Laois town crowned Community Champions for 21st century virtual project

A 21st-century initiative by a historic Laois community is set to become reality with the awarding of a big award from the Laois / Kildare People First Credit Union.

The Portlaoise headquartered credit union says it is 'thrilled' to announce that the Ballinakill Community Development Association has been crowned the winner of its €10,000 Community Champions Award.

The award was won for their Virtual Tour Project which the credit union judges decided is an outstanding initiative that showcases Ballinakill’s rich history, highlights local business sites, and promotes the village's facilities.

"This innovative project not only celebrates the village’s heritage but also encourages active lifestyles, boosts tourism, and fosters community engagement both online and offline," said People First.

The winning entry originates from an idea from a local business to give directions to the many visitors to the village close to the nationally famous Heywood Gardens.

The winning entry originates from an idea from a local business to give directions to the many visitors to the village close to the famous Heywood Gardens.

Niav Riley runs Market SQ Studios which happens to be housed in the former credit union branch in the town.

Well-known for her work as a milliner, a lot of her customers are visitors to the town due to its proximity to the Gardens. The swimming pool in the amenity park is another draw as are the local walks.

“We spent a lot of our time giving directions so we decided to have a little map drawn up by a local artist. We handed out hundreds of the maps. So, I was chatting to some of the members of the Ballinakill Community Association and telling them that we needed better signage around the village for the Gardens, swimming pool and the walking routes that would include the village,” she said.

After deciding to take action on signs she said the BCDA have came up with a new addition.

“It has been taken to a higher level and we are looking to add a virtual tour,” she said.

Alex is on the board of the Association. He spoke about how the project builds upon work over the past decade on projects such as the playground and enhancing the swimming pool. Both are part of the village's amenity park.

“Looking ahead, the Association wants to contribute towards the development of the village in a wider way. Part of that is building more revenue and a bigger economy in the village,” he said.

“It's (the virtual tour map) is a quite novel idea with virtual information around the walking routes and points of interest. The virtual tour would help to realise those in a video,” he said.

Speaking in a video produced in advance of the Credit Union AGM in Athy and the winner being picked, he thanked the Credit Union for being shortlisted for the award.

Read more about the award below this video was produced by the community with the support of People First ahead of the announcement at the Credit Union's AGM on January 29 in Athy.

The Ballinakill Community Association, which has been busy with many projects in recent years, was delighted with their win.

"We can’t quite believe it and are blown away to have been chosen by the wonderful people at People First Credit Union to be awarded €10,000 to help us with a project to create a virtual, interactive tour of our wonderful area.

"We’re looking forward to getting stuck into the project in time for spring and summer filming. We were humbled to be chosen above two other wonderful projects in Athy and Abbeyleix and wish them further luck and success with their own projects," the said on social media.

Apart from thanking People First Credit Union, they also thanked Market SQ Studios for the original idea and VIMAR Digital Marketing for the great video.  

People First congratulated the runners-up: Abbeyleix Community Garden and thy Sign & Sing.

The Abbeyleix entry was awarded €2,000 for their efforts in building a vibrant community space that promotes sustainability and connection.

The Athy group also won €2,000 for their inclusive project, blending creativity and accessibility to make a real difference.

arol Murphy, Marketing Manager for People First Credit Union, said this year’s Community Champions Awards showcased the incredible work. She also spoke about the aim of the awards.

“We launched the Community Champions Award to shine a light on those who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to making our communities stronger, kinder, and more vibrant places to live.

“The Community Champions Award is a €10,000 award which was created with a purpose—to fund capital projects that leave a lasting impact on our community, with a particular emphasis on environmental change and an ESG focus. We want to support initiatives that don’t just make a difference today but will continue to benefit future generations, shaping a more sustainable and inclusive community for all,” said Ms Murphy.

This is the second year of the Community Champions Award with the three 2024 groups shortlisted announced at the Laois Community and Voluntary Awards.