Good Causes awards 2024
Congratulations to all our winners!
2024 Category Winners
Helium Arts
Helium Arts is a Westmeath-based organisation that empowers young people with lifelong health conditions through creativity and the arts. Its powerful ethos — ‘We can’t cure illness, but we can reduce the impact’ — deeply moved the judges who could see the real and genuine effect its work is having on young people in Ireland. Helium Arts gives young people facing serious illness a sense of connection and belonging, while stoking their imagination and sparking joy. It does this by providing cultural opportunities to them right in the heart of their own communities across Ireland.
Maharees Conversations Association
The Maharees Conservation Association was set up in 2016 to enhance, protect and preserve this unique coastline in North Kerry and take community-led climate adaption. The volunteer-run charity works with the local community, visitors, NGOs, state agencies and the local authority to protect The Maharees sand dune system and habitats as well as the community and heritage of the area. In its conservation work, the group use nature-based solutions such as fencing, marram planting and dune awareness generation. Its work has been used as an exemplar in national and international research studies in nature-based solutions for climate adaption and biodiversity.
South Meath Social Economy
HomeLife (South Meath Social Economy) is an organisation that is providing vital support to older people and those with disabilities, enabling them to live safely and independently in their own homes and communities for longer. The group, based in Co. Meath, provide a home and garden maintenance service as well as a senior alert system. This reliable and affordable support addresses essential needs of their clients such as home repairs, accessibility modifications and gardening.
Hand in Hand CLG
Hand in Hand CLG is a Galway-based charity that provides support to families of young people with cancer. The organisation enables parents to focus on their child’s health and wellbeing by taking care of practical day-to-day tasks for them, with the simple yet powerful mission of ‘We look after the ordinary while the parents look after the extraordinary’. The profound impact Hand in Hand’s work has on families nationwide, offering essential relief and improving their quality of life during incredibly challenging times, is deeply moving.
Cill Dara le Gaelige
Cill Dara le Gaeilge is revitalising the Irish language in Kildare by seamlessly integrating it into all aspects of everyday life. The group is the lead organisation for language planning in the county supporting businesses, community groups and, youth groups that wish to offer services or organise events through the medium of Irish. The group is very much focussed on the community and ensuring the Irish language and culture flourishes across Kildare, working in partnership with other local community organisations.
Mullingar Handball Club
Mullingar Handball Club goes out of its way to demonstrate that sport is more than just an activity. The club, which is based in a disadvantaged area, brings the community together, offering a welcoming space for all ages and all abilities to stay active and build friendships. As well as developing elite players, the club embraces the wider community through initiatives like Age Active, All Stars (for children with autism and other additional needs), Mothers & Others, and Dads & Lads.
BelongTo LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland
Belong To, the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation, started off as a youth project has since grown into a unique national services and advocacy organisation for LGBTQ+ children and young people. Founded in 2003, Belong To exists to create and generate safe spaces and places for LGBTQ+ young people and to empower others through education to support LGBTQ+ young people. It is also leading policy and practice by providing expertise, developing best practice models and reflecting lived experiences. They want to ensure LGBTQ+ young people have their voices heard and will advocate for LGBTQ+ young people and champion change.
Hero of the Year
Evelyn Neary, Cian's Kennels
The National Lottery Good Causes Awards Hero of the Year winner 2024 is Evelyn Neary, a resilient, determined, and admirable woman.
Evelyn, along with her husband Enda, founded Cian’s Kennels in memory of their 15-year-old son Cian Neary. Cian was diagnosed with hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma and sadly lost his battle for life on 23 September 2019. When Cian was diagnosed, they asked him if there was anything they could get him to make him feel better. Cooper, a golden Labrador puppy, then joined their family, and they witnessed first-hand the joy that Cooper brought Cian.
Cian’s Kennels brings pets closer to sick children and their families by enabling children who are in hospital for long periods to have access to, and maintain their relationship with, their family cat or dog. This has been demonstrated to be of great benefit to the children and sustains family morale in difficult times. Cian’s Kennels transports the pets to and from the hospital and covers full veterinary checks and all kennelling costs.
National Lottery Good Causes funding in 2023 was used to upgrade the organisation’s visiting kennels facility at CHI Crumlin hospital, allowing Cian’s Kennels to offer services there to more families from every county in Ireland.
The National Lottery Good Causes Awards is delighted to recognise Evelyn Neary as our National Lottery Hero of the Year 2024. From deep personal loss, Evelyn has transformed pain into a force for good, making an extraordinary difference. With unwavering strength, the Nearys have built a skilled volunteer team, built important relationships, instilled strong governance, and — above all — brought joy to sick children and their families in hospital.
18+ Support Responsibly
