Awards

Winner
Category: Population Category 1500 – 4000

The 21^st year of the Annual IPB Pride of Place Awards. It continues to celebrate the extraordinary voluntary work of communities all over the island of Ireland. 

Twenty-one spectacular years later the power, strength and vision of the nominated entrants representing their town, council and place, continues to impress and inspire our judges, as they demonstrate their innovation, capacity, resilience and pride in their achievement. They do this while embracing current challenges and still respecting and taking learnings from the past. The ethos of the award has never changed and continues to be about acknowledging and recognising in a meaningful manner the important and valuable work of all our communities.

Winner
Category: Population Category 2001 – 4000

This year, the awards recognise business and community groups who have come together to support their local area as they start to rebuild and recover from the impact of COVID-19.     

A total awards prize fund of over €200,000 is available to finalists to help reboot local economies across the island of Ireland. 21 awards are involved with the overall winner receiving €50,000 and the title of Ireland’s ‘Most Enterprising Town’. There is also a prize of €20,000 for the winner of the ‘Rising Star’ award.

Reflecting the new challenges that communities and businesses currently face as a result of the pandemic three special COVID-response awards have been introduced:    

“Through these awards we are supporting businesses and communities across the island of Ireland impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as they start to rebuild and get back on their feet.

“We have seen that incredible and powerful things can be achieved when communities, business groups and local authorities come together to meet their own challenges and make their own opportunities. I would like to wish Carndonagh the very best luck in the competition.”

The Begin Together Awards fund is part of wider €1 million Bank of Ireland support for local enterprise and community groups this year.

Winner
Category: Population Category 2001 – 4000

The Bank of Ireland Begin Together Awards – previously known as the National Enterprise Town Awards – bring business and community groups together to support local recovery and rebuilding. The initiative was fast-tracked to provide funding to winning towns in early October and directly assist their Covid-19 recovery.

Barry Gallagher, Head of Bank of Ireland for Donegal, was in Carndonagh to present the trophy to members of the Carndonagh Traders Association.

Mr Gallagher said, “The enterprising spirit and ‘can-do’ attitude of our communities has always been strong but this is no ordinary year. COVID-19 poses a huge challenge to our physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Communities across the island of Ireland have impressed us with their sense of partnership, passion and ambition. The Bank of Ireland Begin Together Awards are positive proof that communities and businesses can and will overcome this challenge and I’m proud that we at Bank of Ireland can support them.”