Cork County Council Projects Shortlisted for National Excellence Awards

Four innovative Cork County Council initiatives spanning mental health, immigration support, tourism, and environmental sustainability have been shortlisted for the prestigious Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.

The shortlisted projects showcase the council's commitment to community wellbeing and sustainable development across the county. The Teen Talk mental health programme, which has reached over 12,000 students since 2018, leads the Health and Wellbeing category nominations alongside Mitchelstown Library's Conversation Café for new immigrants.

In the Health and Wellbeing category, the Community, Tourism and Rural Development Directorate earned recognition for Teen Talk, a programme creating safe spaces for young people to explore mental health topics. The initiative focuses on building resilience, managing stress, and reducing stigma around mental health issues. Since launching in 2018, the programme has positively impacted more than 12,000 students across Cork.

The County Library and Arts Service also secured a Health and Wellbeing nomination for its Conversation Café at Mitchelstown Library. Established in September, the English Conversational Club provides weekly sessions for immigrants settling in the town, offering both language learning opportunities and social connections for newcomers to the Rebel County.

The Explore Cork App, developed by the Community, Tourism and Rural Development Directorate, earned a Supporting Tourism category nomination. Originally created as a response to COVID-19 tourism challenges, the multilingual digital platform has evolved into a comprehensive marketing tool featuring over 850 attractions across 20 categories, proving that sometimes the best solutions come from the toughest times.

The Economic Development and Strategic Planning Directorate received recognition in the Sustainable Environment and Biodiversity category for the Cobh Nature Based Solution: Raingarden Demonstrator National Pilot Scheme. This climate adaptation project, designed collaboratively with the community, incorporates sustainable urban drainage systems, urban greening, and biodiversity net gain initiatives.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the nominations:

"I would like to acknowledge all who have helped deliver these projects and to congratulate them on their shortlisting nominations. It is a fantastic achievement to have 4 projects shortlisted for this year's Excellence in Local Government awards. The shortlisted projects demonstrate the diverse and innovative nature of work that Cork County Council is committed to delivering to the public, and emphasises the strong partnerships that have been built with the community."

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell, added:

"The shortlisted projects demonstrate the commitment and enthusiasm of everyone involved to deliver quality services and improvements to the people of County Cork, thus strengthening our communities and promoting our businesses."

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 27th November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood Park, Santry. The competition features 15 categories, ranging from Climate Change to Sustaining the Arts, with councils from across Ireland vying for recognition of their innovative programmes and services.