Young Offaly stars honoured with Civic Recognition ceremony

Five young people from the county were honoured yesterday evening (Thursday, April 30) as Offaly County Council welcomed them to its office in Birr for a Civic Recognition ceremony for their recent outstanding achievements.

Four students from St Brendan's Community School Birr debating team - Eabha McDowell, Josie Flanagan, Cillian O’Meara, and Jacek Rudnicki - and talented Irish dancing world champion Lucie Pardy (also a student at St Brendan's) were invited to council offices along with their proud family members.

Lucie was honoured at the event after she was crowned as the U13 world champion in Irish dancing in early Canada in early April, having previously captured the national title. Her fellow St Brendan's students were honoured after winning the European Debating Championships in Brussels.

Speaking about the Civic Recognition, Birr native Cllr. Audrey Hennessy Kennedy said: “It was a fabulous evening for the five outstanding individuals and their families to receive the recognition they so richly deserve. It was fantastic to see them all in attendance and to acknowledge the incredible achievement they have brought to St Brendan's Community School and the wider town. It was a very proud evening for me personally, as a local councillor from Birr, to welcome these talented young people and their families to the council office . They have brought immense pride to themselves, their loved ones, their school, and the entire town.”