Smashing glass ceilings - the Garda Youth Awards in Longford and Roscommon

Beneath the glass ceiling of the town’s county council building, young people from throughout the Longford and Roscommon regions were being celebrated for breaking glass ceilings of a different kind.

Shattering barriers of expectations, the young adults in attendance at the 7th Annual Garda Youth Awards demonstrated that even challenges with the most unlikely odds can be defied.

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The awards, which consisted of five categories - three individuals and two groups - saw winners and nominees alike being commended at length for their acts of courage, kindness, and above all, community spirit.

Sifting through the nominations to select the winners was a mammoth task faced by the judging panel, which was comprised of RTE midlands correspondent Sinéad Hussey, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Garry Murtagh, Awards Chairperson and Inspector with An Garda Síochána David Cryan, Roscommon County Council Senior Executive Officer Fiona Ní Chuinn, and former Roscommon Senior Footballer Dr. Cathal Cregg.

Taking up the role of Master of Ceremonies was Sergeant James Rowan, who kept the crowd captivated with stories of impressive endeavours undertaken by the various nominees.

The first category of the evening was the Community Safety Award which is aimed at celebrating groups that have made their community a safer place to live, be it through a safety initiative or crime prevention measure. Taking home this title was Granard’s Lus na Gréine Foróige Club for their innovative work in addressing the funding gaps in children’s mental health.

After realising there was an annual shortfall of €24,000 in counselling funds, the Lus na Gréine members swiftly set about working to counteract this by organising a 5K forest walk in addition to securing business sponsorship and donations. Their ambitious efforts successfully resulted in the funding of art therapy sessions for children.

The second category of the evening was the Special Achievement Award, which was aimed at shining a light on those who have overcome difficult circumstances. Nominated for this was Alicia Purcell, and Mario Pompa, both of whom are from Longford Town.

Speaking about Alicia, Sgt Rowan praised her dedication, her work ethic, and her willingness to sacrifice her free time for the benefit of her commitments. Sgt Rowan also acknowledged the enormous personal tragedy Alicia suffered last year when she lost her beloved mother. Describing her personal growth over the last 12 months as a huge inspiration, Sgt Rowan commended her work with Foiroige, local charities, community litter clean-ups, and her involvement in helping to provide safe study breaks for those in school exams.

Also nominated for this award was Mario Pompa, whom Sgt Rowan praised for the resilience and determination he demonstrated since 2021 when he sustained a life-changing injury during a car accident. Prior to this accident, Mario was a gifted footballer and musician. The injuries from the accident however meant Mario had to re-learn basic skills. After spending a year in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Mario - intent on overpowering any obstacles in his way - went on to pursue education through Maynooth University's College Connect Programme and QQI level four studies. He now volunteers with the Longford Volunteer Centre, Longford Tidy Towns, and provides translation support for the Roma and youth community's development project. Sgt Rowan described Mario’s contribution to his community as inspiring and announced him as the winner of the Special Achievement Award.

In the category for the Individual Award, which aims to highlight those actively making their community a better place to live, the Longford nominees were: John Nevin of Longford Town, John O’Meara of Ardagh, Jack Fagan of Lisryan, Kirsty McKeon of Aughareagh, and Martin Nevin of Longford Town.

Speaking about John O'Mara from Ardagh, Sgt Rowan described him as a dedicated and enthusiastic young person who helps to spearhead the Ardagh Tidy Towns each week. The sergeant said John had cleaned up and restored the village, and had played a truly vital role in maintaining and advancing its beautiful appearance.

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Next on the list of impressive nominees was Kirsty McKeon of Aughareagh. “Kirsty,” Sgt Rowan said, “has made a hugely positive contribution to her community by becoming a qualified coach through the Ability Coaching Programme.” Kirsty, a remarkable young woman, dedicates her time to volunteering at a GAA club, supporting children with additional needs and support.

In speaking about nominee Martin Nevin, Sgt Rowan praised the Longford native as a role model to young adults in the community and listed off his impressive array of boxing achievements. The sgt also commended Martin’s volunteer work and his incredible influence on the many young kids who look up to him.

Jack Fagan of Lisryan was credited not just for his overall work with Granard Foroige Club, but additionally, his ability to lead the club with ease and experience, his willingness to help club members with events, and his offering of support to others. His uplifting influence on his peers was a source of well-deserved high praise.

John Nevin of Longford Town was hailed for his unwavering commitment to his community and commended for his selflessness, reliability, and inspirational energy. A motivational force, he never fails to inspire those around him. Sgt Rowan voiced his admiration for John’s dedication to the community and his commitment to training with Galway’s Olympic Boxing Club.

The award went to Seán Gil from Castlerea, who was recognised for his remarkable work in assisting Pearse Bolger with the care of his beautiful guide dog, Quantum, whilst also undertaking household tasks including furniture restoration and technical repairs.

Up next was the Group Award, which focused on those making a positive contribution to their community. Longford had 13 nominees in this category.

Ardagh-Moydow GAA All-Stars - Alice Farrell and Sarah Jane Fitzpatrick - two hugely inspiring teenagers who give their time to children with additional needs by coming up with fun engaging activities.

The Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Youth Helpers are a group of young changemakers involved in the Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage, a significant event whereby youth volunteers from the parish secondary schools assist the elderly throughout the journey. They play a vital role in ensuring that the experience is comfortable for all the participants.

The Safer Futures Longford Citizenship Group, a truly inspiring team who addressed the rise of homelessness in Longford by giving their time to making care packs for a local homeless charity.

Clonguish Community Games - Grace McVeigh and Lucy Maher - two remarkable young women who volunteer their time to coach and mentor the under-10s girls indoor soccer team for community games. They also coach the under-11’s mixed and under-13’s girls. Their dedication to the kids under their mentorship is commendable.

The young people of Granard Foróige - Module 3 received high praise for having actively tackled the need for accessible art therapy sessions. Their impressive fundraising work secured enough funds to provide 25 free therapy sessions for young people in their community.

Two dynamic, forward-thinking teenagers, Rosie Callahan and Emily Rose Kiernan of Granard Youth Club were commended for the positive impact they made through their Thrive Teen Journal, a resource to help teenagers navigate challenges with confidence.

The Integration of Football Tournament Players, was nominated for their wonderful work in bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds to play in an integrated soccer tournament. Young people from the Traveller, Roma, Eastern European, African, and Brazilian communities along with people from Longford were invited to participate.

The proactive young members of the Leap YDP Citizenship Project, played a crucial part in bolstering the local ecosystem by dedicating their time to removing litter from the county’s recreational spaces.

Likewise, the remarkable young people involved in the Not Around Us Campaign set about encouraging locals to refrain from smoking and vaping in public spaces, in a determined bid to create a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.

The industrious members of Longford Comhairle na nÓg gave their time to working on a variety of projects within the community, and lended their support to a variety of groups. One of the group's impressive endeavours was the distribution of 850 Exam Stress Study Packs to leaving cert students throughout Longford.

The Longford-Westmeath Youth as Researchers group also known as YAR, wanted to explore the understandings and different learning disabilities of people involved in education. YAR’s in-depth findings and analysis will now help direct education towards more appropriate supports, a phenomenal achievement that will yield positive results going forward.

The Romani Stars Group (Sandra, Georgina, Ronald, and Ladislav) spent weeks teaching younger children traditional Romany dances and exhibited a strong enthusiasm in doing so. They were lauded for having dedicated so much of their time to the kids and were commended for their wonderful work.

The winner of the overall group award was the Cloonfad Foróige Club, who responded to tragedy with remarkable resilience and community spirit. Following the loss of former members, James Daniels and Harry Fagan, in a 2024 car accident, the club organised a wake-a-thon raising €4,000 for both the Foróige Club and the Irish Road Victims Association. The group also secured funding to create a community gathering space.

The final award of the evening was the Special Recognition Award which went to Farnagh’s John Nevin. The supremely talented boxer was honoured for his outstanding dedication to supporting young people in the community. A proud representative of the Irish Traveller community, John volunteers as a coach with the Longford Community Safety Partnership’s Intro to Boxing courses, National Play Day, and local soccer programme, and actively encourages young people to take up sport as a positive outlet. His award was announced to a rapturous applause.

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The five divisional winners will now be submitted to the National Judging Panel for final assessment.

Speaking to The Longford Leader about the awards, judge Sinéad Hussey of RTE said, “It's actually a very emotional night, and even as a judge when you're going through the nominations; it really reinforces the talent that's out there. It's just amazing to see what these young people are doing. You wouldn't be worried at all about the future if you were in the room tonight because these teenagers are just remarkable.”

Ms Hussey added, “These kids don't sit back and wonder who's going to solve a problem for them. They know mental health for instance is an issue out there for young people and they look for solutions to address that. They see they can make constructive changes to help people, it's phenomenal.”