The non-profit organisation Gaillimh le Gaeilge has been named as one of the winners in this year’s National Lottery Good Causes Awards.
Gaillimh le Gaeilge was the winner in the Irish Language category of the awards, receiving a €10,000 prize.
Gaillimh le Gaeilge is a non-profit founded 30 years ago to promote the Irish language in Galway City, particularly as an economic resource.
The group works with the City Council, Galway Chamber, and other groups to develop Galway as a bilingual city.
Ciara O’Connor of Gaillimh le Gaeilge said that it is “such an honour” to have been nominated, let alone win in this ca
“It’s just fantastic to get that recognition, and hopefully we can continue our hard work in Galway.”
Gaillimh le Gaeilge offers their services free of charge to the business community and people of Galway, she said, to encourage them to use Irish.
They help people to, “step by step incorporate the Irish language into their business, so that bilingual image of Galway is strong, and so that people can go about their business day to day seeing the language, hearing the language.”
They can offer businesses translation services, or even just, “advice on where to sprinkle the language into their business.”
This year’s Good Causes Awards ceremony took place in Killashee House Hotel in Co.Kildare.
Grainne Seoige hosted the event and was joined by an array of familiar faces to present each of the awards to the category winners.
The Awards have seven categories: Sport, Health & Wellbeing, Heritage, Arts & Culture, Community, Youth and Irish Language.
A brand-new award category, ‘Hero of the Year’, was created this year to recognise outstanding work done by an individual within an organisation.
This year’s winner was Josie Reynolds, volunteer with the Melting Pot Community Society in Co. Roscommon, while the Overall winner was Cú Chulainn Blood Bikes in Co. Monaghan.
Andrew Algeo, Chief Executive of the National Lottery, congratulated all the winners, saying that they have a “massive impact” in their communities.
“It is such an inspiration to see how tirelessly these people work and how much time they dedicate daily for the benefit of others.”
