Over two hundred people from across the county attended the Lee Strand / Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Awards 2016 in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel in Tralee on Friday, January 27th.
The celebration commenced with dinner and was followed by a presentation of twenty seven awards, accompanied with an inspiring citation of each winner’s achievements.
Twenty Merit Awards, five Distinction Awards, the Voluntary Group Award and the Overall Winner Award were presented on the night.
Chief Superintendent Tom Myers commended fifteen year old Timmy Dillon from Kilflynn who was announced as the Overall Winner of the Lee Strand / Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Awards 2016.
A Shining Example
Timmy was presented with a specially commissioned crystal trophy and the overall winner certificate to mark his achievement. Timmy, a third year student at St Michael’s College in Listowel was described at the awards as an inspiration and a shining example to the young people both in school and in his community.
Timmy has been involved in many fundraising initiatives in school for charities and also for his local GAA Club St Senan’s. He plays an important role with his local youth club and also helps out with the local coursing club.
Timmy was praised for being a genuine, dependable, modest, hardworking young man who gives up his time to support the less fortunate in his community and also helping out his neighbours.
Distinction Award Winners
The five Distinction Award Winners were: Michaela Buckley O’Riordan, Muckross, Killarney; Megan Duggan, Headford, Killarney; Diarmuid Lynch, Kielduff, Tralee; Alison Jones, Farmers Bridge and Shay Walsh, Scartaglen.
The five distinction winners each received a Children of Lir bronze trophy and a Distinction Award Certificate to mark their achievement in this year’s awards.
The Voluntary Group Achievement Award 2016 was presented to Kerry Comhairle na nÓg. The youth council comprises of over 60 members and provides young people with the opportunity to be involved in the development of local services and policies.
Kerry Comhairle na nÓg
Kerry Comhairle na nÓg meet monthly in Tralee and Killarney to discuss topics such as mental health, education, substance misuse and bullying.
Twenty Merit Award Certificates were also presented to: Unity Ankomah, Tralee; Kevin Ashe, Ardfert; Orla Coffey, Caherciveen; Niamh Cullen, Lisselton; Jack Curran, Castleisland; Laura Daly, Faha, Killarney; Mark Doona, Beaufort, Killarney; Anthony Hanlon, Asdee Village, Listowel; Michael Leane, Ballyheigue; Cáelán McCarthy, Caherciveen; Joanne McCarthy, Kenmare; Emma Ní Chonchúir, Daingean Uí Chúis; Basit Oyebanji, Tralee; Denis O’Leary, Ballycasheen, Killarney; Sinéad O’Sullivan, Caherciveen; Pádraic Randles, Kilgarvan; Sinead Ryan, Tralee; Mervyn Shalemba, Tralee; Barry Sugrue, Tralee and Katejan Wojciak, Listowel.
Enhance Community Lfe
“Lee Strand is delighted to support the Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Awards since 1998. Lee Strand in association with An Garda Siochana have always been proactive in acknowledging and identifying the positive work by young people and voluntary groups to enhance community life in Kerry. The awards are a fantastic celebration of their outstanding achievements,” said Donal Pierse, Chairperson, Lee Strand.
Chief Superintendent Tom Myers also commented on the importance of the awards:
“An Garda Síochána consider it essential to engage in a positive fashion with the young people in our communities. In doing so it is necessary to acknowledge positive achievements by those young people, whether these are in the fields of voluntary work in the community, sport, or education. It would not be possible to acknowledge this achievement and have an occasion whereby the families of nominees can join in the celebrations without the support from Lee Strand, the local Co-Op highly respected in the community.”
Lee Strand/Kerry Garda Youth Achievement Award Winners 2016
Overall Winner 2016: Timmy Dillon, Kilflynn; Distinction Award Winners 2016: Michaela Buckley O’Riordan, Muckross, Killarney; Megan Duggan, Headford, Killarney; Diarmuid Lynch, Kielduff, Tralee; Alison Jones, Farmers Bridge and Shay Walsh, Scartaglen,
Merit Award Winners 2016: Unity Ankomah, Tralee; Kevin Ashe, Ardfert; Orla Coffey, Caherciveen; Niamh Cullen, Lisselton; Jack Curran, Castleisland; Laura Daly, Faha, Killarney;
Mark Doona, Beaufort, Killarney; Anthony Hanlon, Asdee Village, Listowel; Michael Leane, Ballyheigue; Cáelán McCarthy, Caherciveen; Joanne McCarthy, Kenmare; Emma Ní Chonchúir, Baile na Baoile, Daingean Uí Chúis; Basit Oyebanji, Tralee; Denis O’Leary, Ballycasheen, Killarney; Sinéad O’Sullivan, Caherciveen; Pádraic Randles, Kilgarvan; Sinead Ryan, Tralee; Mervyn Shalemba, Tralee; Barry Sugrue, Tralee and Katejan Wojciak, Listowel. Voluntary Group Award Winner 2016: Kerry Comhairle na nÓg which includes Eimear Horgan from Currow as a member.
Alison and Shay – An Inspired Intervention
In the case of award winners, Alison Jones from Ballymacelligott and Shay Walsh, Scartaglin, they certainly were in the right place at the right time on a day in April 2016 when they averted a disaster on the banks of the River Maine beside Herbert Bridge on the Killarney Road. You can read about their heroic deeds and the remarkable story of Shay’s inspiration for just being there at that crucial moment. The time of the rescue coincided to the minute that his great-grandmother, Mary Quilter passed away. These days, as Shay and Alison celebrate their award, his great-grandmother would be marking her 100th birthday.
Click here to read The Maine Valley Post report on the incident: http://www.mainevalleypost.com/2016/04/13/heroic-students-rescue-mother-and-baby-from-river-in-castleisland
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