Young people across Carlow and Kilkenny were honoured by An Garda Síochána last night.
The innaugural Garda Youth Awards were held in Hotel Kilkenny with 11 awards handed out.
The big award on the night went to Ismail Mohammed of Carlow’s Rohingya Community. He and his family were resettled there 10 years ago and he’s now studying Engineering Aircraft Systems in IT Carlow as well as playing cricket for the local club.
Environmental Advocate, Alicia Premkumar also picked up a Youth Award, as did local wheelchair basketball coach and player, Sophie Denieffe; Kilkenny volunteer, Anthony Coy; Johnswell Youth Club member, Shane Brennan; and Thomastown Scout members, Chloe Anderson and Anna Ryan.
The Community Safety Award went to St Leo’s College Carlow.
The Group Award went to Kilkenny’s Holly Farrell and Laura Delaney for the Light up the Night Initiative.
Ossory Youth’s Mary Mescal was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award and inducted into the Hall of Fame.
And the Special Award Winner was named as Carlow’s Shauntelle Tynan for her battle with cancer.
However amongst all the celebrations, there was one poignant moment when a young Thomastown boy, Matthew Dunne, was posthumously honoured.
The 13-year-old who died suddenly earlier this year in his home had been a prominent member of the Scouts and also the TADA! drama group there.
This was the very first year of the Garda Youth Awards locally.
