Pictures: Awards night celebrates the best in Cork learning culture

Sat, 14 May, 2022 - 10:41

A celebration event to recognise the winners of the Cork Celebrates Lifelong Learning Awards in 2021 and to launch the Awards for 2022 was hosted on Tuesday in Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall by Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr. John Sheehan.

The Cork Celebrates Lifelong Learning Awards recognise the valuable contribution that local organisations and individuals make to creating a culture of learning in Cork, a UNESCO awarded Learning City since 2015.

Shortlisted Nominees in the Youth & Community Learning Awards Category Cork Life CentreL-R Denis Barrett (Cork Learning City) , Don O'Leary, Rachel Lucey, Thomas Mulcahy (Cork Life Centre) and Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan pictured at a celebration event to recognise the winners of the Cork Celebrates Lifelong Learning Awards in 2021. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

For the inaugural Awards in 2021, 104 nominations were received across 10 categories. The panel judges commented on the strength and variety of activity in the city and organisers are hoping to build on that number for 2022.

A special feature on the night was the presentation of the inaugural ‘Inspirational Lifelong Learner’ Award to Tina Neylon, former Lifelong Learning Festival Co-ordinator.

Shortlisted Award in Early Years Category Dolly Parton Imagination Library L-R Willie Mc Aulliffe (Cork Learning City), Aoife Ni Chonchubhair HSE, Grace Walsh and Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

Awards Committee Chair Willie McAuliffe said: "Tina has inspired countless people through her work with the Lifelong Learning Festival, and through her personal commitment and passion for power of learning."

Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr. John Sheehan said the awards 'reflect our shared understanding in Cork of the power and importance of learning for all'.

Shortlisted for Secondary Level category - Bishopstown Community School - Learning Hub. Lorna Finnegan Deputy Principal, Arrissa Virak, Annies Jayne O’Flynn, Fatima Ismail, student council members and Edwina Gottstein -Principal , Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

"I encourage everyone to take the opportunity this year to nominate people, to recognise the great work they are doing to support learning opportunities in so many ways," he said.

Exceptional Endeavour Award Category WINNER - Konrad Im. Nuttawud Nutchanat, Konrad Im and Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan pictured. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

With over 100 awardees in attendance at the awards launch alongside judges, board members, and partner organisations, Deputy Lord Mayor John Sheehan welcomed winners of the 2021 awards and announced the opening of nominations for the 2022 series. Nominations are open to groups organisations and individuals in Cork city.

Award winners

Early Years Award winner: Little Bird Babble.

Shortlist Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Cork

Shortlist BEAG Early Years Arts Programme

Primary Level Award winner: Beaumont Girl’s National School; .

Shortlist Lifetime Lab @ Old Cork Waterworks

Shortlist North Presentation Primary - STAR Project

Secondary School Award winner: Scoil Bernadette

Shortlist Rang Doire - Transition Year, Colaiste Daibhéid

Shortlist Bishopstown Community School’s Learning Hub

Youth & Community Learning winner: The Sexual Health Centre Hubs Initiative;

Shortlist Music Generation ‘The Island of Woods’

Shortlist Cork Life Centre

Higher Education winner: Joint MTU Cork Access Service, UCC PLUS+ and ACCESS PLUS+ Schools Team.

Higher Education winner: MTU MTU Disability Support Service/Career Service and DELL Technologies; Higher Education winner: UCC Regina Sexton, ACE Short Courses.

Further Education Award winner: UCC ACCESS+ Further Education Support Programme;

Shortlist Dr. Trevor Carey, ‘Spectroscopy in a Suitcase’

Shortlist Doras and Bonnington Training Centre

Adult Ed: Community Education Award winner: Mayfield Community Adult Learning Project CALP.

Shortlist Cork City Partnership - Art and Drawing Group

Shortlist Welcome English Immigrant/Language Centre

Higher Education winner: MTU Extended Campus.

Adult Ed: Workplace Learning Initiative Award winner: UCC Belinda Gascoigne, ACE Carbery Greener Dairy Farms Project.

Adult Ed: Workplace Learning Initiative Award winner: Chamber Ability@Work, Cope Foundation.

Adult Ed: Workplace Learning Initiative Award winner: CETB CETB & Defence Forces Cork RPL TOBAR Project.

Active Retired Lifelong Learning Award winner: Kay O’Callaghan, Scoil Barra Naofa Cailíní.

Shortlist St Brendan’s The Glen Senior Citizens

Shortlist The Holly Ukes, Hollyhill Library

Exceptional Endeavour Award winner: Konrad Im

Shortlist Anna Jakobek

Shortlist Prof. Roy Sleator

Inspirational Lifelong Learner winner: Tina Neylon.

Nominations for the 2022 Cork Celebrates Lifelong Learning Awards are now live and the online application form can be accessed through the website corklearningcity.ie or via social media channels. Nominations will close at 5pm on Monday June 20 and the 2022 awards winners will be announced in September 2022.

Shortlisted Award in Early Years Shortlisted Entry BEAG Early Years Arts Programme. L-R Willie Mc Auliffe Cork Learning City, Nathalia Marques, George Hanover, Helga Deasy (BEAG Early Years Arts Programme) and Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan. Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

Organisers describe the awards as 'a great opportunity for the people of Cork to nominate individuals and projects that have inspired us by their innovation, endeavour and inclusion through their Lifelong Learning actions over the past 12 months'.

Early Years Award Category WINNER - Little Bird Babble L- R back - Rebecca Loughry HSE, Malgorzata Geneja, Rachel Doolin, Joanie Barron, Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan,

"These awards are a celebration of how lifelong learning enables people to change their lives and how learning has become a way to improvement in life, work and community," they added.

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