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Liz Downes Tesco Community Champion and John O’Donoghue launching the 2014 Mitchelstown Youth Achievement Awards, with Community Garda John Hennessy and Garda JJ Wall. Photo: Sean Burke

Young people from across Mitchelstown and surrounding areas who are making their community a better place to live will have the chance to have this recognised, with the upcoming Mitchelstown Youth Achievement Award 2014, which has been just been launched.

Nominations are now being accepted by Tesco Community Champion Liz Downes and Community Garda John Hennessy, who told The Avondhu that the awards have been going from strength to strength each year.

There are two categories for nominations for those aged from 10-13 and those between the ages of 14 and 18. There will be a first, second and overall winner in each category.

Last year's nominations reached almost 70, up again on the previous years and it is hoped that that trend will continue this year with another increase in the number of nominations.

Community Garda John Hennessy said that a nomination in the awards looks very impressive on CV's for future employment, as it shows that the young person is proactive in their community, while it also highlights the positive contributions of young people to our society. 

He added that while it is the young people who are awarded on the night with certificates, credit is also due to the parents, coaches, volunteers and teachers who support them.

Liz told The Avondhu that the awards are a great way to recognise the work of young people and their achievements and looking at last year's winner John O'Donoghue, there is great potential for the Mitchelstown award to lead onto bigger and better things.

John was nominated by his mother last year and he won the overall award for the 14-18 year category for saving his father from being gored by a bull.

His act of bravery and quick thinking was highly commended by those present on the night and he was also nominated for the An Garda Siochana Cork North Garda Youth Awards in Mallow where he won the overall award.

He was then encouraged to enter the Pride of Ireland awards run by TV3 and he won his category 'Child of Courage' at national level.

"On winning the local Mitchelstown award, Liz Downes and John Hennessy encouraged me to go for these further awards and I, in return, would encourage every young person who is in any way involved in community work, sports, or any other category to enter this year's Mitchelstown Youth Achievement Awards," he said.

This year's awards will be presented in The Firgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown in mid December and it is hoped that Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash will be presenting them on the night.

Nomination forms are available from the schools in Mitchelstown, from Tesco Mitchelstown and also from Mitchelstown Garda Station. All completed forms must be returned to Liz Downes, Customer Service Desk, Tesco Mitchelstown or to John Hennessy, Mitchelstown Garda Station by Friday, November 28.

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