Great pride in Clare

Up to 1,000 people from all over Ireland will gather in Ennis in November for a ceremony hosted by Clare County Council and Cooperation Ireland.

The occasion is the IPB Pride of Place Awards and it will be the first time in the 13-year history of the all-island competition that the same county has hosted the ceremony two years running. It will be held once again at Treacys West County Hotel on November 14.

This will also be the first time the awards ceremony will be streamed live and the organisers say this will be of particular interest to Irish people abroad. The link is www.prideofplace.ie or www.clare.ie

More than 100 groups nominated by local authorities all over the island of Ireland are participating in this year’s competition, which is regarded as Ireland’s most prestigious all-island community awards.

Clare will be represented this year by Bunratty Local Development Association in Category 1 for population centres of up to 300 people; Doonbeg Community Development Company Ltd. in Category 2 for population centres of between 300 and 1,000 people; Kilrush Tidy Towns in Category 4 for population centres over 2,000; the Ennis based Cuan an Chláir in Category 5 (Age Friendly Initiative), and Kilmaley Voluntary Housing Association Ltd. in Category 7 (Community Health Initiative).