Carlow and Kilkenny county councils are been announced among the finalists for the Excellence in Local Government Awards.
259 submissions have been whittled down to a shortlist of 98 projects across 16 categories.
Kilkenny secured nine nods and there’s four for Carlow with the two set to face off for the Municipal Districts Initiative title (details below).
The event is run by Chambers Ireland annually in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage – Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Cummins TD, said; “I am very pleased that my Department is supporting the Excellence in Local Government Awards again this year. These awards provide a wonderful opportunity to champion the innovative work being done in local authorities all across the country.
“Local authority projects, like the ones shortlisted today contribute to life in our communities in a multitude of ways, and I am delighted to be a part of celebrating these achievements. I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all the shortlisted entrants, and my appreciation to the judging panel who had the unenviable task of choosing between so many worthy entries.”
Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland, said; “The Excellence in Local Government Awards continue to grow and evolve, reflecting the dynamic and diverse contributions of Local Authorities nationwide. This year, we are proud to introduce a new category, Celebrating Irish Language and Culture, which honours initiatives that preserve and promote our rich linguistic and cultural heritage.
“The Awards showcase the inventiveness and innovation that Local Authorities are delivering, which so often goes unnoticed. I would like to congratulate each of the shortlisted Local Authorities and acknowledge the excellent work being undertaken at local government level across the country. Their efforts not only enhance community life but also demonstrate the ever-expanding scope and impact of local government today.”
TJ Hunter, Vice President Onshore Ireland & UK, Ørsted, who are headline sponsors of the Awards, added, “The Onshore Ireland team is proud to once again recognise the incredible work going on at a community level all across the Local Authorities of Ireland. The teams being highlighted today play a crucial role in all of our day to day lives and it’s so important to ensure that this hard work doesn’t go unrecognised. Every year, I am blown away by the standard of the projects being shortlisted for these awards and this year is no different. I look forward to seeing the winners announced this November.”
Winners will be announced at the 22nd annual ceremony on 27th November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood, Santry, Dublin.
Here’s the full list of contenders:
Age Friendly Initiative
- Cavan County Council – The Art of Life – Death Positive Libraries
- Cork City Council – EnergyCloud Age Friendly Pilot Project: Cork City
- Dublin City Council – Community Wellness Programme
- Fingal County Council – Sheltered Housing at Monastery Court, Lusk
- Kildare County Council – Irelands first Age Friendly Race Course
- Kilkenny County Council – Information & Activities Programme for Older People
- Meath County Council – The Meath Befriending Network
- South Dublin County Council – Ballyroan: A Dementia-Inclusive, Age Friendly Community
Celebrating Irish Language & Culture
- Cavan County Council – Glangevlin Gaeltacht Prayer Book Revival
- Cork City Council – Ar Scáth a Chéile: Clár Teanga agus Cultúir Ghaelach i Leabharlanna Cathrach Chorcaí -Scéalta, Ceol, Cultúr, Pobail
- Donegal County Council – Ceiliúradh teanga í a léamh
- Dublin City Council – Gaeilge365 – Coordinating Irish Language Innovation Regional Roll-Out
- Kerry County Council – Blas Beo, North Kerry Irish Language initiative
- Louth County Council – Lú Festival of Light
- Meath County Council – Siamsa Glas Festival
Climate Change
- Kildare County Council – Grass to Gas Project
- Kilkenny City Council – Championing Community Climate Action, Kilkenny
- Laois County Council – Portlaoise: Ireland’s First Low Carbon Town
- Louth County Council – Louth Urban Food Sanctuary
- Monaghan County Council – Empowering SMEs for Climate Action: Ireland’s First ESG Cluster
- Waterford City and County Council – The Business Pledge for a Cleaner, Greener Waterford
Communications
- Clare County Council – Clare County Council Election 2024
- Fingal County Council – Promotion of Affordable Housing scheme
- Meath County Council – ‘Local Lens’ – A podcast from Meath County Council
- Monaghan County Council – Personal & Community Resilience Booklet
- South Dublin County Council – International Protection: Fact or Fiction
- Wicklow County Council – Wicklow Welcomes: Multilingual Conversation Circles
Diversity & Inclusion
- Dublin City Council – Consultation & Participation Process Co-Designed with Disabled Person’s Organisations
- Kerry County Council – Refurbishment of former Moyvane Garda Station for community use
- Kildare County Council – Barrow Blueway Inclusive Initiative
- Meath County Council – Empowering Futures: Entrepreneurship Programme for People with Disabilities
- South Dublin County Council – Reaching for Gender Equality in Local Government
- Wicklow County Council – Wicklow Travellers Urban Outdoor Initiative
Festival of the Year
- Clare County Council – Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy (Willie Clancy Traditional Music Summer School)
- Dublin City Council – Dublin City Council Sensoria Festival
- Fingal County Council – Howth Maritime & Seafood Festival
- Galway City Council – Galway Climate Inspirations Festival-Communities in Action
- Kildare County – Brigid, Spirit of Kildare Festival
- Kilkenny County Council – Kilkenny’s Toil and Trouble – Discover the spells cast on society during the Kilkenny Witch Trials
Health & Wellbeing
- Cork County Council – Teen Talk
- Fingal County Council – Fingal Sports Festival
- Kilkenny County Council – The UcanACT Project
- Laois County Council – Live Well Health and Wellbeing Expo Event (Live Well)
- Meath County Council – Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway
- South Dublin County Council – South Dublin County Council Junior Safety Forum
- Waterford City and County Council – Good Grief
Heritage and Built Environment
- Cavan County Council – Bailieborough Bridewell
- Kilkenny County Council – Restoration and conservation of Victorian Woodstock House, Gardens & Arboretum
- Meath County Council – Heritage Led Regeneration Project in Market Square, Navan
- South Dublin County Council – Ely Arch: Heritage Conservation Through Public Realm Design
Local Authority Innovation
- Carlow County Council – Innovation in Fire Appliance Vehicle to Vehicle Digital Alerting
- Longford County Council – Driving STEM in the Midlands
- Laois County Council – MyPay Robotic Processs Automation – Superannuation Starters project
- Limerick City & County Council – Co-Plan: Keeping Limerick On Track
- South Dublin County Council – Clonburris Delivery Model – Strategic Innovation for Sustainable Growth
Municipal Districts initiative
- Cavan County Council – The Voyage Home – Return of Relics of St Kilian
- Carlow County Council – Community Roots Programme
- Cork County Council – Conversation Cafe
- Kilkenny County Council – Creative Connections: Coote’s Lane to Ring Road
- Laois County Council – The Refurbishment of The Peoples Park in Portarlington
- Meath County Council – Live Streaming of the 2024 Local Elections
- Meath County Council – Meath Community Amenity Project Scheme
Promoting Economic Development
- Donegal County Council – ALPHA Innovation, a hotbed of innovation in the heart of Donegal
- Galway City Council – CREW: Creative Enterprise and Innovation Hub Galway
- Kildare County Council – The K-Hub Strategy: Driving Cluster-Led Economic Growth in Partnership
- Limerick City & County Council – Northside Skills Fair
- Meath County Council – Empowering Entrepreneurs: The Lunch and Learn Roadshow Initiative
- South Dublin County Council – Work IQ, Innovation Centre for Technology and Enterprise Growth
Supporting Sustainable Communities
- Carlow County Council – Applied Learning Programme for Landscape Communities within the Blackstairs Mountains
- Cork City Council – Transforming Kerrypike: the transformation of Ballycannon Park
- Fingal County Council – Meakstown Community Centre and Bloom Community Garden
- Kildare County Council – The DemoHouse
- Limerick City & County Council – Limerick Going for Gold – Environment Improvement Grant & Competition
- Monaghan County Council – Protecting the Scotstown River: A Community-Led Blue Dot Waterbody Initiative
- South Dublin County Council – Connecting Communities Through the Regeneration of West Tallaght Parks
- Wexford County Council – The Great New Ross Riverside Walk
Supporting Tourism
- Cavan County Council – Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark – Regenerative Tourism Business Network – Climate Change
- Cork County Council – Explore Cork app
- Dublin City Council – The Dublin Portal
- Kilkenny County Council – The Barrow Valley Activities
- Limerick City & County Council – Limerick Greenway – Embrace the Unexpected
- Wicklow County Council – Wicklow Passport
Sustainable Environment & Biodiversity
- Carlow County Council – Carlow County Fire Service – ECO Class Fire Appliance
- Clare County Council – Knocknahila Bog Peatland Rewetting Project
- Cork County Council – Cobh Nature Based Solution-Raingarden Demostrator, National Pilot Scheme
- Kildare County Council – Kerdiffstown Park Project
- South Dublin County Council – Balancing Green and Growth: Delivering Sustainable Development and Protecting Biodiversity
Sustaining the Arts
- Cork City Council – Knocknaheeny Per Cent For Art: ”I Can Colour Between The Lines but I Choose Not To”
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – Children and Young People’s Edition, dlr Arts Development Plan 2024- 30
- Galway City Council – Youth Lates
- Kilkenny County Council – Art of Change
- Wicklow County Council – Creative Places Baltinglass
Urban Revival
- Galway City Council – Ireland’s first city-centre School Street – Scoil Iognáid, Galway
- Kerry County Council – Island of Geese – New Urban Quarter – Tralee
- Kildare County Council – Naas Library & Cultural Centre
- Kilkenny County Council – Mayfair Library and Public Realm
- Meath County Council – East Meath Civic Centre – Bettystown Library
- Monaghan County Council – Church Square – a Vibrant Performance Area & Community Space
