Community groups have a strong sense of belonging
By Maurice Garvey
IT WAS a special week for Ballyfermot volunteers after they picked up a national award at the IPB Pride of Place 2018.
At a gala ceremony in Cork, Ballyfermot won in the category for urban neighbourhoods/villages with a population over 2,000.
Ballyfermot won in the category for urban neighbourhoods/villages with a population over 2,000
The competition judges entrants on the strength of local community volunteerism.
Ballyfermot’s victory reflects the incredible efforts of volunteers in the area since its foundation in 1948 right up to the current time.
Spearheaded by DCC’s community staff, a team effort saw eighteen different groups and over one hundred individuals participate in a strong entry.
Dublin City Council congratulated all involved and said it was “a fantastic way to cap the year’s 70th anniversary celebrations.”
With Ballyfermot celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, a number of community groups including the youth service, community associations and the heritage group, came together to organise events.
Supported by DCC, groups organised an hour-long documentary entitled Ballyfermot in the Beginning. The documentary was launched in the Ballyfermot Library in January and attended by nearly 200 people. It is now watched by thousands of Ballyfermot expats globally on YouTube.
To celebrate the centenary of the granting of women’s suffrage, a host of talks and events were organised.
Many more events from kayaking, park concerts, historical walks, art exhibitions, to Lee Dunne’s Goodbye to the Hill are part of a fun filled festival to celebrate Dublin 10.
According to judges, the Ballyfermot entry “communicated a strong sense of belonging and pride in the people of this place.”
The cited numerous activities and events which were established for all age groups “from preschool children to the elderly”, as a “truly inclusive community celebration.”
