Kalyna Ukrainian Choir named overall winners at Lord Mayor's community awards 

THE Lord Mayor of Cork Kieran McCarthy was joined by more than 500 people this evening to celebrate the dedication of those making a difference in communities across Cork.

In its 21st year, the Lord Mayor’s Civic, Culture and Community and Voluntary Awards event was held in Cork’s City Hall and honoured the finest community and voluntary organisations.

“We are blessed in the city to have people from across all walks of life who champion community life,” said Mr McCarthy at the event.

Awards were presented to community and voluntary groups across a number of categories.

Naomhóga Chorcaí was named the winner of the Arts, Culture, Recreation and Heritage category, while the Glen Community Garden received the award for Climate Action and Sustainable Development.

The Community Development and Continuing Education awardee was Roche’s Buildings Resource Centre, with Cork Cancer Care Centre taking home the honour in the Recreation, Sport, Health and Wellbeing category.

The Social Inclusion Advocacy and Integration prize was awarded to Cork Gay Project, and Share Housing and Day Care Services was named the winner in the Social Services, Charity and Environment category.

Each year, an organisation is chosen as the best example of community and voluntary contribution to the fabric of the city, outside of the designated categories.

The winner of the overall award in the 2024 Lord Mayor’s Community and Voluntary Awards was Kalyna Ukrainian Choir.

“Many thanks for the togetherness and all the different tangents you have mined down into and the journey you have brought the city on... let us keep collaborating for the future of this great city,” said the Lord Mayor.

The Echo has proudly partnered with Cork City Council and has sponsored the awards since their inception.

The Echo editor Gráinne McGuinness said: “It is extraordinary to think of how many people have been helped and how many lives have been changed as a result of the work done by the groups here in this room.

“Communities in Cork have been enriched and transformed by all your efforts, and it is an honour to be part of this celebration of that work.”

Mr McCarthy also honoured six people with a commemorative medal in the Lord Mayor’s Civic Awards in recognition of their contribution to society.

They were Jean Downey, in recognition of her work with Bishopstown Tidy Towns; Garry McCarthy, for his community work and long-term commitment to empowering young people through music; Naomi Masheti, for her commitment to the Cork Migrant Centre; Fahmeda Naheed, for her service and dedication to the Irish-Pakistani community in Cork; Donncha O’Callaghan, for his outstanding commitment and contribution to rugby in Munster and his work with Unicef Ireland; and Norman O’Rourke, for his contribution to music and cultural heritage in Cork City.

Playwright, director, and writer Marion Wyatt was the recipient of the 2024 Culture Award.