Pride of Place celebrates work of communities

Pride of Place is an All-Island competition, with local authorities from across the island of Ireland nominating groups that have made a significant impact in enhancing their communities through collective effort.

Ireland’s largest community awards event was hosted this year by Armagh, Banbridge, and Craigavon Borough Council and presented by ITV’s Pamela Ballentine. Organised by peacebuilding charity Co-operation Ireland and sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place awards showcase and celebrate exceptional community development efforts.

Peter Sheridan, who until recently was chief executive officer of Co-operation Ireland, said: “Our work at Co-operation Ireland is all about building bridges and fostering connections. The Pride of Place awards play a vital role in this effort by recognising and celebrating the remarkable efforts of communities across the island. They demonstrate that when people come together to make their neighbourhoods better, it’s not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about building bridges of understanding and pride in one’s place.”

Main Awards

Population of 0-500: Joint Winners Killeedy Community Projects, Co Limerick and Hollywood, Co Wicklow.

Population of 500-1500: Aughnacliffe, Co Longford

Population of 1500-4000: The Carndonagh Traders, Co Donegal

Population over 4000: We Love Nenagh, Co Tipperary

Communities Welcoming New Communities: Carrigallen GAA Healthy Clubs, Co Leitrim

Creative Place Initiative: Maynooth Access Group, Co Kildare

Community Wellbeing Initiative (Targeted): Blayney Blades, Co Monaghan

Community Wellbeing Initiative (Hollistic): Banteer Community Groups, Cork City

Community Tourism Initiative: Tourism East Clare

Climate Action and Biodiversity: Creggs Rural Development Company, Co Galway

Community Age Friendly Initiative: Drogheda and District Support 4 Older People, Co Louth

Housing Estates/ Residents Associations: Ballyduff Community Redevelopment Group, Co Antrim

Islands and Coastal Communities: Coiste Aiseanna na hÓige Teo, Co Kerry

Cities Awards

Urban Neighbourhoods under 3,000: Larchville Lisduggan Residents Assn, Waterford

Urban Neighbourhoods over 3,000: Ballyphehane, Cork City

Creative Place Initiative (City): The Liberties Weavers, Dublin

Climate Action & Biodiversity (City): Togher Community Garden, Cork

Community Youth Led Initiative (City): St John Bosco Youth Centre, Newry

Communities Welcoming New Communities (City): LCC Community Trust, Lisburn

Community Wellbeing Initiative (City): Live Life Wellbeing Enterprises, Lisburn

Special awards

Maidens of Macha, Co Armagh; Rylane Community Park Assn, Co Cork; Stradbally/Vicarstown/Timahoe Activity and Wellness Hub, Co Laois; ReWild Wicklow; Common Knowledge ‘Rekindle Festival of Lost Skills’, Co Clare; Le Cheile Community Garden, Co Cork; Swinford Butterfly Garden, Co Mayo

Council Community Engagement Award: Cork County Council

Special Awards Spotlight

The Stradbally/Vicarstown/Timahoe (SVT) Activity and Wellness Hub in the heart of Co Laois is a vibrant, energetic inclusive hub that links three rural communities.

The SVT Hub promotes all physical activities in the three areas, while also ensuring the health and wellbeing and social needs of the communities are reflected.

Currently in its second year of operation, SVT Hub continues to make great strides. Successes to date include holding gatherings for older adults, casual cycling events, Youth Sports Leader programmes, Wellness Boards, facilitating canoeing, kayaking, walking and running groups. The Hub also held a Halloween Spook-tacular Steam Train event, and many other activities that give people of all ages and abilities an opportunity to get active.

SVT Hub is funded by Laois Sports Partnership though Sports Ireland Dormant Account Funding, and supported by Laois County Council.