Pictures: Cork's volunteers and community groups honoured at Lord Mayor's awards

CORK City Council honoured some of its finest community volunteers and groups tonight.

The Lord Mayor’s Civic, Community and Voluntary Awards ceremony was held in City Hall. The Echo proudly sponsored the event, which marked 20 years in existence.

Six groups and six individuals were awarded for their community efforts across a number of categories.

Lord Mayor Deirdre Forde said:

“We have all been touched or had our lives enriched by the work of one or more of tonight’s community award recipients.

“Thank you on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire city for what you have done, and continue to do for us.”

The annual awards celebrated 20 years by acknowledging individuals and groups from across the city who have work tirelessly to improve their community.

Six groups were recognised for their voluntary contribution to their communities across a number of different categories.

Mayfield Arts Centre was named the winner of the Arts, Culture, Recreation & Sport award, with Togher Community Gardens securing the award for Community Development & Continuing Education.

The Polio Survivors Ireland-Cork Social support group were celebrated for their work in the Health & Well Being category.

The Irish Pakistani Community of Cork were awarded winners of the Social Inclusion, Advocacy & Integration category and Blackpool Youth Club were named winners of the Social Services, Charities & Environment award.

Young@Heart Douglas Seniors were given the overall award on the night for their continued effort to improving the lives of the older population in the Douglas community.

Each year six individuals also receive the Lord Mayor’s Civic Award in recognition of their efforts to improve the lot of the community in Cork.

“The Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards are an opportunity for me to pick just 6 from the many hundreds I could have chosen, not for any one event or occasion but in the main a lifetime of dedication and service in the common good. 

"And for every six I and those before me have chosen there could have been 600 others,” Ms Forde said when she addressed the crowd.

The awards aim to recognise the hard work and dedication that each nominee have given towards their chosen fields.

These included Elmarie Mawe, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Arts through her radio show, The Arts House; Daniel Nuzum, in recognition of his outstanding commitment to spiritual and pastoral care and perinatal bereavement and palliative care; Doireann O’Mahony, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to raising public awareness of and her support for those affected by sepsis through the Irish Sepsis Foundation; Denise O’Sullivan in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Irish soccer and her status as her ambassador to young women in support and Marie Piper Gregan, in recognition of her outstanding commitment to community events in Douglas.

The former Editor of The Echo, Maurice Gubbins was also awarded for his contribution to Cork life and to journalism, with the Lord Mayor awarding Mr Gubbins a special acknowledgment for his longstanding career and contribution to the Examiner Group that spans back more than 40 years.

The Lord Mayor’s Cultural Award was also presented to Emelie Fitzgibbon for her lifetime contribution and dedication to Arts in Education and Youth Theatre.

Ms Forde said: “Tonight’s Culture Award recipient is fully deserving of her honour and has made an immeasurable contribution to the Arts which will live long in the city through her legacy.”

City Hall chief executive Ann Doherty said: “There are many City Council staff on the ground that work with community groups to make valuable changes to the lives of people they serve. They know and see the true impact of your work. I am always surprised, though I shouldn’t be, by the sheer variety of individual organisations nominate and this year throws up an even more eclectic mix.”

Eoghan Dinan, deputy editor of

The Echo

welcomed the newspaper's role as sponsors for the prestigious event: 

"We pride ourselves on being a newspaper at the heart of the community, and we will not only showcase your achievements here this evening, but we do so on a weekly and often daily basis, happy to give space in our newspaper and our website to report your achievements, and to highlight your organisations, and, or course, to bring attention to your needs."