Louth shows volunteers all the love with Voluntine's Day surprises

Louth Volunteer Centre celebrated another successful Voluntine’s Day on February 14, 2025, where dedicated volunteers across the county were praised for their work.

Voluntine's Day is a heartfelt initiative dedicated to recognising the selfless contributions of volunteers across the county.

This year, the Centre’s Rachel Christmas and Kayleigh Mulligan embarked on a journey across Louth, from bigger towns to smaller communities, including Drogheda, Dunleer, Ardee, Carlingford and Dundalk, surprising dedicated volunteers with treats and a well-deserved thank you.

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Rachel Christmas of Louth Volunteer Centre said: “It was great to see the volunteers being appreciated and valued for their hard work and commitment during the year, and how it brightened up their day."

The day was filled with smiles, gratitude, and meaningful moments, as volunteers from various
organisations were recognised for their unwavering dedication to their communities.

Some of this year’s nominees included:

Bob Timmermans (Friends of Bully’s Acre)

Anne Murphy, Dennis Moran, Margaret Hogan (all with Alone)

Emma Lynch (Lannleire GFC)

Grainne Norton (Autism Rocks Arch Club)

Joseph Cowley (Square Utd)

Laura Mulligan (Drogheda and District AC Club)

Margaret Flood, Nina Hickey (Vision Ireland Ardee)

Patricia Gorham (Vision Ireland Drogheda)

Brid Martin (Vision Ireland Dundalk)

Maura Delaney (Society of St Vincent de Paul)

Mary Woods (Society of St Vincent de Paul, Dunleer, Clogherhead LifeBoat and Christmas Shoebox Appeal)

Paul Duffy (Order of Malta Ambulance Corps Dundalk)

Jasmine Matthew (Hands 4 Unity)

Betty Dawe (Irish Cancer Society)

Chloe Emer (Ballsgrove Youth Group)

Laura Clinton (Afterschool Club)

Brenda Heeney (Lifestyle Development Group)

Jennifer Kirkwood (O'Raghallaighs GFC)

Joseph Kimmins (Marleys Court Community Group)

Voluntine’s Day has become a cherished tradition for Louth Volunteer Centre, recognising the kindness, compassion, and hard work of volunteers who make a difference in their communities.

Whether supporting vulnerable individuals, promoting social inclusion, or fostering community spirit, these volunteers embody the true spirit of giving.

This year, Kieran McAuliffe, Producer at Dundalk FM, accompanied Centre Manager Kayleigh Mulligan on her visits and captured the heartwarming moments of the day. His recordings and interviews provided an insightful glimpse into the invaluable work of volunteers and the impact of Voluntine’s Day.

Dundalk FM listeners will get the chance to hear firsthand stories of dedication and appreciation, bringing the celebration of volunteerism to an even wider audience.

Kieran shared his thoughts on the day, he said: “It was great to go out to with Kayleigh on Friday for the Voluntine’s Day celebration. I visited three people with her and the one thing that stood out to me: they were all volunteering when we surprised them.

"Brid in the Vision Ireland shop was hard at work in the shop. Next was Gráinne who volunteers with Autism Rocks Arch Club in Haggardstown. When we visited her, she was in the middle of making play dough for that evening."

Kieran continued: "When we arrived at Paul's house, he was just about to head out volunteering for the day with the Order of Malta Ambulance Service.  

All the volunteers are so good to give so much of their time, and without these people, the amazing groups could not continue the great work they do.”

Louth Volunteer Centre encourages everyone to get involved in volunteering, whether by joining an existing initiative or starting a new one.

If you’d like to begin your volunteer journey or would like to find volunteers as wonderful as these for your organisation, visit www.volunteerlouth.ie or contact the team at Drogheda (041 9809008), Dundalk (042 9392934) or Ardee (086 0226577).