Castlecomer Take Top Prize in “Pride of Place Awards in the Community Tourism Initiative category
Castlecomer Discovery Park and Kilkenny County Council both scooped prizes at the all-Ireland Pride of Place community awards on Saturday evening.
The awards, hosted by Marty Morrissey, took place online due to the Covid pandemic with 6,000 people logging in from across Ireland to see community groups pick up gongs.
The Discovery Park took top spot in the community tourism category with judges praising them for delivering a ‘tourism enterprise par excellence’. Castlecomer Discovery Park was set up to bring renewed economic activity to the town and create much needed jobs.
“This has been achieved conclusively and the enterprise has proven a major catalyst for other spin-off projects in the town. There are exciting developments planned for the future,” said judges.
“We are so thrilled to win this award, our social enterprise is a testament to what communities can achieve through sheer determination and passion. We were even more delighted to get this award given the high level of competition in the category. We would like to sincerely thank Kilkenny County Council for their on going support” Kathy Purcell, General Manager
Kilkenny County Council claimed the council community engagement award for their ongoing work.
“This council was a very successful host of these awards in recent years and continues to nominate year after year, fantastic, well presented and well prepared entrants to the competition,” said the judges.
“Through strong community engagement this council presents well prepared groups who in turn make a great impression on the judges with their positive partnership approach to working with the council.”
Another of other local groups were in the running. Just missing out this year was Callan Town Team, who came runners-up in the areas with a population between 2,000 and 5,000 category, and Clogh Community Council in the population between 300 and 1000 category. Ferrybank Allotment also received a nomination.
