Hundreds of unsung heroes from across the Island of Ireland will descend on the Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny, on Saturday for the 2019 IPB Insurance Pride of Place awards.

Dubbed the ‘Oscars of the Community Sector’ the Pride of Place awards is an annual competition organised by Co-operation Ireland and sponsored by IPB Insurance. It promotes and celebrates the best in community development and recognises the selfless efforts of people in making their local neighbourhoods better places to live, work and socialise.

Meath County Council would like to wish the groups representing Meath at this years awards the very best of luck.  They are;

• Dunboyne Tidy Towns - Population over 5000 category

• Girley Bog Meitheal - Creative Place Initiative category

• Newcastle Woods Residents Association, Enfield – Housing Estate category

This year marks the 17th anniversary of the awards which are being hosted in 2019 by Kilkenny County Council.

Cathoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Peter Cleere remarked: “Kilkenny has a strong history of communities coming together to accomplish major achievements and Kilkenny County Council are delighted to be partners with Cooperation Ireland and Irish Public Bodies Insurances in hosting this prestigious event.  To all Community Groups all over the Country in every City, Town, Village and Parish, you are to be commended for continuing to work together to increase people’s pride in where they live and in turn help to build vibrant communities.”

Pride of Place Chairperson Tom Dowling said: “These Awards continue to be as important as ever after all these years and the purpose of the awards has never changed. They are about recognising and celebrating the extraordinary, inspirational tireless work being done by communities all over the Island of Ireland as they strive to make their place a better place in which to live.”

Dr Christopher Moran, Chairman Co-operation Ireland added: “Co-operation Ireland celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2019 and we have no other programme that embodies the charity’s ethos better than Pride of Place.

"The impact Pride of Place has had in towns and villages across the island since it started in 2003 cannot be underestimated, and its continuing success is down to the dedicated volunteers and their love of where they live.”

George Jones Chairman, IPB Insurance said: “IPB Insurance is proud to be title sponsors of Pride of Place and most importantly what these Awards represent. As a mutual insurer of local authorities and their communities, these awards are an excellent fit as they recognise how volunteerism at a local level delivers an all-island social impact creating better places to live, work and socialise.”

For more information on the 2019 IPB Pride of Place Awards, go to www.prideofplace.ie/