Wexford County Council Celebrates Environmental Champions at Annual Awards Ceremony

On Monday, November 10th, over 250 children, community groups, volunteers and individuals gathered at the Ferrycarrig Hotel for the Wexford County Council Annual Environment Awards. The event was a heartfelt celebration of environmental stewardship and voluntary effort across County Wexford, recognizing the dedication of local communities in enhancing their surroundings. This year’s ceremony saw 13 schools, 57 community groups and 3 individuals honored for their hard work and commitment to improving the environment. Councillor Joe Sullivan, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, delivered a warm welcome to the attendees, commending the volunteers for their selfless efforts, which he said “make a real difference to communities across Wexford, making them more attractive, better cared for, and more welcoming.” Eamonn Hore, Director of Services at Wexford County Council, echoed these sentiments, praising the environmental work carried out by schools, community groups and individuals throughout the year. “The hours you spend in your communities help keep Wexford beautiful and ensure we remain The Model County,” he said. Several key highlights marked the evening, with the Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group awarded the prestigious Keep Wexford Beautiful competition title. Founded in 2021, the group has made a significant impact by organizing beach clean-ups and removing over 10 tonnes of waste from the coastline in 2024 alone. Their ongoing efforts in coastal conservation have earned them widespread recognition and several awards. The Tidy Towns groups were also celebrated, with Enniscorthy Tidy Towns winning the Snap Into Action competition and Gorey Tidy Towns, Knockrobin-Clologue and Hollyfort Development Group receiving awards for their participation in the North Wexford 2K initiative. The awards ceremony also recognized the outstanding contributions of local schools. Meánscoil Gharman, Inis Córthaidh, was presented with their first Green Flag, while several other schools, including Coláiste Abbáin, Gorey Community School and Wexford CBS, were acknowledged for their participation in the Rubbish Film Festival Programme. The winning film in the festival, "One Foot in the Grave," was produced by St Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross, while the winning poster was created by Coláiste an Atha, Kilmuckridge. In addition, Harry Siggins from St. Kevin’s National School, Tara Hill, was awarded for her Christmas Wreath decoration, which won the Christmas Decoration Competition 2024. Special awards were given for individual contributions, with Alice Dunne, Mai Kelly and Phil Millar recognized for their outstanding individual contributions to Wexford’s environment. Their dedication and passion for environmental conservation have had a lasting positive impact on the community. The event, expertly organized and hosted by South East Radio's Alan McGuire, provided a fitting tribute to the people and groups who are working tirelessly to protect and enhance the environment in County Wexford. The positive energy and enthusiasm from everyone in attendance made it clear that Wexford’s environmental future is in very good hands.