National Pride Of Place Award for Knockainey

Knockainey has been named one of the principal winners in this year’s IPB Pride of Place Competition in association with Co-operation Ireland. Over 400 people from all over the island of Ireland travelled to Limerick to attend the tenth annual awards ceremony at Thomond Park last Saturday.

This year’s ceremony was hosted by Limerick Local Authorities. Limerick native and RTE 2FM presenter Will Leahy acted as compere for the evening and musical entertainment was provided by Crystal Swing. Knockainey beat off stiff competition from all over the country to be crowned overall winners of Population Category 3. Elsewhere, Castleconnell claimed the second prize in Population Category 4, while St Munchin’s Family Resource Centre in Limerick city picked up first prize in the Active Elderly in the Community category of the Cities Competition. The winners in each competition category received an exclusive crystal decorative memento, along with a monetary prize. Runners- up also received a crystal memento and a monetary prize. Other Limerick participants in this year’s competition included Lough Gur, St. Senan’s Social Services Foynes and Riverview Housing Estates Kilmallock (Category 9 – Housing Estates).

Pride of Place, which is run by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border, was first piloted in the summer of 2003. The all-island initiative recognises and celebrates the vital contributions that community partnerships make to society, including promoting social cohesion, involvement in planning, the promotion of heritage, and environmental awareness.

Cllr. Jerome Scanlan desc-ribed Knockainey as a wonderful example of what could be achieved by adopting a partnership approach to improving community life.  He added: “This competition focuses on local communities, both north and south of the border, coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their area. Groups have the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn from others and further promote their activities. Knockainey’s success has helped to sustain Limerick’s impressive performance in the competition to date.”

County Limerick has enjoyed considerable success in the competition in previous years.  Cappamore Housing Estates (2011), Galbally (2010), Glin (2009), Cappamore (2008) and Dromcollogher and District Respite Centre (2007) were named overall winners in their respective categories, while six other Limerick communities finished as runners up in previous years.