Galway’s Westside Arts Festival was honoured at the all-Ireland Pride of Place community awards on Saturday evening when Galway Cycle Bus and Galway Contact were also nominated
The awards, hosted by Marty Morrissey, took place online due to the Covid pandemic with 6,000 people logging in from across Ireland to see community groups pick up gongs.
The festival took top spot in the Creative Place Initiative with Judges praising them for delivering a “ very strong community event, which continues to grow and prosper. It maintains a focus on local artists and involves engendering pride in the creativity of the local community. It is making a significant contribution to Pride of Place in the area.”
Missing out this year was the Galway Cycle Bus which came runner up in the Community Climate Action Initiative to Cork’s SHEP environmental group, while Contact Galway received a nomination.
Supporting the work of volunteers
Sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place competition was initiated 18 years ago though a Co-operation Ireland programme to acknowledge the invaluable work undertaken by volunteers and those involved in local community development. It has grown into the largest competition recognising community development achievements on the island of Ireland.
President Michael D Higgins, who is joint patron of Co-operation Ireland, along with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, said the awards played an important role. “The Pride of Place awards are a most important initiative," he said, "reminding us that creating societies that are ethical and inclusive is a task for all of our citizens, of all ages and circumstances."
