Local success at 2021 Mayor’s Community Awards
The annual Cork Mayor’s Community Awards took place last week and saw local volunteers and communities within The Avondhu circulation area celebrated and honoured for their work.
Corrin Nature Reserve which is run by Rathcormac Game and Wildlife Club was announced as the winning group under the Community Groups Category.
John Howard of the Rathcormac Game and Wildlife Club told TheAvondhu that members of the club were ‘delighted’ to win the award.
“It’s our first time being nominated and it’s great recognition for the work we have done. Every little helps and it’s beginning to get us on the map after years of hard work,” he said.
Three organisations had received nominations under the Community Groups category including Mallow Arts Collective, which organises the Mallow Arts Festival, and the Mallow Art and Crafts Market, however, Corrin Nature Reserve rose to the top.
Having been open since 2019, those behind the Corrin Nature Reserve were recognised for their achievements including the reintroduction of the near-extinct Grey Partridge.
In February, the club began sharing a live stream on Facebook of two local nesting barn owls which documents the lives of these owls as they go through the nesting, hatching and rearing process from within the owl box.
“When William O’Leary put in the submission, we hadn’t our owl box live streaming yet so that’s something that might help us again next year.
“They haven’t started hatching yet but they normally lay in April so it will be very interesting to watch them then,” John said.
Cllr William O’Leary who put through the nomination, described the Corrin Nature Reserve as ‘something different and unique in the Fermoy area’.
“It has been a long time in terms of preparation but the overall intention of the project and the commitment to nature and biodiversity, there is nothing on par with it. I think the award is thoroughly deserved,” Cllr O’Leary said.
Cllr O’Leary also acknowledged the importance of sites such as Corrin Nature Reserve in times like the Covid-19 lockdowns.
“People have been going there to visit the nature reserve during Covid and it’s well within the 5km radius for a large catchment area.
“It’s a go-to place for people to get away from their own problems, even if it’s just for a short while,” Cllr O’Leary added.
KILLAVULLEN MAN HONOURED
North Cork was also successful in the individual nominees categories, with award recipients on the night.
Killavullen man Nicholas Roche was awarded in recognition of his renowned local work for taking care of the older community members and maintaining the village.
Having been nominated by both Cllr William O’Leary and Cllr Frank O’Flynn, Mr Roche was described as ‘a real community man’.
“He’s a real community man, he’s just involved in everything. He’s a cornerstone in Killavullen,” Cllr O’Leary said.
Mary Manning of Dromahane in North Cork was also awarded under the individual nominees for her work with the Development Association and the community park in Dromahane, and was nominated by Cllr Tony O’Shea.
The overall individual award also went to Mary Manning for her commitment to her local area, while the overall community group award was won by Harper’s Island Steering group in recognition of the success of the Wetlands Project.
This was the 8th year of the awards. The event was held virtually on Wednesday of last week and Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, presented a total of eleven awards - three from each division of the county, South, North and West Cork with one overall community and voluntary group award and one overall individual award selected from these nine divisional award winners.