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Cathaoirleach Awards and Grants
This event celebrates the people in our community, their involvement and volunteering, their commitment to their own community and to the wider community.
Westmeath County Council is proud to continue to demonstrate its support of community & civic endeavour through the Cathaoirleach Awards.
Pride of Place Eco Schools Competition.
Winner of the under 100 pupils competition went to St. Brigid’s National School Ballynacarrgy.Winner of the 100+ pupil’s category went Mullingar Educate Together National School.
The Special Category award this year is based on 2010 being European year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.
Awarded to Westmeath Older Peoples Forum in recognition of their project.
Community in actions scheme grants "significant achievement grant"
Awarded to Castledaly Community Car Park Committee
Cathaoirleach Special Group/Organisation Award
Awarded to Westmeath ICA Guild which is celebrating the centenary of 100 years of ICA nationwide.
Cathaoirleach’s Awards Certificates of Recognition were given to the following list of nominees:
| Person Nominated | Nomination Group |
|---|---|
| Angela Montgomery | Castlepollard Youth Club |
| Ann Creagh | Moyvore Tidy Towns |
| Bernard Bradley | Rochfortbridge Tidy Towns |
| Billy Buckley | Moyvoughley Community Centre Committee |
| Colm Gildea | Kinnegad Community Council |
| Dale Greenwood | Ballymore Community Childcare Facility |
| David Raftis | Athlone Women's Network |
| Dermot Hope | Westmeath PWDI |
| Frank Brennan | Crookedwood Community Development |
| John Humphreys | St. Lomans GAA |
| Kathleen (Kitty) Flynn | "Young at Heart" Active Retirement Group Kilbeggan |
| Liam McGovern | Mullingar Athletic AFC |
| Mel O'Flynn | RTE All Ireland Drama Festival Athlone |
| Olivia Cronin | Killucan/Raharney Tidy Towns Community Games |
| Padraic Keena | Clonmellon Community Council |
| Pat McGonagle | RTE All Ireland Drama Festival Athlone |
| Peter Gillivan | Mount Carmel Residents Association |
| Peter Fox | Streamstown Tidy Village |
| Peter McGrath | Ballymore Tidy Towns |
| Teresa Coloe | Ballynacargy Tidy Towns Committee |
| Terry O'Dowd | Mullingar Shamrocks |
| Thady Burke | Castlepollard Guild ICA |
| Tom Egan | Castlepollard Festival Committee |
| Tony Dolan | Multyfarnham Tidy Towns & Park Development |
Cathaoirleach’s Awards overall winners under the following categories:
| Award | Person Nominated | Nomination Group | Narrative of Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Involvement | Peter Fox | Streamstown Tidy Village | Peter has always being more than generous with his time and energy to the community. He was much involved with the setting up of the community centre in Streamstown and pitch, in which all ages and all groups can enjoy today. Peter is also involved in the Streamstown Tidy Village, and has being the driving force of many ideas and fundraisers for this committee. |
| Youth & Sport Developmen | Terry O' Dowd | Mullingar Shamrocks | Terry was know as a dual player for Pearce’s and Shamrocks and on hanging up his booths he has devoted his spare time to the promoting the GAA in Mullingar. He has refereed at club and county level. Has held a variety of administration positions as the club. Terry coaching has spanned the generations of the club and he is known for encouraging the youth of today to get involved in GAA |
| Environment & Heritage | Bernard Bradley | Rochfortbridge Tidy Towns | Bernard has been involved in Rochfordbridge Tidytown Committee for many years. He continually inspires and encourages fellow members to work for the betterment of the village. Has being and advocate for keeping Rochfordbridge litter free, safe, attractive and a healthier environment for residents to live and work in. |
| Arts & culture | Mel O' Flynn | RTE All Ireland Drama Festival Athlone | Mel won the Best actress at the 1960 all Ireland drama festival in Athlone, now a member of the festival committee and directing plays for Athlone little theatre for over 20 years. Mel started as a director in the 90’s and has directed many Irish and international plays. Mel was one of the founder members of Athlone Literary festival. Mel has played a major part in developing arts and culture in Athlone and throughout the county of Westmeath |
| Active Citizenship | Thady Burke | Castlepollard Guild ICA | Thady is person who devotes his time to various groups. He has help with various organisations in the parish including Ringstown Hurling club, Coole Whitehall social services committee, child protection officer, Parish finance committee, St Patrick Day Committee, Graveyard maintenance committee, Credit union board of directors, Stewarding group for church ceremonies, Thady involvement in the community is endless and also know as a great neighbour to all. |
The Overall Cathaoirleach Award Winner 2010
Awarded to Liam McGovern from Mullingar Athletic Club AFC nominated by Mullingar Athletic Club AFC. Liam is a native of Athboy, Co. Meath who came to live in Mullingar approx 20 years ago. He is one of the founder members of Mullingar Athletic club as a player and subsequently served as trustee, secretary, team manager and voluntary project manager to develop in the club.
Liam has been the driving force behind the club, During this time the club has acquired and developed a 14 acre playing facility comprising of a club house 3 playing pitches, floodlighting, 2 all weather 5 a side pitches and a full size all weather floodlight pitch. Liam was the voluntary project manager for all these developments and devotes almost all his leisure time to the club which caters for approx 1,800 participants per week of all age. Under his influence the club has won many honours
Cathaoirleach’s Special Individual Award for 2010
Awarded to Sister Finbar.
Sister Finbar who is a sister of Mercy came to Mullingar in the early seventies to take charge of the catering facilities at Mullingar hospital. While working in the hospital Sister Finbar came to realize that many of the women who she was working with were seriously disadvantaged. Sister Finbar then went to work in the community and quickly established the Mother’s and Toddler’s group. From this beginning her work developed enormously and today we have an organization the Women’s Community Project’s whose mission statement is as follows:
“To facilitate the empowerment of women through education training and community enterprise development” The objection contained in this statement has been and continues to be achieved by the skillful efforts of Sister Finbar who has successfully motivated numerous of people and organizations to come on board. Sister Finbar, is the perfect example of someone who has applied the Christian message in practical manner within the community.
