Fermoy Community Pre-School scoop Mayor’s Community Award
Cork County heroes were honoured at this year’s County Mayor’s Community Awards, with several locals amongst the ranks.
Outstanding contributions made by individuals and community and voluntary groups across the county were showcased at the 9th annual awards, which took place last Wednesday week.
Among those honoured in the locality was Fermoy Community Preschool, who were announced as one of three Northern Division winners, nominated by local Councillor Deirdre O’Brien.
According to the Mitchelstown councillor, it is the preschool’s hard work, dedication and commitment to the community that led to the nomination.
“I nominated them because it warranted the nomination because of the work they do and the commitment they give to the community is fabulous. Any child that has gone through here has come out with such happiness, and that’s the important thing,” Cllr O’Brien said.
“Karina, Tadhg and all the staff here, they are so dedicated, I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been to the school and it is a fabulous facility. I feel very honoured to actually nominate them and it’s great that they won for the Northern Division on the night”.
Fermoy Community Preschool, which has capacity for up to 80 children, was acknowledged as being a non-profit community-focused project. Several members of the staff and board of directors of the preschool were in attendance on the night to accept the award.
“It’s a great achievement for our staff, past and present, who are fully dedicated to providing a level of excellence to our children and their families in the community. This year we are celebrating 40 years in the town, which is a huge achievement in itself,” a spokesperson for Fermoy Community Preschool said.
RECOGNITION OF 40 YEARS OF COMMUNITY COMMITMENT
Speaking to The Avondhu this week, Tadhg O’Donovan, chairperson of the Board of Directors, thanked local councillor, Deirdre O’Brien for the award nomination.
“Obviously this award it’s something we aspired to. Firstly, we would like to thank Cllr Deirdre O’Brien. Without her, we wouldn’t have received the nomination. We’re 40 years in existence now and this is the first time we have ever received a nomination for any kind of civic award. Even if we got no further than that, we would have been delighted with the nomination alone,” Mr O’Donovan enthused.
He went on to note that upon hearing they had won the group award, the immediate thoughts of those in attendance were with the members of the committee and the entire staff who were unable to be attend on the night, due to a limitation on numbers at the event, which was held in Cork County Hall.
“On an occasion like that, you’re bound to think of the commendable efforts shown by so many people down through the last 40 years. As far as we are concerned, they all made a contribution and it is in recognition of their efforts that we received this award. Anyone and everyone that was associated with the project over the 40 years, be it teaching or former committee members, it is important to recognise them.
“We would be hoping that as a result of this award, because it is a community-focused project and non-profit organisation, we would hope that going forward, the community would continue to show us the support they have shown to date,” Mr O’Donovan added.
With a staff of ten people, approximately six board of management and three on the board of directors - Tadhg O’Donovan, Helen Hutton and Kathleen Lee - emphasis was placed on the teamwork and community focus at the school.
Karina Murphy of Fermoy Community Preschool noted that all three members of the board are with the school for almost forty years, this year being the school’s 40th year in existence.
“We were just thrilled to get the award. We got a bit of a surprise because when we went up, there were some fabulous groups and people up there and it was packed. It was fabulous. They did the awards after the dinner and ours was the first section to be given the award. When we heard Fermoy, we knew it was us!”
“It was lovely for people to see what we do because we do so much here. Every penny we make, it all goes back into the preschool. It’s all for the children and the community. We have so many different nationalities and we go out of our way to help wherever we can. It’s all about inclusion in the community. It’s lovely to be seen for the work we do,” Karina said.
DONERAILE & GLENVILLE REPRESENTATION
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan, warmly commended all nominees on the night for their commitment and dedication to their communities.
“These annual awards celebrate the best of our county’s goodwill, generosity and altruism. They give us all the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the selfless work of volunteers who support their communities.
“From responding to the urgent needs of neighbours and friends throughout the county to cultivating civic pride and harbouring a sense of identity and solidarity, each nominee has left a lasting mark on their community that deserves our highest commendations,” Mayor Coughlan said.
Esteemed nominees from the Cork County Northern Division also included Art for the Heart, a Doneraile based group that organises many events inviting individual artists and performers which turns the Main Street into a hive of activity for all to enjoy.
Under the individual awards, local woman Maureen Connolly was nominated, having organised many events in the community including a very successful event in Glenville which commemorated the 175th anniversary of the famine.
OTHER AWARDS
In total, 12 awards were presented at the event, distributed across the Cork County divisions.
The Mayor’s Community Overall individual award winner, Noreen Minehan of Clonakilty, has a long-standing history of community activity having been involved in the Cope Foundation, the West Cork Traveller Centre, Clonakilty Community Hall, Dúchas Historical Society, Annual Band Championships, West Cork Drama Festival and Clonakilty Street Feast Festival. The judges highlighted how Noreen has a very broad reach across her community and that of West Cork over many years.
Passage West Creates, winners of the Mayor’s Community Overall Group Award, is a notfor-profit collective of crafters from Cork Harbour and beyond.
A posthumous presentation for Mary Manning recognising her outstanding work in driving the development of Dromahane Community Park and promoting greater inclusion in her community was collected by her husband, Barry Phillips.