Groups are recognised for positive impact in county

Many awards were given during the Dublin South Foróige Community Spirit Awards 2026, an annual celebration that highlights projects and volunteer efforts across the South Dublin area, reports Taylor O’Shea.

The winner, Ruby’s ‘Hug in a Pouch’ is a project where Ruby and her youth worker Saoirse, made and delivered gift pouches to the Tymon North Community Unit. The goal of this project was to simply give back to the community and make people smile.

Two projects received Runner Up Awards, including last year’s winners Whitechurch’s Clique UBU, for their project to support local mothers and babies, aiming to support and encourage families during an important life stage.

The Whitechurch Now Project ‘My City, My Story’ also received a Runner Up Award for a youth-led project confronting discrimination and stereotypes through storytelling.

Several other groups were also recognized for projects that made a positive impact across South Dublin.

The Brookfield Girls won The Heart of the Community Award, with their project of replacing old murals with new ones that are focused on local community and child-friendly themes for a preschool nearby.

The Neighbourhood Hero Award went to Terenure Youth Club for their “feel good” murals in a pedestrian laneway on Ashdale Road, with more planning to come.

The APT Project, Tymon UBU and Tymon Cafe groups all came together to plan a youth-led games night in the Community Centre. Which was a special night for a youth worker, Mia, who participated in this programme while she was younger.

Tallaght Person of the Year, Emer Lamon, and Chairperson of Foróige and past participant, Wayne Travers, both awarded the young people with their awards.

Seventeen projects were shown as a short film at Movies@ The Square, where it featured those in action during the process of their projects. Tackling issues such as diversity and inclusion, community, environmental, the in-depth video showed each project and its development.

Mayor Pamela Kearns expressed how important it is that young people are involved in the community and the difference these young people have made.

“These projects matter because they show that young people are not just the future — you are a vital part of the present. Your ideas, your voices, and your creativity shape the communities we live in right now,” said Cllr Kearns.