THE achievements of some outstanding young people in West Cork were celebrated at the National Garda Youth Awards.
The awards honour young people aged 13 to 21 years who have positively contributed to their community. First started in West Cork in 1995, they awards have now taken on a national significance. This year they were held at at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise, with young people from around the country recognised.
Yvonne Lynch and Farrah O'Shea, two pupils at Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, won the group award for their work in 'The Hub', the Bantry school's special needs centre. Both young women are driven by their love of helping others, and volunteer their time in taking weekly trips to see the residents in the nursing home in Bantry, keeping the community clean with Bantry Tidy Towns, and their work in the local charity shop.
Determined and with a can-do attitude, they are advocates for the use of sign language and are always encouraging those they meet to become familiar with its use.
Also honoured at the awards was Skibbereen teenager Heidi Harnedy with an individual award. Heidi spent four years looking after her baby sister Maya, who had a serious and rare health condition. Heidi cared for her sister, taking on the task of timing her seizures, calming her when they had subsided and helping to care for her other sisters too.
Maya passed away earlier this year but Maya has started a fundraiser called the Wildflower Seeds, to put money towards accessibility upgrades to her local playground for children with special needs, as well research into Maya's condition. The caring and talented teen is taking water safety and lifesaving training, with a future aim to teach younger children how to swim.
The first ever Garda Divisional Youth Awards were created by Bandon-based juvenile liaison officer Garda James O'Mahony, in 1995. He noticed that the young people in the community were doing tremendous things which deserved recognition. The awards have grown in leaps and bounds since then.
Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon said at the awards: 'Today is about recognising the dedication of young people – how they support one another and help their communities. Each of today’s recipients demonstrates all that is great about our young people, and all of us in An Garda Síochána are very proud of their hard work which is done selflessly and enthusiastically.
'We hope today's awards are a fitting acknowledgement of the very valuable contribution that these young people are making to society.'
