Surprise award to Mary McGowan for outstanding contribution to community

Groups, volunteers and individuals from across the county were acknowledged for their outstanding community efforts by the Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC) at the  recently held Community Recognition Awards 2022.

The awards ceremony took place in the Finn Valley Athlete Centre, Stranorlar with 130 representatives from the community and voluntary sector in attendance at the event. 

The Best Social Inclusion/Peer Support Campaign which was sponsored by the ATU was won by the Rosses VIPs. The  runners up in this category were the Ballyshannon Active Retirement, Donegal Wellness Cafes, and Active Seniors Lettermaward and Doohary / Gweebara Community Group. 

Pictured L-R: John-Andy Bonnar with the winners of Best Social Inclusion/Peer Support Campaign Sponsored by ATU, Una McGarrigle, Rose Clancy, Patricia Bryne from Rosses VIPs.

The Best Collaborative Community Project which was sponsored by Magee was won by the Surfing Project – Bundoran Community Centre, Liquid Therapy and Irish Gap Year. The runners up in this category were the Finn Valley Men’s Choir, Comharchumann nc nOileán Beag and Mind Your Melon, Connect Mental. 

Pictured L – R: Rosy Temple from Magee with the winners of Best Collaborative Community Project Sponsored by Magee, Fran Duffy, Teresa O’Neill, Brian McNulty, Yulia Melnyk, and Ryan Allen from Surfing Project with Padraic Fingleton, CEO of DLDC.

The Most Innovative Community Initiative which was sponsored by Highland Radio saw Grass Routes won the award. The  runners up in this category were Coiste Forbhairt Dhún Lúiche/Dunlewey Committee, Bród Na Gaeltachta and Cill Ulta. 

Pictured L – R: John Breslin, Highland Radio with winners of Most Innovative Community Initiative Sponsored by Highland Radio, Majella Orr, Eugene Trearty and Noreen Trearty from Grass Routes at Craobhinn Community Centre with Patsy McGonagle, Chairman of DLDC.

The Best Community Organisation / Social Enterprise – Small was sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services and was won by Donegal Animals in Need and the runners up in this catefory were Playmatters CLG Donegal, Dunkineely Community CLG and Convoy Environmental Group. 

Cairde Le Chéile won The Best Community Organisation / Social Enterprise, large, which was sponsored by The Cope. The runners up were the Irish Wheelchair Association, Donegal Town Enterprise Scheme Ltd/ Donegal Town Waterbus and Ardara Sheltered Housing Association CLG. 

Pictured L – R: Emma McGarvey from The Cope with the winners of Best Community Organisation / Social Enterprise (Large), Sponsored by The Cope, Mick Quinlivin, Paul McCusker; Rosaleen Gallagher, Shane Grant from Cairde Le Cheile; and Patsy McGonagle, Chairman of DLDC. 

The high number of nominations received under the five categories were an acknowledgement of the outstanding community efforts that individuals and groups have delivered in Donegal over the last year. 

Category sponsors included ATU Donegal, Magee, Highland Radio, Tata Consultancy Services and The Cope.  A representative from each organisation attended and presented a bespoke Donegal sandstone award to each winner, handmade by the renowned Donegal local artist, Redmond Herrity. 

Lee Gooch from Highland Radio was Master of Ceremony and he interviewed the finalists on stage and acknowledged the outstanding contribution they’ve made to their local communities.

Padraic Fingleton, CEO of DLDC, thanked the community groups, social enterprises and volunteers who make an enormous difference in our Donegal communities every day by providing a wide variety of supports in their local communities to people who need it most. Padraic Fingleton also expressed his thanks to the sponsors and their individual representatives who attended on the night to present the awards, to the Master of Ceremonies Lee Gooch and to Mr Redmond Herrity for providing the beautifully sculpted awards.

Pictured L – R: Patsy McGowan, Chairman of DLDC, Mary McGowan, DLDC Hall of Fame Recipient; and Padraic Fingleton, CEO of DLDC.

Chairman of the DLDC, Patsy McGonagle, presented a surprise ‘DLDC Hall of Fame’ award to Mary McGowan for her outstanding contribution to community groups over many decades and thanked her for her tireless dedication to the community and voluntary sector.