Tipperary's Knockmealdown Active wins coveted national Pride of Place award

Knockmealdown Active members receiving the Pride of Place award. Pictured from left: Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Declan Burgess, Mark Rylands, Cllr Máirín McGrath, Marian O’Dwyer, Noeline Bergin, Grainne Moynihan and Kevin O’Donnell

A community group that promotes outdoor activity tourism events in the Knockmealdown Mountains region of south Tipperary and west Waterford has won a prestigious Pride of Place national award.

Knockmealdown Active received the 2024 IPB Pride of Place Community Wellbeing award at a gala awards ceremony in the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan last Saturday.

The ceremony was attended by more than 500 people from local authorities and community groups all over the island of Ireland.

Pride of Place is an all-island competition that recognises the invaluable work undertaken by volunteers and those in involved in community development.

The competition’s focus is about people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their area. There are 26 categories for different types of community group and population sizes.

Knockmealdown Active is a multi-community initiative that promotes outdoor activity tourism in the Knockmealdown Mountains and its large hinterland in south Tipperary and west Waterford

The 12-years-old volunteer group that is active in south Tipperary communities such as Newcastle, Goatenbridge, Ardfinnan, Clogheen and Ballyporeen runs the hugely successful St Declan’s Way walking events, Bay Lough kayaking and KnockMeDown Adventure Race.

Knockmealdown Active’s events collectively host almost 5,000 people per year in south Tipperary and west Waterford.
The award won by the group was based on the strengths of its community based activities and the group’s presentation given to Pride of Place judges during their visit to Newcastle, the St Declan’s Way at Goatenbridge, Bay Lough in the Knockmealdowns and Clogheen in August.

The Pride of Place judges said it was difficult to come to terms with the sheer scope of activities and events organised by the “resolute” Knockmealdown Active group.

The judges said they received a very warm welcome, an excellent presentation and a memorable visit to the wild outdoors.
“Significant grant funding, involvement of the wider community and a huge volunteer component have all contributed to the success of this initiative,” they said. “This social enterprise is making a difference in the well being of locals and visitors alike.”

This was high praise from the judges who included Liam Hannaway, former CEO of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Eddie Sheehy, former CEO of Wicklow County Council.

Gráinne Moynihan spoke at the Pride of Place awards ceremony on behalf of Knockmealdown Active Committtee.

She thanked all the volunteers involved in the group, the community groups with whom they work closely, Tipperary County Council, Waterford City and County Council, the development companies, Coillte, Mount Melleray Abbey’s monks and all the landowners who are hugely supportive of Knockmealdown Active.

Ms Moynihan, who chairs the St Declan’s Way Steering Committee, said it was now onwards and upwards for Knockmealdown Active in 2025.

South Tipperary was also represented at the Pride of Place Awards ceremony by the Carrick-on-Suir based Friends of Bridgewater House Committee that was nominated for an award in the Inclusive Communities category.

Friends of Bridgewater House has done trojan work for more than 20 years helping asylum seekers living in the town’s Bridgewater House Direct Provision Centre to integrate into the local community by organising events, outings and activities for them.

The Committee helps the centre’s residents to get involved in volunteering in local organisations, sign up for education courses and apply for jobs. And it provides assistance with their quest to secure refugee status and housing if their asylum application is approved.

The Tipperary Music Generation project, Sounds of Semple, in Templemore won the runner-up award in the Creative Communities category of the Pride of Place awards that were hosted by RTE's Brendan McArdle.