The annual Donegal Volunteer Awards ceremony, held Thursday 11th July at the Radisson Blu Hotel, served as a big thank you to individuals and community groups across Donegal who make their communities a better place.
All winners received specially commissioned certificates and wall art pieces by Ramelton designer Laura Buchanan.
There were 16 nominees for the Community Groups category, where six projects also won €350 Shop LK vouchers for their groups.
Winners of the Projects Section in the 2024 Donegal Volunteer Awards at the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
The 2024 Volunteer Award Nominees for projects include:
- The Teen Club, nominated by the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation.
- Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter CLG, nominated by themselves.
- Leadership for Life Projects: Local Transport Survey nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Aoibheann Doherty & Calvin Peoples).
- Donegal Ladies GAA, nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Ava Molloy).
- Recipes from the Heart nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Caitlin Sweeney).
- Female Teens Sports nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Aimee Wiseman).
- Christmas Lights nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Kerry Peoples).
- Sunshine Chronicles nominated by Kilmacrennan Foróige (Olivia Doherty).
- Clonmany Mental Health Association, nominated by themselves.
- Clonmany Community First Responders, nominated by themselves.
- Ard Baithin Residents Group, nominated by themselves.
- Bundoran Community Development, nominated by Bundoran Community Centre.
- Letterkenny Pride, nominated by themselves.
- Kidz Club St Johnston, nominated by themselves.
- ‘Time’s running out’ by Rathmullan Community Art Project (Rathmullan Tidy Towns).
- Síoraí Charity Shop, nominated by Spraoi agus Spórt.
- Letterkenny Lions Club, nominated by themselves.
- Donegal Branch Irish Kidney Association, nominated by themselves.
- Donegal Branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, nominated by themselves.
- Cloughaneely Community Celebration, nominated by Coiste Pobail le Cheile.
- Kerrykeel Tidy Towns, nominated by themselves.
Kilmacrennan Foroige Group winners at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
The individual awards category was equally inspiring, with some of the nominees boasting over 50 years of dedicated volunteer service within their communities. Here’s a complete list of the individual nominees:
- Patricia Callaghan, nominated by Donegal Town Bluestack Special Needs Foundation CLG
- Evelyn O’Doherty, nominated by Malin Head Community Association Ltd
- Neil Blockley, nominated by Letterkenny Tidy Towns
- Amanda Wiseman, nominated by Kilmacrennan Foroige (Karen P Doherty)
- Pamela Reid, nominated by Kilmacrennan Foroige (Karen P Doherty)
- Sandra McEvoy Letterkenny, nominated by ALONE (Helena Madden)
- Christy Galligan, nominated by ALONE (Helena Madden)
- Anna McGinley, nominated as a Letterkenny ALONE Telephone Service Volunteer (Deirdre Brown)
- Bernadette Gallagher, nominated as a Letterkenny ALONE Telephone Service Volunteer (Deirdre Brown)
- Mary Mulligan, nominated as a Barnesmore ALONE Telephone Service Volunteer (Deirdre Brown)
- Geoffrey Devenney, nominated by St Columba’s SVP Conference (Martin Laird)
- Marian Carmody, nominated by The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Bundoran (Alice Gavigan)
- Cassie Lambe, nominated by Irish Second-level Students’ Union (Luke Daly)
- Martin Gallagher, nominated by Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter CLG (Donnan Harvey)
- Valentyna Melnyk, nominated by Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter CLG (Donnan Harvey)
- Olena Melnyk, nominated by Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter CLG (Donnan Harvey)
- Clare Wall, nominated by Friends of Rossnowlagh Community Group (Aoife Britton)
- Brian McNulty, nominated by Bundoran Community Centre (Michael Travers)
- Michael McKevitt, nominated by Inishowen Rivers Trust (Claire Thomspon Moore)
- Nichola Lagan, nominated by Clonmany Mental Health Association (Anne Doherty)
- Andrii Kotkovets, nominated by Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter CLG (Donnan Harvey), Letterkenny Tidy Towns, and Ukraine Group Letterkenny (Oksana)
- Emma Grace, nominated by Rathmullan Community Art Project (Hazel Russell)
- Barbara Smyth, nominated by Culdaff Development Association (George Mills)
- Laurence McGonigle, nominated by Moville Men’s Shed (Sean McBride)
- Liam McGrath, nominated by 1st Letterkenny Scout Group (Caroline Carr)
- Kathleen Alcorn, nominated by Donegal Down Syndrome (Tony McNamee)
- Aiden Dullaghan, nominated by Curragh Athletic Football Club (Jon Livesley)
- Patricia Lee, nominated by Spraoi agus Spórt Carndonagh (Helen Nolan)
- Caroline Donnolly, nominated by Donegal Down Syndrome (Tony McNamee)
See photos of some of the winning groups and individuals here:
Liam McGrath Irish Scouting with Shane McBride DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
James Ferrell and Teresa Farrell Kerrykeel Tidy Towns with Margaret Larkin DLDC & Shane McBride DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Cloughaneely Community Group with Angela Wren DLDC & John Curran DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Letterkenny Lions Club, John O’Connell with Margaret Larkin DLDC & John Curran DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Aisling Jarvis, Katie Barry and Lara Dunne from Letterkenny Pride winners in the Projects section- with Roksana Oliinyk and Shane McBride DVC. at the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Andrii Kotkovets with John Curran and Roksana Oliinyk DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Pamela Reid & Amanda Wiseman Kilmacrennan Foroige with John Curran DVC & Margaret Larking DLDC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Neil Blockley Letterkenny Tidy Towns with John Curran DVC at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Clan Uí Dhomhnaill’s, Súin Ni Dhomhnaill playing the Harp at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
Clan Uí Dhomhnaill Mum Sinead and Daughters Grainne & Róise performing at the Donegal Volunteer Awards 2024 in the Radisson Hotel Letterkenny on Thursday last. Photo Clive Wasson
The Donegal Volunteer Centre choir – The New Land Choir
Photo Clive Wasson
