Carndonagh’s Barrack Hill Town Park honoured at all IPB Pride of Place Awards

Carndonagh’s Barrack Hill Town Park Steering Committee was honoured at the all-Ireland Pride of Place community awards in Limerick.

The Committee came runner-up in the Community Wellbeing Initiative category, losing out to Doohamlet Community Centre in Monaghan.

Barrack Hill Town Park (BHTP) is a four-acre community park that serves as a hub for recreation, biodiversity, and community activities.

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Judges commented on the passion of the Committee: “It was obvious to the judges that this is a truly inclusive committee who takes on board the various interests of their communities and who provide and enable activity in the park.

“While the number of activities is very impressive, they have plenty of new proposals which they are working on. A very impressive wellbeing project.”

The awards, hosted by comedian and broadcaster Dermot Whelan, took place in Limerick’s Strand Hotel, with 400 community volunteers in attendance.

Sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place competition was initiated 23 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.

Paying tribute to the communities who were honoured on the evening, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, said: "Limerick has been proud to welcome the IPB Pride of Place Awards. These awards are a celebration of community spirit and collaboration and they shine a light on the people and projects that make our towns and villages into the places we call home. For Limerick to host this event is a testament to the resilience and creativity of our communities, with plenty of success across our city and county in these awards over recent years. We are continuing to build a future rooted in pride, partnership and possibility in Limerick, while thriving on doing things differently.”

Pride of Place founder and Chairman Tom Dowling said: “After 23 years of these motivational awards recognising exceptional community endeavour, the judges continue to be inspired and humbled in equal measures, as they hear directly from the nominated communities their story of their pride in their place and the extraordinary work they are doing to ease the path of life for all the people in their place irrespective of date or place of birth, ability or wealth.”