Local winners at Garda Youth Awards
The 2024 Laois/Offaly Garda Divisional Youth Awards took place recently at The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise.
The awards ceremony, which is sponsored by Supermacs and The Killeshin Hotel, honoured young people from the Laois/Offaly Garda Division for their outstanding achievements in their local communities.
Each of the 18 winners were presented with a Garda Youth Award in the company of their family and peers.
A Garda Youth Award recognises the outstanding achievements of young people between 13 and 21 years of age, who have undertaken exceptional work in their local communities or who have shown great determination in their own lives.
The stories of the winners were emotional, inspiring and remarkable. They served to demonstrate the strength of character which our young people possess and leaves us in no doubt that our future is in safe hands.
An Garda Síochána is delighted to award these young people for their outstanding achievements and their contribution to their local communities.
Eighteen prestigious awards were presented in three categories.
The Individual Award winners were
1. Matty Doyle, Youth Work Ireland Laois
2. Luke Lynam, Family Carer’s Ireland
3. Charlie Beaudelot, Offaly Comhairle na nÓg
4. Rachel Fennelly, Laois Civil Defence
5. Eoin Moylan, Colaiste Naomh Cormac
The Group Award winners were
1. Rahman Youth Group, Portlaoise
2. Dignity Partnership, Portlaoise
3. Portlaoise Resource Centre, Senior Youth Club
4. Cordelia Joyce & Elisha McDonagh, Offaly Traveller Movement
5. The Order of Malta Cadets, Portlaoise
The Special Achievement winners were
1. Michael Dennedy, St. Brendan’s Community School, Birr
2. Danny Talbot, Coláiste Íosagáin, Portarlington
3. Chandell Mongan, Sihann Mongan, Amelia Dooley, Ebony McDonagh, Fusion Tullamore
4. Patryk Paszkiewicz, Old Bank Youth Centre, Portlaoise
5. Max Power, Fusion Portlaoise
6. Liam Hoare, St Brendan’s Community School, Birr
The Special Recognition Award winners were
1. Freya Maher, Banagher College – Coláiste na Sionna
2. The Student Community of St. Mary’s CBS, Portlaoise
The MC for the evening was the wonderfully talented Anne Marie Kelly of MidlandsIreland.ie.
This year’s awards were presented by Chief Superintendent Anthony Lonergan, Laois/Offaly Garda Division, Superintendent Eamonn Curley, Portlaoise District and Superintendent John Lawless, Tullamore District.
A special guest on the night was Ronan Belle of the hugely successful Tullamore band, ‘Chasing Abbey’. Ronan generously gave his time to attend the event and present an award.
Mr Pat McDonagh and Pádraic Ó’Neachtain of Supermacs and the Só Hotel Group were also present.
Also attending on the night were members of the Garda Youth Awards Committee and the judging panel - Mr Stephen Grant of Grant Engineering, Jackie Carroll of Laois Chamber Alliance, Philip Peake, Group General Manager of Só Hotels and Inspector Jane Ryan, Portlaoise. Anne Marie Kelly was also a member of the judging panel.
Musical entertainment was provided by local talent 'Alright Then' headed by singer/songwriter Conor McLoughlin. The ceremony concluded with beautiful traditional music provided by the The Portlaoise Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
An amazing evening was had by all at the Killeshin Hotel in the company of so many wonderful young people and their families and friends.