The Lord Mayor of Cork Tony Fitzgerald hosted a reception to honour community groups nominated for the Pride of Place Awards 2017 in the Council Chambers on Thursday, February 1.
The Pride of Place is an all-island competition that acknowledges the work that communities are doing all over Ireland, north and south. The competition is about people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their community and environment and improve daily lives in their communities.
The main focus of the awards is on specific pride initiatives, which will have long-lasting and positive impacts on the communities that participate in the competition.
Each year, Cork City nominates groups it feels are doing exceptional work in their communities. In 2017, Cork City Council nominated five groups for the Awards.
The nominees were:
Foroige Summer Scheme – Community-based youth initiative
Ballinlough Community Association – Urban neighbourhoods over 2,000 population
Blarney Street Community Association – Urban neighbourhoods 1-2,000 population
Bonfire Night Community Volunteers – Community environmental initiative
Shine a Light Suicide Awareness – Social inclusion and equality
This is a tough competition, where it’s an achievement to be nominated. In the cities competition, Bonfire Night Community Volunteers won top prize in category four, which is Community Environmental Initiatives, while Blarney Street, Cork, also took a runner-up award in category two, Urban Neighbourhoods / Villages with a population of 1-2,000.
In the cities competition, the judges said of Bonfire Night Community Volunteers: “This winning entry captures the essence of a community working to instil a sense of pride in their place. The local community worked closely with the City Council, An Garda Síochána and the Fire Service to organise alternative events on the night of June 23, having faced the challenges of numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour. The community initiatives centred on Family Fun Nights with social activities for all age groups. Five major events are now organised in different parts of the city, with input from some 40 separate community groups. In the eyes of the judges, this is a community initiative worth celebrating.
The Gala Awards ceremony took place in Letterkenny in December. It was an opportunity for the Lord Mayor – on behalf of the City Council and the city – to recognise the work of all the volunteers and supporters involved in the projects and to thank them for their outstanding and continued hard work and commitment to your communities.
