Fingal projects shortlisted for Excellence in Local Government Awards 2023

Fingal County Council has once again been shortlisted in several categories for the Chambers Ireland ‘Excellence in Local Government Awards’, including initiatives in heritage, culture, and community.

The annual awards, which are sponsored by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, aim to acknowledge and celebrate the work being carried out by Local Authorities all over Ireland. Chambers Ireland, the voice of business throughout the country, has a membership base that spans cities, towns, and communities nationwide. Winners will be announced at an event to be held in late November.

This year, four Fingal initiatives are in the running for an award:

• 3D/Virtual Reality Models of Public Realm Projects (Communications)
• Fingal Ukrainian Festival of Cultures and Communities (Festival of the Year)
• Restoration of the Great Hall, Malahide Castle (Heritage and Built Environment)
• Fingal Welcome Rooms (Supporting Sustainable Communities)

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Adrian Henchy, spoke of his delight at the news: ‘The awards are a huge honour and are an excellent opportunity to showcase and celebrate all the wonderful initiatives Fingal has to offer. I wish all of those shortlisted the very best of luck.’

Chief Executive, AnnMarie Farrelly, echoed similar thoughts: ‘I am thrilled to hear that Fingal County Council has once again been recognised for the work it does in delivering initiatives which make a real difference to our residents. It is a testament to all the hard work of the fantastic team we have in place across the council.’

For more information on the awards, you can visit www.chambers.ie/event/excellence-in-local-government-awards/

Notes To Editor:

Outline of Shortlisted Projects:

3D/Virtual Reality Models of Public Realm Projects

3D and virtual reality models have been developed to visualise future projects. One of those, the Balbriggan 3D model helped show planned transformations of the town. It was created using aerial survey photography and ground level photo surveys to show a future representation of the Harbour and Quay Street areas.

Fingal Ukrainian Festival of Cultures and Communities

Fingal celebrated a day of Ukrainian poetry, dance and music in its iconic Swords Castle.  Recognising the strong relationships fostered between the people of Fingal and the many Ukrainians who have arrived in the County since the beginning of the conflict, over 500 Ukrainian families, volunteers and their host families from across the County attended.

Restoration of the Great Hall, Malahide Castle

Significant works were undertaken on the historic Great Hall in Malahide Castle in order to restore the medieval banqueting hall and futureproof the heritage site for years to come. The Council invested over €500,000 in the project with the majority of work carried out on the external fabric of the building.

Fingal Welcome Rooms

Community Centres at Rivervalley Community Centre, Parslickstown House and Corduff Community Resource Centre opened their doors as part of a “Welcome Room” pilot programme. This initiative involved the repurposing of a space to resemble a typical household living room, providing an area where people could spend some time relaxing with a cuppa, a chat, or simply take a break.