Pride of Place awards for Swinford and Mayo Masters

MAYO has taken two top prizes in the annual IPB Co-operation Ireland Pride of Place Awards.

Swinford took top place in the main competition in the Urban Neighbourhoods Category, while the Mayo Masters GAA team received a special award.

In their citation, the judges said of Swinford: “The visit to the winning entry in this category concerned a spectacular outpouring of community pride as a community project involving a joint initiative with the council, community and a world renowned international institution.

“It built on a recent entry in Pride of Place 2014 as it reached out as a community to regenerate part of the town which held sad and unspoken memories of a distant past.”

In regard to Mayo Masters, the judges said: “This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when people in sport at the highest level collaborate by continuing on involvement in an approach of inclusion, reaching out and companionship in a community health initiative.”

The Pride of Place Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of people who work tirelessly to create pride in their local area and a better place for local residents.