Pride of Place Judgement Day for Limerick Participants

Pictured above: Tait House Community Enterprise board members, pride of place judges and Council Staff. Picture: Keith Wiseman.

Marie Chavan (left) and John McCarthy (right) with Pride of Place judge Donal Connolly

IPB Pride of Place Competition judges have concluded visits to four Limerick communities and projects participating in the all-island initiative this year with their Pride of Place Judgement Day for Limerick Participants. .Bruff, Kilteely, Tait House (Southill) and Scanlon Park (Castleconnell) were a hive of activity on Thursday and Friday last as competition judges, Donal Connolly from Waterford and Rita McNulty from Sligo inspected their work. Run by Co-Operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border, the annual competition aims to recognise and celebrate the vital contributions that communities make to society.

 Limerick City and County Council has this year nominated four communities represent Limerick in the all-island initiative. Kilteely is in Category 1 for population centres of up to 300 people, Bruff-based BGM Community Council Ltd. Is in Category 4 for population centres over 2000, the Tait House Community Enterprise is in Category 5 (Age Friendly Initiative), and Scanlon Park in Castleconnell is in Category 8 (Housing Estates).

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 Highlights of the judges’ visit to Bruff on Thursday were a tour of the old convent, which is being renovated into the Kirby O’Sullivan Sports Complex, Bruff GAA Grounds, the Community Café, and the Thomas Fitzgerald Centre, which shows the connection between Bruff and Fitzgerald- Kennedy Family.

 In the afternoon, the judges received a warm welcome in Kilteely where they undertook a tour of the village showing Cill Bhride Housing Association, the Jubilee Gardens and the refurbished Community Centre. The judges also met with community groups and organisations, as well as students and teachers from both schools in the Parish, before concluding their visit with a traditional Irish evening of song, drama and dance at The Teach in Cloverfield.

Bruff Grange Meanus Committee members, Limerick City & County Council staff and Pride of Place judges in Bruff Town Park.

 On Friday, 10 July, the judges visited Tait House in Southill and heard about the befriending service it provides to the older adults in Southil and also viewed the range of services provided to the older adults in the area. The judges were also taken on a tour of O’Malley/Kincora Park and Keyes / Carew Park and finished up with a tour of Colivert Court Housing Scheme in Southill, which has been specifically designed for older adults. 

 Judging was completed with a visit to Scanlon Park, Castleconnell on Friday afternoon. Judges met with residents in the ACM Community Centre and were brought on a tour of Scanlon Park where they viewed the community allotments and landscaping works undertaken by the residents. The day concluded with a visit to the Sports Day and Barbeque at Lisnagry Soccer Club, which adjoins the estate.

 Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr. Liam Galvin congratulated the participating communities for their efforts during judging day.

 “The strong performance of Limerick’s Pride of Place participants in this competition down through the years is evidence of the depth and breadth of voluntary activity underway in local communities. Judging day was a very special occasion for this year’s participants as it represented an ideal opportunity for Kilteely, Scanlon Park, Tait House Community Enterprise and BGM Community Council Ltd. to showcase their work and pride in their respective projects and communities”, added the Mayor.

Pride of Place Judges, Scanlon Park Committee members and dancers from Nicole Sweeney Dance School at Scanlon Park, Castleconnell.

 Josephine Cotter Coughlan, Director of Services stated: “The judges commented that all four Limerick entries were of very high standard, so we await with anticipation the results of the Pride of Place competition, which will be announced at an Awards Ceremony in Ennis, County Clare, in November.”

 “On behalf of Limerick City & County Council, we would like to commend all of Limerick’s representatives which participated in the Pride of Place 2015 and wish them the very best of luck in the competition,” added Ms. Cotter Coughlan.