Awards ceremony in Tipperary recognises 11 community groups for their efforts

A civic awards night for the Tipperary Cahir Cashel Municipal District was recently held in The Cahir House Hotel on Thursday October 16.

Councillors in the district each nominated a recipient for the 11 awards given out on the night. The event aims to highlight and recognise the contribution that local people or community groups make to local life and each winner on the night was presented with a ‘Cathaoirleach’s Award’ for their contributions.

The recipients who were awarded this year were Ardmayle Heritage Society, Ballingeary ICA, Burncourt Community Council, Emly Tidy Towns, the Fr Matthew Players New Inn, Loughryan Engineering Services, Monard Community Hall Committee, Patsy Hennessy & Jonas Callanan Emly, Seamus J King, Tipperary Town Revitalisation Task Force and the Two Johnnies.

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Cahir Comhaltas provided wonderful music at the event which was attended by every group who won as well as the councillors that nominated them. Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District, Fianna Fáil Cllr Roger Kennedy, addressed the award recipients at the beginning of the event. “Tonight is about the council’s recognition of you.

You delivered and contributed to the lives of ordinary people in a very important way,” he said. Tipperary native Paul Collins interviewed each award recipient on the night, giving the crowd a better understanding of the real difference each group makes within their community. Carmel Fox, from the Tipperary Town Revitalisation Task Force, explained that their group has helped get funding to do up the old courthouse in the town, which is just one of many amazing efforts by the community group.

“We hope in the future we improve social inclusion, tourism and the economy of the main street,” said Carmel.
The 2 Jonnies provided laughs on the night and were nominated by Independent Cllr Andy Moloney. Explaining why he nominated the Cahir duo, Cllr Moloney said: “They’ve never forgotten their community. They’re all about community and promote charities for mental health and the Caon Saor Womens’ refuge in Clonmel, as well as the local GAA club.”

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The 2 Johnnies said that they were honoured to be nominated for the award. “It’s lovely to be able to do stuff for the community, we actually had our first gig here in the hotel. It was actually a fundraiser for Cahir GAA,” said Johnny B. Patsy Hennessy & Jonas Callanan from Emly were nominated for the award by Fine Gael Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan.

“They raise funds for so many different charities and Patsy raises money to bring people to Lourdes. They bring people to nursing homes or anywhere if they’re stuck. They’re genuinely good Christian citizens, they get nothing for it,” she said.

Both Patsy and Jonas put on plays to raise funds for charities. During covid the duo also recorded a CD and donated the funds raised to three different charities. “We donated €2,500 to the daycare centre in Tipperary Town, €2,500 to the hospice in Emly and €2,500 to the homeless. Whatever was left we gave to Tipp Mid West Radio, who have been amazing in helping us promote our music on air,” they explained.