Carrigaline Lions Club wins Community Spirit Award

CARRIGALINE and District Lions Club has been recognised with a Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award in recognition of its work in the local community.

The Carrigaline club is one of the most active Lions clubs in Ireland. It was founded in 1988 and has more than 50 members, who volunteer their time to serve their local community and beyond.

It comprises a group which has built homes for older people, plus a youth centre, raising millions of euro in the process.

“Lions are described as ordinary people doing extraordinary things and Carrigaline and District Lions Club is the perfect example of this,” said Carmel Lonergan, general manager of the Cork International Hotel. 

“The club has become part of the fabric and heart of Carrigaline and the surrounding areas.

“Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre is a wonderful, state-of-the-art facility for young people and is a huge asset to the town,” added Ms Lonergan.

“There are also 16 sheltered housing units that were built by Carrigaline and District Lions Club.

“It organises many fundraisers throughout the year, including the very successful Christmas Food Appeal. The club is really making a difference to people’s lives,” she said.

The club has raised more than €2m over the last 33 years. It built two sheltered housing developments for older and vulnerable people, before turning its focus to the young people of the area.

The €1m Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre was officially opened in 2015 and the 6,000sq ft building includes a youth cafe, activity and IT room, as well as offices and meeting spaces.

The awards take in a large geographical area in South Cork, stretching from Rochestown, Douglas, and Togher to Kinsale, Crosshaven, and Passage West.

The judging panel comprises a mixture of public and private-sector representatives from the community.