Enniskillen has been named as one of the Top 20 places to live in Ireland as part of the Irish Times 'Best Place to Live in Ireland 2021' competition.

Fermanagh’s county town is now in the running for the overall title of best place to live in Ireland in 2021.

The town was one of 470 locations which were nominated by more than 2,400 people from across the 32 counties of Ireland for the title of ‘Best Place to Live in Ireland 2021’.

Enniskillen received 21 nominations in The Irish Times ‘Best Place to Live in Ireland’ competition, sponsored by Randox Health, that began in June when members of the public were invited to nominate their favourite place to live for the award.

The top five finalists will be named in mid-September, with the overall winner to be announced on Saturday, September 25.

Each nominated location was considered by a panel of judges on specific criteria, including community spirit, local services and amenities, diversity, transport links, vibrancy of the local economy, the cost of living, safety and, of course, a unique 'X factor'.

In the nomination selected by the judges for Enniskillen, resident Reggie Ferguson described it as a relaxing town with a wonderful location and a wide array of services.

He said: “Enniskillen is beautifully situated on an island joining upper and lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh.

"It is a mellow town which provides its residents and visitors with a mix of shopping, culture, restaurants and bars to cater for all needs.

"The town has increasingly come to appreciate the bounty of Lough Erne; has a good, well-priced housing supply; and is a very good place to live.”

The panel of five judges include architect Simon Wall, Monaghan GP Dr. Illona Duffy, TV presenter Zainab Boladale, and Irish Times journalist Rosita Boland.

The Irish Times is currently on the road visiting the Top 20 locations, and in a couple of weeks will announce its Top five before revealing an overall winner.

The Chair of the judging panel, Conor Goodman, said the entries from people all across the island of Ireland showcased the quality of life available here.

“In Enniskillen and the other locations named in the Top 20, our judges saw how pride in, and passion for, a place can galvanise a community to action and lead to the forging of a unique and open spirit of creativity and innovation.

"In each of these locations a strong culture of volunteerism is evident, as is a keen interest in sustainability and a desire to create a welcoming environment which caters for people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Other places to be nominated include Killarney, Carrick-on-Shannon, Gorey, Clonakilty, and Tullamore.

While towns predominate – there are nine in the Top 20 list - the list also includes four villages, two Dublin suburbs and three cities.

Four counties – Monaghan, Laois, Galway and Dublin – have two representatives on the long list.

The island-wide competition last took place almost 10 years ago in 2012 when Westport was selected as the overall winner.