An Garda Síochána held its annual National Garda Youth Awards on Saturday, November 4th at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise.
The awards recognise exceptional young people from 13 to 21 who have positively contributed to their community.
Remarkable contributions are acknowledged in a number of Garda Divisions which includes: Offaly, Dublin, Kerry, Cork, Sligo/Leitrim, Mayo/Roscommon, Longford and Donegal. There were 25 awards presented and ‘The Upcyclers’ from Castleisland Community College won a group award.
Sustainability and Community Service
The Upcyclers promoted sustainability while also doing good in their community.
The following citation about their good deeds was read out prior to the award being presented by Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon:
“The outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022 displaced millions of people and continues to threaten the lives of people in the region, leaving families forced to flee for safety.
We can be proud that many of these people felt that Ireland would be a comfortable shelter for them.
Deeply Unsettling Time
Communities all around Ireland have been coming together in the hope of helping the Ukrainian refugees feel welcome and supported during what must be a traumatic and deeply unsettling time.
Teacher Annette Steinborn and a number of students from Castleisland Community College began to notice on their way to and from school that some mothers and children were having to walk the long distance from their refugee accommodation into Tralee town.
From a place of great compassion, these students put their heads together to find a helpful solution, and sought the donations of second-hand bicycles from their school and local business community.
60 Bikes Donated
Up to 60 bikes were donated and these students serviced and repaired each one outside of school hours.
They then went to great lengths to deliver the bicycles to those in the local refugee accommodation so that they could travel in and out of the town, go to their place of work or get out for recreation.
The same students have also contributed to the local community in other ways too like the Children’s Fairy Trail created along the river which were made from scraps left over from their woodwork projects.
They’re an example to every young person – considerate, innovative and not to mention selfless.”
Cothes from Sue Ryder
The students also bought clothes from the Sue Ryder shop and up-cycled them into clothing they would wear and they then held a fashion show for junior cycle classes.
Guest presenter Sharon Ní Bheoláin spoke about the room being filled with kindness, generosity, bravery, resilience and innovation.
“Great leaders don’t set out in the beginning to be great leaders. They set out in the beginning to make a difference,” she said.
Speaking on the day, Deputy Commissioner, Anne Marie McMahon said that the occasion was about recognising the dedication of young people – how they support one another and help their communities.
A Better Place to Live
“Each of the award recipients demonstrates all that is great about our young people, and all of us in An Garda Síochána are very proud of their hard work which is done selflessly and enthusiastically. “We hope today’s awards are a fitting acknowledgement of the very valuable contribution that these young people are making to society,” said Deputy Commissioner McMahon.
Castleisland Community College teacher, Doreen Killington who nominated the group, said that it was a privilege to be part of such a fantastic occasion.
“All the awards presented illustrated how the next generation is striving to make their community a better place to live,” she said.
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
