Fifty locations including islands, coastal communities, towns and even a rehabilitation centre have won awards in the 2015 IPB Pride of Place awards.
The all-Ireland awards, run by Co-operation Ireland and a Pride of Place steering committee, were presented on Saturday night.
The Pride of Place competition aims to recognise the involvement of the local community in all aspects of rural and urban regeneration, including promoting social cohesion, heritage and environmental awareness, across 32 counties.
More than 800 people attended the prizegiving gala in Ennis, Co Clare to see 43 communities win awards. A further six special awards were also presented, and one local authority received a “special council award”.
‘Positive change’
Peter Sheridan, chief executive of Co-operation Ireland, said the competition “embodies the ethos of the organisation and it shows how, working together, ordinary people can make a positive change on society”.
Each year local authorities North and South nominate groups for exceptional work in their communities. This year 102 groups were nominated by their respective local authority. Catrina Gallen of Co-operation Ireland said there is no overall winner of the competition: “We have 50 overall winners”.
For “city” neighbourhoods of over 2,000 people, the Poleglass community in Belfast was named as category winner ahead of runner-up Tramore, Co Waterford.
In locations of the same size outside of cities, the joint winners were Dunshaughlin, Co Meath and Strandhill, Co Sligo, while the joint runners-up were Listowel Town, Co Kerry, and Randalstown and Newtownabbey in Co Antrim.
The full list of winners are:
Cities Competition
Population Category – Neighbourhoods Under 1,000
Winner: Cregagh, East Belfast
Population Category – Neighbourhoods 1,000 - 2,000
Runner-up: Blessington Street Basin Community, Dublin City
Winner: Ballyphehane, Cork City
Population Category – Neighbourhoods Over 2,000
Runner-up: Tramore, Co Waterford
Winner: The Poleglass Community, Belfast City
Age Friendly Community Initiative
Runner-up: Engage with Age – HOPE Project, Belfast City
Runner-up: Friendly Call, Cork City
Winner: Clareville Centre, Dublin City
Young People in the Community Initiative
Runner-up: Ballybane Traveller Integrated Youth Project, Galway City
Winner: Meitheal Mara - Bádóireacht Initiative, Cork City
Community Health Initiative
Runner-up: West Community Garden, Galway City
Winner: Deed Project, Derry City
Main Competition
Population Category Up to 300
Runner-up: Cloone, Co Leitrim
Runner-up: Tinryland, Co Carlow
Winner: Kilteely, Co Limerick
Population Category 300 - 1000
Runner-up: Ballyboughal, Fingal Council area
Runner-up: Kilteevan, Co Roscommon
Winner: Doonbeg, Co Clare
Population Category 1000 - 2000
Runner-up: Carlingford, Co Louth
Runner-up: Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim
Winner: Castlemartyr, Co Cork
Population Category Over 2000
Runner-up: Listowel Town, Co Kerry
Runner-up: Randalstown, Co Antrim & Newtownabbey
Joint Winner: Dunshaughlin, Co Meath
Joint Winner: Strandhill, Co Sligo
Age-Friendly Community Initiative
Runner-up: Ballinasloe Active Retirement Association, Co Galway
Runner-up: Strabane Community Project, Co Tyrone
Winner: Carnew Community Care, Co Wicklow
Young People in the Community Initiative
Runner-up: Monkstown Community Association, Co Antrim
Runner-up: Tipperary Comhairle na nÓg, Co Tipperary
Winner: Largy College YSI Group of 2014 -2015, Co Monaghan
Community Health Initiative
Runner-up: Jigsaw Offaly, Co Offaly
Runner-up: Tiglin, Co Wicklow
Winner: Coalisland & Dungannon Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership – Health, Co Tyrone
Housing Estates Category
Runner-up: Scanlon Park, Co Limerick
Runner-up: Willow Park Estate, Co Westmeath
Winner: Cois Cairn Estate, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown
Islands & Coastal Communities Category
Runner-up: Dungarvan & Helvick Head RNLI Fundraising Branch, Co Waterford
Runner-up: Ghort a’Choirce (Gortahork), Co Donegal
Winner: Inis Mór, (Inishmore Island), Co Galway
Urban Neighbourhoods Category
Runner-up: Cabinteely, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council Area
Runner-up: Mayfield /Glengormley, Co Antrim
Winner: Swinford, Co Mayo
Special Award: Edgeworthstown District Development Assoc. Co Longford
Special Award: Oaklands Lake, Co Wexford
Special Award: Roscommon Lions Club, Co Roscommon
Special Award: The Right Key, Co Down
Special Award: Kerry Traveller Health and Community Development Project, Co Kerry
Special Award: Mayo Masters GAA Team, Co Mayo
Council Community Engagement Award:
Winner: Derry and Strabane District Council
