Video: Cork celebrates its community heroes

Pictured with Cllr. Chris O’Leary, Lord Mayor of Cork; Ann Doherty, CEO Cork City Council and Maurice Gubbins, Editor Evening Echo are Childline Cork, overall winner of the Lord Mayor’s Community & Voluntary Awards 2016. Picture: Provision

That was the verdict of Evening Echo editor Maurice Gubbins as he spoke of the pride of all at Cork’s daily community newspaper at sponsoring the awards which saw some of the greatest community volunteers in the city recognised for their tireless contribution to their city.

Childline Cork was the overall winner of the 2016 awards, earning sterling praise for empowering young people with advice on issues such as bullying, abuse and facing the challenges of everyday life 365 days of the year. The organisation fielded 40,000 calls in 2015, with volunteers handling 800 one-to-one conversations and contributing four hours of their time to make up 56 hours weekly.

Lord Mayor’s Community & Voluntary Awards. Video David Keane

Lord Mayor, Cllr Chris O’Leary, said that all groups honoured as well as the individuals recognised had been a beacon of hope and light to their communities in Cork.

“I spent 35 years working in the voluntary sector and recognise the contribution it makes to the city. In a country of competing social interests, the voluntary and community sector has always stepped up to the mark.”

There were winners across five groups as well as overall winner Childline Cork. The Cork Deaf Association was lauded for its empowerment of people with hearing disabilities, for the past five decades with the award coinciding with its 50th birthday.

ISPCC Childline takes home the overall award at Lord Mayor’s Community and Voluntary Awards 2016
Cork team holding the Overall Award trophy. From left to right: Shirley Roberts, Aoife Scully, Dolores Murphy, Laura Bruton, Leah O’Sullivan, Megan Sarl, Mary McGettrick and Sinead O’Brien

The Coal Quay Shawlies were lauded for providing a vital link to Cork’s past, and Chris Dorgan, Community and Enterprise Section, City Hall, said it was hard to imagine the city without them as the children of the city were informed of the heritage of the women who served their parents and grandparents on the famed Coal Quay.

Blarney Street and Surrounding Areas Community Association was lauded for the scheme which saw residents on the longest street in Ireland and beyond have their homes fitted with carbon monoxide detectors in response to an almost fatal incident involving two elderly women. The scheme was so successful that it is a pilot being rolled out to the rest of the country.

Alan Healy taking to Rose Adair of Childline Cork at the Lord Mayor’s Community & Voluntary Awards. Video David Keane

The Shine a Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness group is made up of local people and representatives of both statutory and voluntary services and aims to promote speaking openly and directly about suicide and related issues. The main aim of the group is to continually work toward lowering the incidence of suicide in the communities represented and increase awareness around mental health and suicide.

The Masquerade Ball Rainbow Club had provided “miraculous” success and has been a “voice for the voiceless” as it went beyond the call of duty for autism services in Cork, Mr Dorgan said.

Cllr. Chris O’Leary, Lord Mayor of Cork and the recipients of the Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards, Dermot Kavanagh, Maurice Dineen, Commodore Hugh Tully, and Brendan Dempsey; (sitting) Ann Doherty, CEO Cork City Council; Caitr’ona Twomey and Claire Nash.
Picture: Provision

Individuals lauded for their contribution to city life were St Vincent de Paul campaigner Brendan Dempsey, whom the Lord Mayor said had led the way in tackling poverty in the city, and for his work on the development of the Bia Food Initiative.

Chief executive of Cork Simon, Dermot Kavanagh, was honoured for his commitment to tackling homelessness in Cork while Caitríona Twomey, the driving force behind Cork Penny Dinners, was hailed for her commitment to social justice and being committed all year round to those less fortunate.

Commodore Hugh Tully, the Flag Officer Commanding of the Naval Service, was recognised for the humanitarian work done by the services abroad, especially in the Mediterranean where thousands of lives were saved.

Maurice Dineen was honoured for his community work in Ballyphehane, where his Club Ceoil Ballyphehane has become a revered institution for young people over the past seven years. Claire Nash was lauded for her contribution to developing and improving the city’s business environment over the decades.