Fingal County Council selects groups to take part in Pride of Place Competition

Judging in the IPB Pride of Place Competition in Fingal will take place early next month and three groups have been selected to represent the county in this annual event which will showcase why they represent the best in Community Development on the island of Ireland.

Lusk Community Council, Castleknock Community Centre and Sustainable Skerries will each represent the Council in three different categories when the judging team come to Fingal on Monday Sept 2^nd and Tuesday Sept 3^rd.

Now in its 22^nd year, the competition, organised by Co-operation Ireland, is part of a drive to foster better community relations on the island of Ireland. Pride of Place invites local authorities in Ireland, north and south to nominate the groups and communities which make a difference in creating communities to be proud of. The groups compete in different categories and are judged in their own areas by way of a presentation and a tour.

Fingal County Council has an excellent track record in this competition, having picked up the Local Authority of the Year Award in 2017 and won the overall award for Best Urban Neighbourhood with Mountview last year and a runner-up award for the Draiocht Theatre in Blanchardstown in the Creative Places category, at the 2023 finals held in Armagh City last November.

Lusk Community Council is entered in the Populations over 5000 persons Category this year, and a committee representing all the key community stakeholders in Lusk has been busy all summer working on its presentation and tour, with particular emphasis on the work highlighted in the Lusk for Life Town Centre First Plan 2024—2032 which was launched in May.

Castleknock Community Centre, in Laurel Lodge will represent Fingal in the Inclusive Communities category, with the emphasis being on how the centre acts as a hub for inclusivity locally. The Centre will showcase the great work being done by local groups like Muslim Women Together, Spina Bifida Ireland support group and the various active age projects based in the Centre.

Last, but by no means least, Sustainable Skerries is entered in the Climate Action & Biodiversity category. This new category, which was brilliantly represented last year by Broadmeadow Community Garden in Swords will this year see Sustainable Skerries showcase the many community environmental and biodiversity projects this voluntary group has developed in the town of Skerries, many in partnership with Fingal County Council.

Speaking ahead of the judging, Mayor of Fingal Cllr Brian McDonagh said, “I want to wish the three Fingal groups who are taking part in Pride of Place in September the very best of luck. I have no doubt they will continue the strong tradition of local groups and communities doing Fingal and the Council proud in this competition which recognises the huge importance of the community and voluntary sector in the life of the county, and that is something we all should be proud of”.

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly added; “The great work of our voluntary groups, and the strong support they get from our Community Development Office is crucial to the sense of community evident in the county and it is important that this is recognised and rewarded. I want to sincerely wish all three groups the very best of luck when the judges visit Fingal next month.”

The finals of the 2024 IPB Pride of Place Competition will take place in Monaghan Town on Saturday, November 2^nd.