Donegal comes out on top in Pride of Place Awards – Pic Special

Donegal was once again to the fore after the annual Pride of Place Awards took place last weekend.

Comharchumann Forbartha Gaoth Dobhair came out top in the Creative Place Initiative at last night’s IPB Pride of Place Awards ceremony held in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.

The group impressed the judging panel who visited the area earlier this year with the work they have done in reviving traditional Irish culture and heritage especially among young people and in the role they played in the recent re-opening of Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, the Irish language theatre which will act as a catalyst for the future regeneration of the cultural heritage of this Gaeltacht area.

The IPB Pride of Place awards ceremony which was hosted for the first time in Letterkenny by Donegal County Council saw more than 800 people from all over Ireland attend last night’s event.

Speaking at last night’s ceremony Cathaoirleach Cllr. Gerry McMonagle said that “Pride of Place is an ideal platform to recognise the huge efforts being made by communities around the country and to thank people for their selfless efforts in making local neightbourhoods better places to live, work and socialise”.

He added “Community activity would be a shadow of what it currently is without the men and women young and old alike who volunteer their free time for the benefit of others the benefit of their neighbourhoods”.

There were also successes for Letterkenny Youth and Family Services who were runners up in the Category 8 – Community Reaching Out Initiative and Oileán Thoraí Tory Island who were runners up in Category 10 – the Islands and Coastal Communities.

The Letterkenny Youth and Family Services is a voluntary community service working with statutory and non statutory agencies to provide a multi disciplinary approach to addressing the needs of young people and families. Programmes include After Schools Service, Bullying Programme, Anger Management Intensive Support, Autism Support and Family Programmes.

The Comharchumann on Oileán Thoraí have been central to a range of initiatives on Tory Island including the provision of a new helipad facility resulting in increased air passenger service, the recent opening of a crèche, the setting up of the Island’s first ever youth club and a range of social participation projects.

The IPB Pride of Place Awards is an all-Ireland competition which started in 2003 and celebrates community group contributions to local society and the creation of civic pride. It focuses on local people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all this is good about their area. The competition is run by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border and is sponsored by IPB Insurance.

This year there were 106 entries to the competition and last night the runners up and winners in 19 separate categories were announced and a live stream for the event was provided on www.prideofplace.ie.

The Masters of Cermonies for the evening was well known RTE news reader Aengus MacGrianna and the entertainment was provided by a number of artists including Donal Lunny and friends and Donegal’s own Clann Mhíc Ruairí.

Minister for State Joe McHugh also attended the event and he was joined by Tom Dowling Chairman of the Pride of Place committee, Dr. Christopher Moran Chairman of Co-operation Ireland, Peter Sheridan, CEO of Co-Operation Ireland and Michael McGarvey CEO of IPB Insurance and George Jones Chairman of IPB Insurance and Seamus Neely Chief Executive of Donegal County Council.

Special thanks to Champion Travel Letterkenny, Moonshine Coffee Shop Letterkenny, Mount Errigal Hotel, Station House Hotel, Castlegrove Country House Hotel, Aura Leisure Centre, Magees Pharmacy, Mc Fadden’s Letterkenny, The Natural Way Letterkenny, Gartan Outdoor Centre, Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce and Sharon’s Hair and Beauty Letterkenny, who sponsored the spot prizes for the night.

 

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