Young people awarded for heroics and community efforts at Waterford Garda Youth Awards
CBS Dungarvan, Matthew Hayes, Archie Mahoney, Jake Kiely and Ben O'Leary, Overall Winners of the Pat Noctor Award. All Photos: Joe Evans
Young people from across Waterford were celebrated last week for their contribution to the local community through volunteerism, inspiring initiatives and personal triumphs.
At this year's Garda Youth Awards there were four award categories, with one overall winner of the main Pat Noctor award.
Individuals recognized for their outstanding contribution to the local community included Ciara Walsh, Eimhin Ronayne, Tess Ormonde and Eilish Norris.
The overall winner in the individual awards category was Conor Curran, who volunteers each summer in the Edmund Rice summer camp, helping young people from all backgrounds.
Group awards were handed this year to Pathways to Nature Ferrybank Group, Abbey Community College TY students, SETU BA in Business Information Systems fourth year students and the My Creative Community Group.
The overall group category winners were Viking Halliwick, Ard Scoil Na Mara, a group of young volunteers who host swimming classes for people with disabilities.
These awards were granted to people in the community who have overcome or defied great odds, including Michael Reilly, Finn Kavanagh, Paul Lee and Ciara Ni Bheaglaoi.
The overall category winner was Calvin Flynn, who through a significant amount of hard work and dedication turned his academic life around.
Recognising those who made their community safer, this award went to Waterford Comhairle na nÓg, Presentation Waterford TY Digital Leaders/Safer Internet Day, Active Travel Campaign Ardscoil Na Mara and students from the SETU BA Practical Public Relations Third Year Hygiene Hub.
The overall category winner were Dungarvan CBS TY Students, Matthew Hayes, Archie Mahony, Jake Kiely and Ben O’Leary.
For their work, these students were also awarded the coveted Pat Noctor Award, the main award of the night.
The students identified the issue of drink driving by recognising that many of their peers were preparing for their driver theory test or would soon be driving.
To raise awareness, they developed a realistic car crash simulation.
