Intel celebrates local community organisations in 10th annual 2024 Pride of Place awards

Intel is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Pride of Place awards. 11 community organisations across Leixlip, Maynooth in Celbridge have been selected to receive grants for their outstanding projects. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Pride of Place competition, and once again, there was a fantastic response from community groups in the local area with a diverse range of project ideas being submitted.  

The judging panel for the 2024 Pride of Place competition included esteemed individuals such as Mark Rutherford and Karen O’Connor from Intel, Gordon Jamieson, from Maynooth University and Inspector Niall Keena from Leixlip Garda Station. The winning projects were unveiled at an awards ceremony held in Cliff at Lyons in Celbridge on June 5th, 2024. 

Since its inception in 2014, the Pride of Place competition has supported 91 community projects with over €340,000 in funding. The 2024 winning projects will now be implemented by the recipient organisations over the coming months.  

The 2024 winners are as follows: 

Women’s Shed Leixlip 
Inspired by the Men's Shed concept, the newly formed Women's Shed in Leixlip provides a welcoming space for 108 women to meet, engage in hobbies, and connect with others in the community. With funding from Pride of Place, Women’s Shed Leixlip will be able to provide a comfortable space for women to learn and engage with each other. 

Leixlip Youth Project – Insync Youth and Family Services  
The Leixlip Youth Project plan to expand their service by developing a Young Men’s Shed. The Young Men's Shed will be a community-based, not-for-profit group accessible to young men aged between 18 – 25 years of age. Pride of Place funding will enable young men in the community to actively focus on tasks and projects that contribute to both environmental and social sustainability issues. 

Leixlip Community First Responders  
Leixlip Community first responders are locally trained volunteers who are dispatched by the emergency services, following 999 calls in the Leixlip area. The role of the first responder has become so integral to the work of the National Ambulance Service that they have expanded the role subject to additional training, which presents several challenges. Pride of Place funding will assist with the cost of training, the provision of a more advanced, full body training mannequin which simulates a real person and help fund the supply of first aid equipment.

Gaeilge an Bhradáin  
Following a successful debut in 2023, the 2nd Annual Leixlip Irish Language Street Festival “Gaeilge an Bhradáin” will take place later in the year. Plans are in motion for a “Féasta Sráide” (“street party”) on the local gaelscoil’s grounds which will be an afternoon of activities and events for a range of ages. Pride of Place funding will support this event by funding various aspects of the festival.

Skylarks Additional Needs Rugby  
Skylarks Rugby are an existing Adapted Tag Rugby team based in the North Kildare Rugby Club in Maynooth, specifically designed for children aged 4 – 15 years old, with diverse needs, including Autism and Down Syndrome. The Pride of place award will support the organisation in acquiring essential sensory equipment. This equipment is crucial not only for promoting physical activity but also for creating inclusive play opportunities that cater to the diverse needs of young athletes.

Gaelscoil Ruairí  
Pride of Place funding will support “Guthanna Mhá Nuad” - "Voices of Maynooth: A Digital Legacy". " Guthanna Mhá Nuad" is a community-engagement initiative where students from Gaelscoil Ruairi, will collaborate with older residents and other community members to capture and document the rich tapestry of local stories, traditions, and histories.

Maynooth Local Market  
Maynooth’s Local Market was re-established in April this year. The local market want to support local vendors and traders who are currently travelling to other markets in Kildare and surrounding counties. The Pride of Place award will enable Maynooth’s Local Market to build a clear sustainable structure and plan going forward. Crucially, if the market can provide this infrastructure, it becomes much easier to swap out vendors who can't make it every week.

Community Cancer Caregivers  
Community Cancer Caregivers is an organisation that aims to increase the strength and resilience of families, supporting them through a time where feelings of isolation, neglect, disruption, and stress occur. Funding from Pride of Place will enable Community Cancer Caregivers to provide families with food vouchers whilst they are attending active treatment providing a daily nutritious meal on the days parents cannot / or don't have the energy to do so, alleviating some of the stress and anxiety accompanying a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Derrybeg Farm CSA  
Derrybeg Community Supported Agriculture Farm is a well-established organic farm, operating out of Celbridge for the past 12 years. Pride of Place funding will allow Derrybeg to invest in more rainwater harvesting and solar powered irrigation systems.  This sytem will increase yields, as well as using water more sustainably, and will enable them team at Derrybeg to maintain their carbon neutral status. This investment will facilitate the storage & capture of more then~ 20,000 litres of rainwater and eliminate most tap water consumed on farm.

St. Patricks Primary School, Celbridge  
St. Patricks Primary school aims to transform an underutilised outdoor space into a vibrant and inclusive sensory garden tailored specifically to the needs of their pupils with sensory challenges. The Pride of Place award will support the school in creating this dedicated space, providing students with opportunities for therapeutic sensory experiences, physical activity, and outdoor learning in a safe and accessible environment, which will enhance the student’s well-being, learning, and development while fostering a sense of belonging within their school community.

Esther Project in Collaboration with Acre Project  
Funding form Pride of Place will enable these organisations to offer classes, workshops, and activities around the arts, health & wellbeing with a specialisation in working with disadvantaged or marginalised groups in the community. The Esther Project is a women-led collective of facilitators and practitioners based in Celbridge & Maynooth while the ACRE Project provides a creative space for our communities to gather, socialise, and learn together.

Sarah Sexton, Director of Community Relations and Sustainable Operations at Intel Ireland, commended the vibrant North Kildare community, "The strength of our community here in North Kildare is truly remarkable, thanks to the dedication of countless local champions. It's a privilege for Intel to stand alongside them, supporting their tireless efforts and helping turn their ideas for community development into reality. My heartfelt congratulations go out to all the winning groups, and I extend my appreciation to every participant for the passion and dedication shown in their Intel Pride of Place applications."