Six Galway organisations have been named as winners in the first National Lottery Good Causes Awards.
The awards are to honour the inspiring work of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals with the help of Good Causes funding. Nearly 30 cent of every euro spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes, which has a big impact on communities across the country.
The Galway County winners are: Claregalway GAA (sport ) - a Gaelic football club with some 900 male and female members of all ages. Good Causes funding allowed it provide a flood lit and drained natural surface pitch, and a lit walkway operational up to 10 pm at night.
Irish Guide Dogs (health and wellbeing ) - Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is dedicated to helping those who are blind or vision impaired, and families of children with autism, to achieve improved mobility, independence and social inclusion. Good Causes funding helped to assess, match and train a visually impaired person on its waiting list in the Aran Islands.
Irish Workhouse Centre (Heritage ) - The Irish Workhouse Centre based in Portumna is the only one in Ireland dedicated to telling the story of the Irish Workhouse. Good Causes funding helped towards the cost of running the centre as a tourist destination.
Baboró International Arts Festival (arts and culture ) - At the heart of Baboró is access to the arts for all children, regardless of geographic, economic, physical, intellectual or cultural background. Good Causes funding is allowing it increase access to creative and cultural experiences for all children.
Croi na Gaillimhe Resource Centre, St Vincent de Paul (community ) - Croí na Gaillimhe is a resource centre of the Society of St Vincent de Paul providing a range of services to isolated people in Galway city and county. Good Causes funding went towards the cost of providing lunch for older people and running the men’s group and intergenerational project.
Galway Autism Partnership (youth ) - Galway Autism Partnership aims to improve the quality of life those with autism and their families through peer support, social activities, training and education. Good Causes funding was used to fund Summer Camps for children and young people.
Announcing the Galway winners, National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said the organisation was bowled over by the calibre of entries and the impact that these organisations are having in their local communities.
"We know that these groups are doing extraordinary things and the Good Causes awards recognise and celebrate their achievements.”
These winners will represent Galway in the West Regional finals, competing for a place in the National Finals in Dublin on November 3.
Each category winner will received €10,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year will receive an additional €25,000.
