Mayor’s awards honour Cork community pioneers

A schoolteacher from west Cork and a village community group in the Muskerry gaeltacht were the overall winners in Cork County Council’s Mayor’s Community Awards Scheme.

Mon, 05 May, 2014 - 01:00

The awards scheme, in its second year, publicly acknowledges individuals who work on a voluntary basis in their home towns and villages to help others, and also to recognise communities that work together.

Out of a shortlist of 28 nominees, 10 winners were selected for the northern, western and southern divisions of the county council.

The outright individual winner was Courtmacsherry’s Paul Finn, a geography and Irish teacher at Regina Mundi in Douglas.

He was nominated for his commitment, energy and enthusiasm within his community, not only for existing community groups but also in establishing new ones.

The 29-year-old was instrumental in re-establishing the local Foróige Club and is the current secretary of the national Foróige executive.

Among the organisations in which he is involved are Courtmacsherry Development and Festival Association, PTAA, Barryroe Show, Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Fundraising Committee and the local church choir and parish assembly.

Ballingeary-based Coiste Tithe Uibh Laoire Teo, meanwhile, was honoured as the top community/voluntary group for successfully developing a purpose-built community centre along with a childcare facility and sheltered housing.

Their achievements include building and managing Cuan Barra Community Centre, elderly sheltered housing, Spraoi na Laoi childcare facility and a playground.

The facilities are used daily by a wide variety of people including a mother and toddler group, CoderDojo, Irish language class, CPR/AED class, doctor, nurse, chiropodist and community groups.

Among the divisional winners were Triona O’Flynn who founded, in 2011, an organisation — “Liam’s Lifts” — in memory of her father, Liam.

It’s a community-based transport service in the Fermoy/Mitchelstown area in which hospital outpatients are collected from their own homes and brought to Cork city for appointments.

The judges said Triona demonstrated exceptional leadership in setting up the much-needed service.

The mayor’s awards scheme was inaugurated in 2013. County mayor Noel O’Connor hosted the ceremony to celebrate individuals and groups who worked to help others.

Overall Winners:

Best Individual: Paul Finn, Courtmacsherry

Best Community and Voluntary Group: Coiste Tithe Uibh Laoire Teo

Regional winners (13 nominations)

Southern Division (10 nominations)

Clondrohid Community Recreational Facility Ltd; Denis Murphy, Glanmire; Coiste Tithe Uibh Laoire Teo, Ballingeary

Western Division (Five nominations)

Mizen Rovers GAA Club;

Skibbereen Tidy Towns;

Paul Finn

Northern Division

Kathleen Moylan, Castlemagner;