Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle is inviting the Kabin, who won a ‘creative community’ award at the national Pride of Place awards, and the other award winners and nominees to City Hall to celebrate community work across Cork.
Cork City Council was delighted to link with Cooperation Ireland in nominating communities, groups and organisations for the 2020 IPB Pride of Place awards. Pride of Place is an all-island competition that recognises improvements made by local communities to bolster civic pride in their area. Blackpool Youth Club, Brand Blarney, Cork LGBT Archive, Sexual Health Centre and the Kabin were all nominated.
Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Honore Kamegni, who accompanied the nominees to the awards night earlier this month, said: “Very high standards are being set by community groups across the city. These are practices that directly and positively impact our communities. Once again, I congratulate the winners and each nominee. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your incredible resilience and fruits of your labour. It is indeed inspirational”.
Cork City Council Director of Service for Community Culture & Placemaking, Rebecca Loughry said: “Pride of Place empowers communities to showcase their work to the rest of the country. The winners and nominees all demonstrated the skills and creativity to help their community in such varying ways. I would like to congratulate the winners and nominees who proudly represented Cork City on the national stage”.
Winners and nominees:
The Kabin – Creative Communities Category (Winners)
“The Kabin Studio, which has been in operation since 2012, is a prefab building
repurposed from an old citizen’s information office into an inclusive community learning, arts & performance hub – thanks to donations, volunteering and local grants. They engage young people from all backgrounds, abilities and cultures in an integrated programme of workshops to develop their confidence, identity, skills, employability and creativity through music, hip hop, art, drama, writing, digital media, coding and horticulture.
The space, managed by GMCBeats in partnership with Music Generation Cork City,
creates experiences for musical, personal and social meaning-making for young people
from the northside area of Cork City and other communities.
They address mental health and societal issues through fun and creative workshops while encouraging integration between young people in marginalised communities, allowing them to explore what they have in common while celebrating their own cultures. Currently, They engage with over 30 young people regularly through our weekly workshops on Mondays and Wednesdays after school hours. Throughout the year They also run camps and other once-off projects as well as outreach workshops in local schools and youth centres. This expands their reach into the 100s. Plus, we are about to
be a part of Musical Neighbourhoods, a brand-new initiative funded by Cork City Council
and the Arts Council, aimed at providing community music education to over 18s.”
Blackpool Youth Club – in the category of Community Youth Initiative (Runner Up Award)
Founded in 1974 Blackpool Youth Club, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year 2024. The Club is located behind the Blackpool Community Centre on Great William O’ Brien Street, Blackpool. The club is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers and serves the young people aged 8 to 16. It offers a safe space for social interaction, sports, and arts. It also utilises two flood lite outdoor courts for a variety of physical activities. It offers additional activities in the arts, crafts and various games for those less inclined for sports. All activities emphasis well-being, social integration and learning. The club encourages leadership among its members through a youth-led fundraising committee that raises funds not only for the club but also for other local charities. To broaden perspectives beyond their local area, the club organises trips for its members. Unbroken 50 years of quality youth provision is a remarkable feat.
LGBT Archive – Inclusive Communities Category (Runner Up Award)
The Cork LGBT Archive gathers, preserves and shares the rich history of Cork’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, making Cork Queer History impossible to ignore. It was established in 2013 and incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee in 2022. Our physical collection is in Cork Public Museum and the digital collection is at www.corklgbtarchive.com
The Cork LGBT Archive hosts a weekly Volunteer evening with young LGBTQ people, fostering a sense of community and connection with their history.
The Cork LGBT Archive is committed to Animating the Archive, bringing the history to life and making it more accessible and engaging for the community. We do this in a number of ways, including publications, exhibitions, theatre, walking tours and documentaries. Our most recent documentary, LOAFERS, marked 40 years since the opening of Ireland’s longest running gay bar in Cork in 1983. In 2024 we created a new exhibition marking 40 years since the first Cork Women’s Fun Weekend, an annual lesbian social event that is still running today
Sexual Health Centre – Community Wellbeing Initiative (Nominee)
The Sexual Health Centre, located on the South Mall in the heart of Cork city, serves as a vital resource for sexual health education, support, and testing for the Cork community. Established in 1987 as Cork AIDS Alliance, it has evolved to meet the changing needs of the diverse population it serves. The Centre is dedicated to promoting sexual health and well-being for all individuals, regardless of age, gender, or orientation. It offers a wide range of services, including free rapid HIV testing, pregnancy supports, educational workshops, and counselling. The Centre advances gender-neutral sexual health promotion, protection, and prevention through counselling, therapy, support, screening, information, education, advocacy, and policy services. Through outreach programmes and partnerships with local organisations, the team actively work to reduce stigma, increase awareness, and provide accurate information about sexual health. The Sexual Health Centre remains committed to fostering an inclusive and informed community, ensuring access to essential health services for all.
Brand Blarney – Community Climate Action and Biodiversity Category (Winners)
Brand Blarney was established in 2017 as a voluntary group with its primary focus on supporting the wider community of Blarney to contribute to and benefit from Blarney’s global tourist attraction status. They have always kept an eye on sustainability, both in what they do and how they operate. As a small, dedicated group of volunteers, they only take on projects that they can manage and deliver on with success: a model of sustainable community action.
One of the environmental jewels of Blarney is the Clogheenmilcon Fen. This is one of Cork City’s few but important wetlands, known to play a part as carbon sinks when managed appropriately. The Fen, their heritage trail, support of local businesses and other events highlight the walkability of Blarney village as a 15-minute community. The group’s work highlight Blarney as a place to gather, meet friends, new and old, and spend time in all the village has to offer in a sustainable way.
