Five community initiatives in Donegal will compete in this year’s IPB Pride of Place Competition.
They are: Killybegs Community Council; Coiste Pobail Ghort a’Choirce; Sliabh Sneacht Centre, Drumfries; The Dunfanaghy Workhouse and The Donegal Youth Council.
The community initiatives in Donegal which qualified for the National Competition in 2015 have worked on a variety of initiatives in their areas.
Donegal County Council Pride of Place Awards from left are Paddy Doherty, Donegal County Council, Cathaoirleach, Ciaran Brogan, Donegal County Council, Patrica Murrin, Cllr Niamh Kennedy, Killybegs Community Council and Caitlín Uí Chochláin, Comhordaitheoir Gaeilge, Donegal County Council.
Killybegs Community Council has been promoting the south-west port for 46 years through tourism, tidy towns and heritage projects to enhance the community and the area socially, economically and culturally.
Donegal County Council Pride of Place Awards - from left are Paddy Doherty, Donegal County Council, Ciaran Brogan, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council, Mary McFadden, Manager Magheroarty Community Centre and Caitlín Uí Chochláin Comhordaitheoir Gaeilge, Donegal County Council.
Coiste Pobail Ghort a’Choirce was established in 1999 with two representatives from 16 town lands on the committee to ensure that the communities are catered for in every way possible and that the Gaeltacht parish is a place to be lived in, explored, visited and entertained in many ways
Donegal County Council Pride of Place Awards from left are Paddy Doherty, Donegal County Council, Ciaran Brogan, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council, Rosealeen Doherty, Kevin Doherty, Sliabh Sneacht Centre and Caitlín Uí Chochláin Comhordaitheoir Gaeilge, Donegal County Council.
Sliabh Sneacht Centre Drumfries is a newly purpose-built community, heritage and outdoor pursuits centre situated on the site of the old schoolhouse in Drumfries to cater for the community and visitors to the Inishowen area.
Donegal County Council Pride of Place Awards - from left are Paddy Doherty, Donegal County Council, Ciaran Brogan, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council, Harriet Duffin and Caitlin Duggan, The Workhouse, Dunfanaghy and Caitlín Uí Chochláin, Comhordaitheoir Gaeilge, Donegal County Council.
The Dunfanaghy Workhouse opened in 1995 as a heritage centre and has since developed to meet the needs of the local community as a community centre, tourism and heritage centre. It is self-funding. It consists of the community playground, cinema, after-schools programme and local youth club.
Donegal County Council Pride of Place Awards presentation to Donegal Youth Council, were: Seated, Ciaran Brogan, Cathaoirleach Donegal County Council and Eamon Connaghan, Youth Council Chairman, Back row (l-r): Niall Hannigan, Martin Keeney, Megan Skinnader, Paddy Doherty, Donegal County Council
The Donegal Youth Council is an initiative, established jointly in 2002 by Donegal County Council and the HSE West. 36 young people are elected for a two year period as youth councillors for Donegal which represents young people in the decision making process on issues and policies that affect them locally, regionally and nationally.
The Pride of Place competition is hosted by Cooperation Ireland under its Local Authority Programme, which highlights the Local Authorities commitment to supporting active community groups who undertake initiatives to improve their communities and regions.
Donegal County Council has been involved in the Pride of Place Competition since 2007 in order to promote community development and to give recognition to community groups who create viable, vibrant and visible communities as well as providing essential services to maintain communities throughout the county.
Entry is by way of Council nomination followed by interview on a county basis. Interviews in Donegal took place in April and the qualifying initiatives for 2015 were acknowledged by Donegal County Council at an awards ceremony in the Regional Cultural Centre during the recent Social Inclusion Week.
The national adjudication takes place between August 24-28. The Pride of Place Awards Ceremony takes place in Ennis, Co. Clare on Saturday, November 14.
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