FIVE West Cork students have been honoured at the Garda National Youth Awards for their charity contribution inspired by their much-loved former teacher.
The five young people – Anna Crowley, Ellie Buckley, Sarah Jane O’Sullivan, Aoife O’Leary, and Brian O’Callaghan – from ‘Walk ‘Cause You Can’ are students at Coachford College and wanted to support their deputy principal, Diarmuid Hickey who had motor neurone disease (MND).
Diarmuid passed away in March 2024.
The students organised for the entire school community to walk 10,000 laps of the school walkway, which raised €51,787 for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.
They organised the logistics so that the entire school community walked the final three laps together.
The awards recognise young people aged 13-21 who have positively contributed to their community.
This year’s event took place at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris presented the awards.
‘Our awards are about recognising the incredible work done by young people in communities all over Ireland for the sake of others. They often don’t get enough credit for the variety of challenges they face in today’s society and particularly for how they responded to the difficulties they encounter,’ said Garda assistant commissioner for road safety and community engagement, Paula Hilman.
