26 April 2018
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Declan Hurley, held the sixth Cork County Mayor’s Community Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 25th 2018. 11 Awards were made on the night from 34 nominations with an incredible variety of community groups and individuals from across Cork County attending the evening’s celebration.
Mayor Hurley awarded the following nominees within each Division.
| Division | Group/ Individual | Name of Group/Individual |
| Northern | Group | Dromahane Community Park Group |
| Northern | Group | Old Kilcrumper Graveyard Friends |
| Northern | Individual | Wayne O’Donnell |
| Southern | Group | Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre |
| Southern | Individual | Seán Murphy |
| Southern | Individual | Sr. Emmanuel Leonard |
| Western | Group | Castletown Kinneigh Ladies Club |
| Western | Group | Lusitania Museum |
| Western | Individual | Helen Dempsey |
Séan Murphy was the recipient of the Overall Individual Award. Hailing from Youghal, Séan has given six decades of his life to voluntary community activities and was recently honoured by the East Cork GAA Board for 54 years unbroken service. Currently the County President of Cork County Federation of Muintir na Tire, Séan has been instrumental in setting up the Community Alert Scheme and securing smoke alarms in homes for the elderly
The Overall Community and Voluntary Group Award was made to Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre. Established in 1991, Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre began providing parenting and personal development classes along with homework, shared reading and adult education classes. As demand grew the centre expanded by providing ECDL and basic computer classes, a preschool facility, a breakfast club for children from the traveller community followed by a homework club soon after. 2012 saw the redevelopment of the centre at a cost of over €750K, with the only public funding received being a grant of €25K from Cork County Council.
Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Declan Hurley makes the presentation to Sean Murphy, overall individual winner, at the County Mayor’s community awards ceremony for 2018 hosted by Cork County Council, at Cork County Hall. Also included is Declan Daly, deputy chief executive of Cork County Council.
Picture: David Keane.
Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Declan Hurley makes the presentation to Sr Emmanuel Leonard, at the County Mayor’s community awards ceremony for 2018 hosted by Cork County Council, at Cork County Hall.
Picture: David Keane.
The County Mayor’s community awards ceremony for 2018 hosted by Cork County Council, at Cork County Hall.
Picture: David Keane.
Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Declan Hurley makes the presentation to the Down Syndrome Centre Cork group of Mike and Nora Connolly, at the County Mayor’s community awards ceremony for 2018 hosted by Cork County Council, at Cork County Hall.
Picture: David Keane.
Speaking at the event, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley commented ‘An amazing 34 community groups and individuals were nominated, chosen for the superb contributions and improvements made to communities across Cork County. That is a wonderful indictment of the culture that we have in our county and one which I am delighted to be in a position to recognise, and celebrate, at the Mayors Community Awards’.
Mayor Hurley went on to say ‘I would like to see even more nominations for the Mayors Awards next year. I would like to see the ethos of volunteerism go forward and spread, to benefit each other and for the benefits to ourselves. Any litter that is picked, any time donated, any thought shared, all go toward making our communities even stronger and create great places to live happily.’
