Local groups are the pride of Fingal

THE communities of Flemington in Balbriggan, Whitestown in Dublin 15 and the Hide Sculpture project at Rogerstown in north county Dublin will represent Fingal at this year’s IPB Pride of Place competition.  

Pride of Place is an All-Ireland Competition that showcases the best in community development and achievement on the island. 

Organised by Co-operation Ireland, it is open to every local authority, north and south, to nominate groups to represent their county.

In 2018, Fingal County Council had two winners in the competition finals, when Corduff won the overall prize for Urban Neighbourhood and Baldoyle took the runners-up prize in the Coastal Communities category.

The Flemington neighbourhood of Balbriggan is one of the youngest and most culturally diverse urban area in Fingal. 

This entry will focus on new emerging communities with youth and ethnic diversity to the forefront. Flemington played a crucial role in the recent Our Balbriggan consultation and is entered in the Urban Neighbourhoods category.

The Hide Sculpture and Rogerstown Park is entered in the Creative Place category. The sculpture is a permanent large-scale work on a former landfill site, which provides the local communities of Lusk, Rush and Rogerstown with a space for reflection, education and nature observation. 

The project was created with a local artist as part of the council’s public arts programme.

The Whitestown Estate Management group in Blakestown is entered in the Housing Estates category. This hard-working local group is the representative body for the Whitestown Estate. 

This year’s finals will take place in Kilkenny on November 30. 

Speaking about this year’s entries, Mayor of Fingal Eoghan O’Brien said: “Pride of Place is a very important event each year for Fingal as it allows communities to highlight the great work they do in partnership with their local authority. I sincerely want to wish this year’s three worthy entries the very best of luck.”