Ireland’s most prestigious community awards took place in Armagh on Friday night (November 10) when Armagh, Banbridge, and Craigavon Borough Council hosted the Pride of Place awards event at the Armagh City Hotel.

Organised by peacebuilding charity Co-operation Ireland and sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place awards showcase and celebrate exceptional community development efforts. 

This year marked the 21st anniversary of the awards, and the event were hosted by ITV’s Pamela Ballentine.

These awards honour the remarkable contributions of individuals and groups dedicated to improving their local neighbourhoods, creating better places to live, work, and socialise.

Pride of Place is an All-Island competition, with local authorities from across the island of Ireland nominating groups that have made a significant impact in enhancing their communities through collective effort. The competition concluded with Friday’s prestigious gala awards ceremony.

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon, Alderman Margaret Tinsley, said: “We were delighted to host this year awards to celebrate and recognise the wonderful work voluntary people and organisations make to community life. Congratulations to all award winners, and thank you to everyone who played their part in organising this fantastic event.”

Peter Sheridan, Chief Executive Officer of Co-operation Ireland, said: “Our work at Co-operation Ireland is all about building bridges and fostering connections. The Pride of Place awards play a vital role in this effort by recognising and celebrating the remarkable efforts of communities across the island. They demonstrate that when people come together to make their neighbourhoods better, it’s not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about building bridges of understanding and pride in one’s place.”