Four Mayo community groups were honoured at the annual IPB Pride of Place awards held at the Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny, on November 30.
Straide picked up an All-Island Special Award, with the judges describing it as: “A beautiful small village with many wonders but whose flagship initiative is undoubtedly its fantastic museum”. Also honoured on the night were Ballinrobe, Knock and Mayo Age-Friendly Alliance, who came runners up in their categories. All were nominated for the competition by Mayo County Council.
Organised by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities, and sponsored by IPB Insurances, Pride of Place is an all-island competition that celebrates communities across the island of Ireland as they come together to shape, change and improve the daily lives of residents.
Judging took place in July and consisted of a site visit to each location, with presentations by community representatives of their achievements and tours of the areas.
Mayo County Council’s Chief Executive, Peter Hynes, expressed his delight at the news of the award, saying that it was “testament to the community spirit, hard work and devotion of Mayo people, who, in partnership with Mayo County Council are building a county of which we can all be proud".
Real partnership with local authorities is key to the process, and Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Brendan Mulroy, cited the awards as “an example of what can be achieved when communities combine a strong work ethic and positive attitude with the resources of their local authority.”
