Poppintree winners in Neighbourhood Awards

A LOCAL Ballymun community team is celebrating after coming out tops in this year’s Dublin City Neighbourhood Awards.

The D11 Transformers team was presented with a special certificate and a prize fund of fund of €3,200 at a ceremony in the Hogan Mezzanine Suite, Croke Park.

The awards recognise the many hours of voluntary work put in by people in communities all over Dublin to improve their local area.

The D11 Transformers, who live in the ‘Courts’ in Poppintree, began by transforming one of the green areas in their estate into a beautifully landscaped space – and they then went on to transform all of the green areas in Poppintree.

Dublin Lord Mayor, Mícheál Mac Donncha, presented the local team with their award.

“The D11 Transformers should be very proud of themselves,” he said.

“This initiative started by planting a few flowers to make the place look nice and it has grown and spread so much, that numerous environmental groups have now been set up in the area.

“These groups meet and work daily, maintaining, planting and cleaning the courts, laneways and green areas outside their houses that once were home to much anti social behaviour and dumping.

“The community spirit that these residents embody has a strength that has overcome much diversity.

“That spirit energises and motivates them to take a continued interest in their community and to pass these skills onto their children, neighbours and friends.”

Ballymun local councillor, Noeleen Reilly (SF), commended the local residents who came together to win the main prize at the Dublin City Council backed awards.

“Ballymun unfairly gets some negative press and it is something that greatly frustrates all of us that live there,” she said.

“Over the last number of years a group of residents have come together to transform the place and to make it a better place for us all to live.

“The time and effort that some people have put in has been phenomenal.

“I am absolutely delighted that they won overall prize. It was thoroughly deserved and a huge testament to all their hard work over the years.

“The area was blighted by illegal dumping and bonfires and now it is completely transformed.

“This has made a huge difference to the quality of life for people in the area, and no amount of money can buy that."

Bernie Lillis, Dublin City Neighbourhood Awards Organiser with Dublin City Council, congratulated the winning local teams.

“To receive the overall winner prize in a competition with nearly 20 different categories is an outstanding achievement,” she said. “Well done to all but particularly to The D11 Transformers, East Wall Men’s Shed Group and I Love Terenure 2030 for their passion and commitment to their communities.”