Three Limerick communities to shine at the Pride of Place national finals

THREE communities in Limerick will showcase their pride for their county ahead of the sixteenth annual All-Ireland Pride of Place finals this weekend.

The Kilmeedy Community Development Centre, Limerick Civic Trust and the Children's Grief Centre will represent Limerick will do their county proud this Saturday night in Cork.

Limerick City and County Council selected the three organisations to represent the county in the judging stages back in July, where the groups were tasked to present their efforts to a panel of judges in order to advance to the finals.

Each community were nominated under a category; the Kilmeedy Community Development Centre will hope to win the ‘0-300 Population’ category.

The group based in the West Limerick village dedicated their time and effort in providing educational and employment needs to all sectors of their community.

Initiatives such as the Fás Scheme, with over 50 participants serving a wide area of West Limerick; and the Phoenix Project Intergenerational Garden have aided the development group in achieving their objectives.

Limerick Civic Trust are nominated for the ‘Creative Place’ category, through their efforts in improving social-economic development while also playing a significant role in improving the city’s environment.

The Trust completed over 150 restoration projects and are currently working on projects which include: the restoration of St Munchin’s Church, the maintenance of 14 graveyards and the development of a number of derelict sites.

The 2018 National Lottery Good Cause overall winner, the Children’s Grief Centre will hope to pick up another award in the Communities Reaching Out category.

For nearly a decade, the centre based in the grounds of Westbourne Convent have supported over a thousand children struggling with grief, separation and divorce.

Limerick communities missed out in last year’s awards; in 2016 Liskennett Farm and Broadford village showed their pride of place by picking up the Special and ‘0-300 Population’ awards respectively.

The Gala Awards for the All-Ireland Pride of Place competition will take place this Saturday on November 17, at Cork City Hall.