The Marconi Men’s Shed in Clifden and the community of Clarinbridge have welcomed judges from the 23rd annual IPB Pride of Place competition, an all-island awards programme highlighting excellence in community development.

Nominated by Galway County Council, both groups are hoping to be among the winners at this year’s Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the Strand Hotel in Limerick on November 7.

Back in late August, the Ringsend & Irishtown Tidytowns & Environment (RITE) group held a showcase at the Fair Play Cafe in Ringsend, for the judges of the Pride of Place 2025 Awards.  RITE has been nominated this year for the awards, along with many other such groups across the country, which will be held in November.  Pride of Place is an all-Ireland competition that acknowledges the work that communities are doing all over Ireland.  The competition is based on communities demonstrating their pride in their place directly to the judges through oral presentations, where they highlight community activities, culture, and other aspects that contribute to pride of place recognition.

RITE began in July 2018, starting with a “simple request to clean a local roundabout. From that humble start, our group has grown into a community-driven initiative, inspiring volunteers and partnerships across the area,” Mary O’Neill Byrne, organiser and volunteer, told NewsFour.  The group relies entirely on volunteers, which currently comprises 14 men and women who work together to keep the community clean and beautiful. 

Cork County Council have, in consultation with its elected members, nominated five community groups for the IPB Pride of Place Awards for 2025. The Pride of Place judging panel will be in Cork from September 10th–12th, to assess the community projects.

Established to promote and celebrate the best in community development, the awards recognise the selfless efforts of people in making their local neighbourhoods better places to live, work and socialise. The five Cork County Council nominations for 2025 are: Cobh Tourism Committee, under the Community Tourism Initiative Category; Mourneabbey Community Council, under the Population Category 1,000-2,000; Tracton Biodiversity Group, under Climate Action and Biodiversity; Kinsale Community Youth Café, under Community Youth Initiative and finally, the Mizen Committee, under Inclusive Communities.

The national winners of this prestigious competition known affectionately as the ‘Community Oscars’ will be revealed at a Gala Awards ceremony in Limerick this November.

ATHY’S Sing and Sing Club has been chosen as one of the county’s two representatives in this year’s ‘Pride of Place’ competition, Kildare County Council announced.

The national winners of this prestigious competition known affectionately as the ‘Community Oscars’ will be revealed at a Gala Awards ceremony in Limerick this November.

Athy Sing and Sign Club is nominated in the Community Wellbeing category.

The Pride of Place awards were established to promote and celebrate the best in community development.

Five community groups in Cork county have been nominated for the IPB Pride of Place Awards 2025.

The nominated groups include Cobh Tourism Committee under the community tourism initiative category; Mourneabbey Community Council under the population category 1000-2000; Tracton Biodiversity Group under climate action and biodiversity; Kinsale Community Youth Café under community youth initiative; and The Mizen Committee under inclusive Communities.

GALWAY’S nominations for the 2025 IPB Pride of Place Awards have been selected with Clarinbridge and Clifden flying the flag.

Clarinbridge has been selected as the community representative with the Marconi’s Men Shed in Clifden also put forward by Galway County Council for the all-island competition that recognises excellence in community development.

Pride of Place judges will visit both areas on September 11th and 12th ahead of the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on November 7th at the Strand Hotel in Limerick.

The Marconi Men’s Shed in Clifden and the community of Clarinbridge have been selected to represent County Galway in the 2025 IPB Pride of Place Awards.

Both groups, which have been nominated by Galway County Council, are preparing for the visit of Pride of Place judges on September 11th and 12th ahead of the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on November 7th at the Strand Hotel in Limerick.

Cork County Council have, in consultation with its Elected Members, nominated five community groups for the IPB Pride of Place Awards for 2025. The Pride of Place Judging Panel will be in Cork from the 10th–12th September 2025, to assess the community projects.

This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the competition which is run on an all-island basis in conjunction with local authorities North and South.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has nominated Newry-based charity Davina’s Ark for IPB Pride of Place Awards 2025 in the City Category for best Community Wellbeing Initiative.

The IPB Pride of Place Awards, organised by Co-operation Ireland and sponsored by IPB Insurance, is an all-island competition that acknowledges and celebrates the vital contributions made by people to their local communities. The awards recognise groups that work with heart and commitment to make their communities better places to live, work and socialise.

Westmeath has two entries in this year’s Pride of Place competition, and on Friday September 5, the two will come under the scrutiny of the adjudicators, Westmeath County Council has announced.

The two entries are the Westmeath Community Development ‘Live Longer and Prosper’ programme, and, in the category for towns with a population of fewer than 300, Milltownpass.

Kildare County Council has announced the two nominees representing Kildare in the upcoming 2025 IPB Pride of Place Competition. The national winners of this prestigious competition will be revealed at a Gala Awards ceremony in Limerick this November.

The IPB Pride of Place Competition celebrates unsung community heroes and their voluntary work. These groups make a significant difference in their communities, inspiring friends and neighbours to get involved and improving the lives of all. It is affectionately known as the “Community Oscars”.

The nationally known Timahoe Male Choir are going for gold this week in the National Pride of Place awards.

Nominated in the Community and Wellbeing category, choir members are hoping to secure a win.

"Please come along and support the Timahoe Male Choir next Friday August 22 as we endeavor to claim the All Island Pride of Place gold medal!" the choir shared on social media.

Five Roscommon-based community and voluntary groups have been nominated for the 2025 IPB Pride of Place Awards, representing a wide range of innovative, inclusive, and sustainable projects that span the county. The awards, run in association with Co-operation Ireland and Irish Public Bodies, recognise the work of communities across the island of Ireland who show civic pride, collaboration and impact. Each of the nominated projects was visited by judges from the all-island competition, accompanied by staff from Roscommon County Council’s Community Development Department.

The talent, creativity and hard work of pupils from Curraghboy NS was on full display for two judges from the national Pride of Place awards when they visited the South Roscommon school on Thursday of last week.

The Curraghboy QR Code Litter Patrol project, created by the school's pupils in collaboration with Curraghboy Tidy Towns, was one of five Roscommon entries shortlisted for Pride of Place awards adjudication.

The judges' visit last Thursday afternoon, facilitated by Curraghboy NS principal Rory Leonard, displayed how the children were contributing to the fight for climate action and biodiversity.

Over €200,000 has been raised by local charities by hosting walks on the new Boyne Valley Camino. Their walking fundraisers have been so successful that these organisations have now made them an annual event, the founders of the Camino have revealed.

 Now the Boyne Valley Camino has been nominated for a Louth County Council Pride of Place Award for Community Tourism such is its success in attracting thousands of tourists every year.

Three Offaly organisations will vie for top honours in the prestigious 2025 Pride of Place competition, which promotes and celebrates the best in community development and recognises the important role that volunteers play in making their local areas better places to live, work and socialise.

The three Offaly groups are Ballycommon Technology and Training Centre CLG; Accessible Counselling Tullamore (ACT), and the Clonfanlough Hall Committee, all of which were nominated by Offaly County Council to represent the three municipal districts of Edenderry, Tullamore and Birr.

Tournore Court Residents Association recently welcomed two Pride of Place adjudicators to Dungarvan following their recent prestigious community award win.

Waterford City and County Council hosted Tom and Alison Dowling, adjudicators for the 2025 Pride of Place Awards, at Tournore Court, Dungarvan, where the residents association showcased their outstanding community initiatives. The visit follows the association’s recent triumph at the 20th annual Waterford PPN Community and Voluntary Awards.

The final stages of judging for the 2025 IPB Pride of Place Competition in Mayo will take place on Thursday, August 7, and Friday, August 8, with the visit of judges for the competition to Mayo.

The IPB Pride of Place Competition in association with Co-operation Ireland, is an all-island competition organised by Co-operation Ireland and Local Authorities.