Winners announced for Tipperary County Council’s upcycling competition

Pictured with the Brett family, Ballycahill, who won the Tipperary County Council upcycling competition were Marion O’Neill Senior Executive Officer , Anne Marie Clifford Staff Officer and Lisa Maher Clerical Officer all from the Environment & Climate Action Section Tipperary County Council and Cathaoirleach Councillor Marie Murphy. Photo Odhran Ducie.

There were more than 40 applications for Tipperary County Council’s upcycling competition, which sparked the imaginations of many.

Funded by the Environment Protection Agency, the competition encouraged people to reuse and recycle items that they would normally throw away.

Entries for the upcycling competition varied from repairing record players and sewing machines to using old clothes to make bags and using old railway sleepers to make a fire mantel.


The Brett family from Ballycahill were the overall winners, with their hen house made from unwanted pallets. To make a new chicken coop, the family used timber pallets, expanding metal, tree branches and timber cut-offs, all found around the farmyard.

Other winning entries included a garden bench made from upcycled chairs, a restored Raleigh bike, a foot stool made from an old plastic beer crate and a birdbox made from an old tin bucket and saucepan lid.

The judges said they were very impressed by the entries and the creativity displayed.