Over two hundred Irish men and women attended the National Age Friendly Recognition & Achievement Awards 2018 to celebrate how the Emerald Isle is the ideal location to grow old in.
Last Wednesday, over two hundred people from across the country gathered together in the Hillgrove Hotel, Co Monaghan to witness a showcase of age friendly projects highlighting how Ireland is the ideal location to grow old in.
The event was none other than the National Age Friendly Recognition & Achievement Awards 2018, presented by the Age Friendly Ireland Programme (Meath County Council) and was hosted and sponsored by Monaghan County Council.
For over ten years, the Age Friendly Cities and Counties Programme has been recognising the valuable role that older people can and should play in shaping their communities for the better. It has been implemented by all 31 local authorities across the country.
Awards across eight categories were granted, aligning to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) themes:
1 Age Friendly Transport Award sponsored by Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport:
Well done to St Brendan's The Glen Senior Citizens Ltd Cork who were chosen for special recognition for their 'Get out – Get going – Get living' project under our Age Friendly Transport Award. Many thanks to Kevin Doyle who presented the award on behalf of the Dept of Transport. pic.twitter.com/MO8RCcgjCj
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Dublin Bus, Providing a greater travel experience for our older
customers – Dublin - St Brendan’s The Glen Senior Citizens Ltd, Get out – Get going – Get
living – Cork - Locallink Donegal – Donegal
2 Age Friendly Active & Healthy Ageing Award sponsored by Health & Wellbeing Division, HSE:
Congrats to the Kaleidoscope project @Fingalcoco who were chosen for special recognition @AgeFriendlyIrl National Recognition & Achievement Awards 2018. A great intergenerational initiative. Thanks to Dr Paul Kavanagh for presenting the award on behalf of HSE @HSELive @stokeeffe pic.twitter.com/GmL6hjpvLc
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Active Minds – Meath
- Kaleidoscope (Seniors & Four-Year Olds) – Fingal
- Well-Dance for Seniors & Vintage Youth Dance Ensemble – Dance Theatre
of Ireland
3 Age Friendly Business Innovation Award sponsored by Chambers Ireland:
Well done to Monaghan Age Friendly Business County who were chosen for special recognition at the National Age Friendly Recognition & Achievement Awards 2018. A big thanks to Ian Talbot, CE Chambers Ireland who presented the award on the evening. #agefriendlyawards2018 pic.twitter.com/bEmDTAkpKx
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Monaghan Age Friendly Business County – Monaghan
- Galway Age Friendly Business Recognition Project – Galway
- Walkability Audit of Letterkenny University Hospital – Donegal
4 Age Friendly Safety & Security Award sponsored by An Garda Siochana:
Well done to Longford’s Age Friendly Crime Prevention Ambassadors Programme chosen for special recognition at the National Age Friendly Recognition & Achievement Awards. Special thanks to Supt Noreen McBrien who presented the Award on behalf of An Garda Siochana. Well done all! pic.twitter.com/vrheIfGVOX
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Operation Age Friendly Roadshow – Kilkenny/Carlow
- Age Friendly Crime Prevention Ambassador Programme – Longford
- Friendly Call Cork – Cork
5 Age Friendly Communication Award sponsored by An Post:
Congrats Sgt Dean Kerins and Meath's Social Media Through the Generations project – another great Age Friendly initiative chosen for recognition under the Age Friendly Communication Award. Thanks to Anna McHugh who presented the Award on behalf of An Post. #agefriendlyawards18 pic.twitter.com/gyuaGL9HhQ
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Social Media Through the Generations – Meath
- A Guide to Age Friendly Communication Training programme –
Monaghan - Older People’s Drop In Centre – Cavan
6 Age Friendly Environment Award sponsored by Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the NDA:
Hats off to Ranelagh Performance Garden, Dublin – chosen for special recognition under the Age Friendly Environment Award. A great initiative with all of the work carried out by people who are over 60 yrs of age. Big thanks to Ger Craddock, CEUD @ NDA for presenting the award. pic.twitter.com/D8fLeLx9rs
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- Reminiscence Walk – Cavan
- Garden and seating area – Dublin City
- 26 Ranelagh Performance Garden – Dublin
7 Age Friendly Community Innovation Award sponsored by Department of Rural & Community Development:
All the way from Kerry to Monaghan! Well done Kerry's Rural Men's Group who picked up the Age Friendly Community Innovation Award at the National Age Friendly Awards in Monaghan. Thanks to Jason Kearney for presenting the award on behalf of Dept of Rural & Community Development. pic.twitter.com/pVYvknEMwr
— Age Friendly Ireland (@AgeFriendlyIrl) April 18, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- The Promotion of Positive Health and Well-Being Through the Medium of
Community Arts & Crafts – Ballyphehane/Togher, Co. Cork - Better Energy Communities & Energy Ambassadors Programme –
Dunleer, Co. Louth - Rural Men’s Group – Kerry
8 Age Friendly Housing Award sponsored by Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government:
Kilmaley Voluntary Housing Association has been named one of the overall winners at the National @AgeFriendlyIrl Recognition and Achievement Awards 2018.
DETAILS – https://t.co/EdoSHqg83d pic.twitter.com/nkBpw8dJqs
— Clare County Council (@ClareCoCo) April 17, 2018
Projects shortlisted in this category were:
- McCall’s Community and Cottages – Wexford
- An Cluinín Retirement Village – Clare
- St Joseph’s Court – Galway
Speaking at the event, National Age Friendly Programme Lead, Catherine McGuigan said:
“The national Age Friendly Ireland Programme provides a platform for the implementation of innovative practices that demonstrate meaningful outcomes for our ageing population in Ireland. The national recognition awards give us the opportunity to celebrate that work and acknowledge the value contribution age friendly practices make to older people the length and breadth of Ireland. We are thrilled that so many of our colleagues from the network of 31 Age Friendly Programmes are joined in recognising these achievements”
