Awards. The shortlist showcases the creativity and practical action already taking place in communities across all the counties. It is fantastic to see the impact being made at a local level, and we are looking forward to celebrating all of our shortlisted finalists and their achievements at the Full Circle Awards in a few weeks.”
Last year’s inaugural awards attracted nominations from across the country, highlighting a range of projects and individuals championing circular living through repair cafes, reuse initiatives, sustainable fashion, education and creative upcycling among others. Each category winner will receive a €2,000 prize along with a one of a kind handcrafted trophy created from upcycled materials. Shortlisted finalists will also benefit from national media exposure, social media promotion and features across the Circular.ie platform.
The winners of the Full Circle Awards 2026 will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place in Carlow on September 17. Full details of the event can be found here.